Help identify an old vise

[Bsquared]

Love the forum, my fist post.

I recently went to visit my grandmother who is now 96 and while there, poked around in my grandfathers old shop. he has been gone for 25 or so years now.

I found his old vise mounted to the corner of his bench and ended up brining it home with me. it is complete and works perfectly but is missing the handle.

I have been scouring the internet trying to find some information about it but unable to find anything.

I am interested in knowing the vintage and the manufacturer. it's unlike any vise i have seen.

It has a unique wedge base for the swivel system. The only markings that i see appears to say "dropped" "3" although i cant make it out clearly.

I am super excited to mount it and use it for another 50 years. It has great sentimental value to me, would love to find our more about it.

thanks, appreciate any insight you may have,
brian

 

[bigcaddy]

Brian,

Unless B100 comes along, you just stumped the vise ID community. That's a neat looking little vise. Similar to a Wilton swivel jaw without the rear pivot jaw and pretty tiny in size. How big are the jaws

 

[bigcaddy]

If you don't mind me asking, where did your grandfather live? It's possible the vise was made local to him and the company never lasted long, or at least their vise castings didnt

I would also add that you don't "use" it like any other vise. Oil it lightly and put it on a shelf unless is gonna be used for fly tying. I doubt you could ever replace it if broken so don't let yourself get the chance.

Buy another larger, more stout beast of a vise and use that instead

 

[drivesitfar]

BS: i agree with Caddy that you should only use this as light duty or shine it up and put it on the shelf. the missing handle is an easy fix and i think Ritz (partial GJ name) can make you one for about $50 plus shipping that will complete your working vise.

interesting only one screw holding the jaws in place. i'm guessing the 3 in the casting means 3 inch wide jaws? i do like the handle that releases and holds the swivel base.

i have another question are you or was your Grandpa living in Europe or where? it has that European look to it.

by the way welcome to Garage Journal and you brought a heckuva calling card. nice save and glad it found another good home.

 

[bl00]

Neat vise. The best I can come up with that used a similar wedge locking system is the Wedg-Lok vise from the Jahant Foundry and Heating Company. Check out these links. Maybe yours is a different model from the same company.

link1
link2
link3
patent

 

[Bsquared]

Hey Guys,
thanks for the feedback. he lived in small town ohio, (Piqua) as far as i know its been on his bench for at least 40 or 50 years. my aunt still lives around the corner, ill ask her if she remembers when she first saw it.

My grandfathers family was from florida and my grandmother's family was from italy. ill see if anyone know anything about it.

It's a decent sized little vise. about 30 lbs, and about 13" overall length, the jaws are 3"

here are a few more pics. a good view of the swivel wedge. it tightens right up and is pretty firm.

 

[Bsquared]

B100,
that's great info, thanks for the links. i saw that Jahant Foundry and Heating Company is from Akron which is about 3 hrs from Piqua. also notice that the main lead screw has a rounded front know where the handle passes. its similar to the one from link 2 above.

I bet its the same company.

 

[drivesitfar]

BS: not all the vise guys check all the threads, but they usually check the vise thread and i bet you get some compliments when you post these pictures over there. maybe some more information too. i like the Italy origination and that vise looks a lot older than 40 or 50 years old. more like 100 years old.

very nice and after looking at that bottom it even looks better. you can use it, but i doubt you would be able to fix it or replace it so BEE Careful.

 

[Fretters]

Nice looking thing. Interesting design. It's not dropped, btw, You're one letter shy.

 

[bigcaddy]

B100,
that's great info, thanks for the links. i saw that Jahant Foundry and Heating Company is from Akron which is about 3 hrs from Piqua. also notice that the main lead screw has a rounded front know where the handle passes. its similar to the one from link 2 above.

I bet its the same company.

If you live in Ohio, you can take your pick of available vises for your bench. There were a number of great vise manufacturers based out of Ohio and they show up all the time on Craigslist.

 

[bl00]

Solved this one.

