H. B. Smith & Co. Vise Restoration First Attempt

[GQSnake]

I was looking for a vise and lucked out on finding this vise and an anvil for sale. I bought both for a package deal. The vise was in great shape minus the single pipe jaw missing.

 

[Shiftless]

HB Smith vises are quite old.
Are you looking for a user or a museum piece?

You are teasing us by saying you got an anvil as well but no pics. ??
(I collect vises but I have to draw the line and not start to accumulate anvils.)

 

[GQSnake]

I mostly finished it up today. I’m thinking of having someone make the single pipe jaw for it so I kept the double pipe jaws out to use as a template. I used Simple Green and a brass brush for all the grease and grime. I soaked everything in Evaporust. That stuff is amazing! I took a wire wheel to it very gently. I cleaned with acetone and then added a coat of primer. I followed that with Rustoleum Hammered Black enamel. Boiled Linseed oil for the jaws and handle.

 

[GQSnake]

The above post has the vise on top of the anvil after I cleaned it up a bit. Below are before and after. I just cleaned up the top and used a brush on the sides. I will likely clean it up a bit more and coat it with boiled linseed oil.

As for the vise being an every day user or museum piece. I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do yet. I had purchased it to use for knifemaking. No heavy duty work. I don’t think it is all that common so I’d hate to bust it up. It would work fine for holding knives though. I picked up a nice Athol that I can use for heavier duty work. I still have my eyes set on a Reed 2c so we’ll see where this vise obsession takes me!