Have a new find

[Forgedsteel]

I"m new here and have found a new toy. While working on a house I came across an old bench vice laying out behind the barn. Now i love old tools. Have acquired an old rivet forge with blower and just recently a 1917 era 155lb. Arm & Hammer anvil. So back to the vice. The lines seam to look like 30s or 40s. I,ll get a photo up in the near future. I can,t seem to find a manufacture for it. the only markings i have found are a circle with a T in the middle in the casting of both main pieces. It ways about 30-40 pounds with two bolts attatched from the bottom of the base. It also has a threaded hole in the bottom of the base which i found on this site was a mounting spot. It has 4 1/2 in jaws. I'll be cleaning it up soon. Just really trying to find some history at this point. any help would be great. thanks

 

[HOTFR8]

Welcome to the GJ. You will find your help on the forum.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Hi and welcome aboard, its vise central here, I am sure one of our learned members will chime in, anyway enjoy..

 

[drivesitfar]

FS: a circle T isn't ringing any bells and i do like vises. if you can post a few pictures over on the general tools section in the vises of garage journal thread that might get some answers. i use the paperclip method just above where we write our posts and attach them using it sort of like attaching pictures to an email.

can you post a picture or two or three of your anvil on this thread so you'll know how and we all love Anvil ****. any markings or more information that we can't easily see in the pictures please post and maybe we can tell you more about it.

welcome

 

[Forgedsteel]

I will try to post a few pictures tonight after work. The house where I found it was built in the 20s. The homeowners said it found when they tore down an old shed that was falling apart. I've looked through my Anvils in America book but haven't seen the logo. I'm into it right. Tried to buy it but the homeowners said they had no use for it and gave it to me.

 

[zbyler]

Welcome to GJ Forged. Sounds like you uncovered a great vise with some potential history behind it. You'll find a lot of great info regarding vises on here. Good luck!

 

[rburke65]

Hello and welcome from Ohio!

 

[XxToolAholicxX]

Hello and welcome to Thee Garage Journal.....
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I am a ToolAholic,Sometimes I regret it,Especially when the ToolMan wont give me no credit

 

[Forgedsteel]

So hopefully this photo loads. I'm not very good at this part. Since this photo I have weighed and blasted the vise. Found the name HANLEY & CO. Cold stamped on both parts. I haven't been able to find this company for facts. This thing weighs 70 lbs. and the jaws open safely to about 8 in. The jaws are 4 1/2 in wide.

 

[Forgedsteel]

Also the bottom also has an 1in threaded hole for table mounting. I didn't get the bottom screw with the space and large wing nut. From what I can tell form other pictures in old ads this was another way to mount it. I think this would be considered a machinist vise since it has no table or horn like an anvil. The detail in the making of this is what intrigues me. Companies not put this kind of effort into little details like accent lines in casting. It's called pride in your product.

 

[drivesitfar]

FS: you vise has the same design features as my Vanderman vise that is from the late 1800's and early 1900's. my Vanderman has pipe jaws and weighs about 100 pounds.

sorry i wish i was more help and there might be a couple guys on the main vise thread where you posted it that might own one exactly like yours or know of it's origin.

here's a couple pictures of my Vanderman and post up more pictures of yours if you have any from all sides.

 

[Forgedsteel]

Thanks Drivesitfar. Yes yours does. Trying to find the history on these kind of things is surely half of the fun for me. Yours looks like its in great shape. Somebody has abused mine a bit pounding on the jaws like an anvil. I guess it was just a tool. I'll post some more photos later today.

 

[Ethan1972]

Welcome!

 

[bl00]

The T inside a circle was used by the Oswego Tool Co and also the Sawyer Tool Co. Both were in Oswego and were related somehow.

 

[Forgedsteel]

Thanks for the info b100. My schedule hasn't given me any time to get some new pictures up. This gives me an outlet to look for info. Thanks.