DROPFO vise: manufactured by The Fulton Drop Forge Co., Canal Fulton Ohio. The company seems to be named after the town and is not related to the other Fulton vise companies.

This ad dates from 1925. The mechanism appears the same as the Jahant mentioned above. The vise swivels freely until it clamps. The little handle under the big one can be used to lock the swivel, so it doesn't move when the jaws aren't clamped.

There isn't much in google books, but here are some snippets for the benefit of someone who finds another one.

The Dropfo Vise is made in four sizes: 3-in. with jaws opening 5'A ins., 4-in. with jaws opening 6 in., 5-in. with jaws opening 8 ins., and S-in. heavy duty with jaws opening 5 ins. It is manufactured by The Fulton Drop Forge, Canal Fulton, Ohio.

The jaw- plates are knurled and forged under the hammer and doweled onto the jaw. Thus it is possible to replace the jaw plates, which are naturally subject to wear. The Dropfo Vise is lighter in weight than the old- fashioned cast iron type.

The Dropfo Vise is said to be lighter in weight than the cast iron type. It is made with a swivel base and wedge lock that is quick to set and automatic in tightening up, and has a grip that, it is claimed, cannot shake or break loose. It is also made ...

These are sold under the trade name of the Dropfo vise and are made with either a solid stationary base or with the Wedgelok swivel base. These vises are made entirely of interchangeable drop-forgings in four sizes: 3 in., 4 in., 5 in. regular ...

THE DROPFO VISE The Dropfo is a new vise, made entirely of drop forgings, except for the handle. Each part is machined to be interchangeable with the same part on any other vise of the same size. The jaw plates are knurled and forged ...

 

[bluebolt]

b100 is awesome!

I like that vise, restore it and use it for light jobs (no hammers allowed near it!)

 

[drivesitfar]

B100: Major Kudos to you for solving this almost year old mystery vise's history.

BSquared: are you still a member and more importantly do you still own the vise and we need some more pictures of it??

 

[Trey T]

That vise needs a major resto thread and a custom handle.

 

[Outlawmws]

Kudos to B100 for dredging that up!

 

[Outlawmws]

Also, for 1925 that vise was Effing EXPENSIVE! $400 in 2015 dollars!

 

[Geoellison1]

I found Garage Forum today when trying to identify my dropfo 4 vise, which has a story:
My grandfather George F. Becker ran Chrysler Corporation's experimental sheet metal shop. Worked for them from the 20s on.
Sometime in the 30s, they required a vise to hold a heavy part at the auto show. While they were setting up, Walter P. Chrysler walked through the show, say this chromed vise and exploded, crying over the waste of money in chroming a perfectly good vise (probably in the midst of the depression).He pounded it for emphasis only to find out it wasn't bolted down yet causing it to fall on and break his toe.
Needless to say, the guys decided to make the vise disappear, so my Grandpa took it home. It eventually made it to my Dad's workbench where it lived and worked for all my memory. It moved to my bench when Dad died and I just polished it and mounted it to my bench in the barn I built on our retirement property in Sonoma County.
It will continue to be cared for and work hard though several more generations, in honor of Walter P. Chrysler's toe.

 

[ezover]

I found Garage Forum today when trying to identify my dropfo 4 vise, which has a story:
My grandfather George F. Becker ran Chrysler Corporation's experimental sheet metal shop. Worked for them from the 20s on.
Sometime in the 30s, they required a vise to hold a heavy part at the auto show. While they were setting up, Walter P. Chrysler walked through the show, say this chromed vise and exploded, crying over the waste of money in chroming a perfectly good vise (probably in the midst of the depression).He pounded it for emphasis only to find out it wasn't bolted down yet causing it to fall on and break his toe.
Needless to say, the guys decided to make the vise disappear, so my Grandpa took it home. It eventually made it to my Dad's workbench where it lived and worked for all my memory. It moved to my bench when Dad died and I just polished it and mounted it to my bench in the barn I built on our retirement property in Sonoma County.
It will continue to be cared for and work hard though several more generations, in honor of Walter P. Chrysler's toe.

we must have a picture of the offending vise.

 

[MrDayne]

I found Garage Forum today when trying to identify my dropfo 4 vise, which has a story:
My grandfather George F. Becker ran Chrysler Corporation's experimental sheet metal shop. Worked for them from the 20s on.
Sometime in the 30s, they required a vise to hold a heavy part at the auto show. While they were setting up, Walter P. Chrysler walked through the show, say this chromed vise and exploded, crying over the waste of money in chroming a perfectly good vise (probably in the midst of the depression).He pounded it for emphasis only to find out it wasn't bolted down yet causing it to fall on and break his toe.
Needless to say, the guys decided to make the vise disappear, so my Grandpa took it home. It eventually made it to my Dad's workbench where it lived and worked for all my memory. It moved to my bench when Dad died and I just polished it and mounted it to my bench in the barn I built on our retirement property in Sonoma County.
It will continue to be cared for and work hard though several more generations, in honor of Walter P. Chrysler's toe.

This is amazing I nominate for post of the year haha. You should share this in the HUGE vise thread.VISE thread here...

 

[Stuart in MN]

Great story, and cool vise!

 

[bubinga]

Love the forum, my fist post.

I recently went to visit my grandmother who is now 96 and while there, poked around in my grandfathers old shop. he has been gone for 25 or so years now.

I found his old vise mounted to the corner of his bench and ended up brining it home with me. it is complete and works perfectly but is missing the handle.

I have been scouring the internet trying to find some information about it but unable to find anything.

I am interested in knowing the vintage and the manufacturer. it's unlike any vise i have seen.

It has a unique wedge base for the swivel system. The only markings that i see appears to say "dropped" "3" although i cant make it out clearly.

I am super excited to mount it and use it for another 50 years. It has great sentimental value to me, would love to find our more about it.

thanks, appreciate any insight you may have,
brian

cool looking vise!!!

 

[drivesitfar]

Geo: great looking vise and great story too. are there any other markings on the vise other than what looks like Drop for(ged)?

does the swivel work cause hard to tell?

the vise does have a European look to it which is maybe why it was chromed for a US automaker's display/show.

welcome to the forum and hope you stick around and like this place as much as i do.

 

[davethorik]

Geo: great looking vise and great story too. are there any other markings on the vise other than what looks like Drop for(ged)?

does the swivel work cause hard to tell?

the vise does have a European look to it which is maybe why it was chromed for a US automaker's display/show.

welcome to the forum and hope you stick around and like this place as much as i do.

It's DropFo (the maker)

 

[notlob]

It's DropFo (the maker)

According to the story, that's a DropToe vise.

 

[matad311]

Its incredible how powerful social media is!

So I found this vise in my grandpas shed half buried in the dirt floor. It has sat there for years and never did anything with it until I need one for my bench at home! So I took it home and let it sit in a bucket all winter long and would keep spraying it with PB blaster and WD-40. Well it finally unfroze and I went to work cleaning it up. Now this hole time I was never able to figure out the brand nothing. Not a single marking on this vise other then 2 words "front" and 1 saying "back" indicating how to mount the vise. So I decided to go through and paint it and make it look good again.

Now just last night 5/17/20 I post this "quarantine" project to my Instagram. Come to find out a hashtag I threw on it, a guy commented its a "Dropfo made by Fulton. Drop Forge vise, very desirable, very robust for its size". So I take a look at his Instagram, he buys, collects and fixes old vises to sell!

So from this I did some googling this morning that lead me back to this fourm! So with all that being said I want to share my Dropfo Vise I knew nothing about 24 hours ago! haha

 

[bubinga]

Its incredible how powerful social media is!

So I found this vise in my grandpas shed half buried in the dirt floor. It has sat there for years and never did anything with it until I need one for my bench at home! So I took it home and let it sit in a bucket all winter long and would keep spraying it with PB blaster and WD-40. Well it finally unfroze and I went to work cleaning it up. Now this hole time I was never able to figure out the brand nothing. Not a single marking on this vise other then 2 words "front" and 1 saying "back" indicating how to mount the vise. So I decided to go through and paint it and make it look good again.

Now just last night 5/17/20 I post this "quarantine" project to my Instagram. Come to find out a hashtag I threw on it, a guy commented its a "Dropfo made by Fulton. Drop Forge vise, very desirable, very robust for its size". So I take a look at his Instagram, he buys, collects and fixes old vises to sell!

So from this I did some googling this morning that lead me back to this fourm! So with all that being said I want to share my Dropfo Vise I knew nothing about 24 hours ago! haha

Nice Job!
Good Save!!!

 

[C lectric]

Nice Vise. Actually very nice vise, both of them.

 

[drivesitfar]

Matad: nice find and restoration/save of your GRAMP'S old vise. that one does have the LOOK FACTOR going for it that is for certain so do your best not to beat on it.

another thing to mention if you might find any more vises to restore is that we usually don't paint the slides or other areas where there is metal to metal contact and those are usually waxed, greased or oiled.

are you positive it's a FULTON cause even though I'm not on the vise thread daily any longer it seems like it might be another maker's vise?

 

[davethorik]

Its incredible how powerful social media is!

So I found this vise in my grandpas shed half buried in the dirt floor.

Nice save. How wide are the jaws?
I see you also have a redneck bolt mod. There was a pin pressed in there from the factory to hold the spindle in. My 5" is missing and has a bolt shoved in it too.

are you positive it's a FULTON cause even though I'm not on the vise thread daily any longer it seems like it might be another maker's vise?

Why would you disagree it's not a Dropfo when it very clearly is? Do you have any? I have 2 Dropfo vises, his very clearly is a Dropfo.

 

[drivesitfar]

DAVE: sadly I don't have one so maybe i ought to be trading something to you so I can? I guess I recall another maker making vises that looked like that. are you sure Fulton is the only maker of that style of vise?

cheers

 

[matad311]

Thanks guys! But yes this will be replaced now that I know the make of it and being my grandpas old vise. This will be put to the side eventually or maybe as a light duty movable vise around the garage. Definitely wont be swinging 3lb mallets at it haha.

As far as restoring this is the first one i have ever done, but i stayed away from painting the inside bore of the main body and same goes for the swivel base. that way it will still slide and function properly. It was in pretty rough shape so I painted the slide since you do see that. But knowing the history what may happen is ill buy another old school vise and rip this one back apart and sandblast and powder coat it and do it even more right!

But yep i sure do have the redneck bolt mod. When I found it, it just had a bent wood nail through it. So its had been like that for a long time because I had to cut the old nail out and drill it out.

This is only a 4" vise, which is good because i really need a big 5" in my garage anyway.

 

[tcurde]

Good morning. I was given this "old" vise by a friend. Seems to be of good quality but after dismantling and reassembly I'm unable to identify its make. The only marking is the large 6 on the jaw. It may be European as the Jaw inserts are held by 6mm screws. Any thoughts?

 

[gungatim]

Good morning. I was given this "old" vise by a friend. Seems to be of good quality but after dismantling and reassembly I'm unable to identify its make. The only marking is the large 6 on the jaw. It may be European as the Jaw inserts are held by 6mm screws. Any thoughts?

you really should start your own thread.

based on the rubber caps on the hand screw, it probably dates to the '80's/'90's of the last century and is out of Taiwan. I wouldn't consider that "old".

 

[davethorik]

There is literally a giant, thousands of pages long vise thread...but instead you dug this thread up which doesn't relate to your cheap Asian vise whatsoever...

 

[bubinga]

There is literally a giant, thousands of pages long vise thread...but instead you dug this thread up which doesn't relate to your cheap Asian vise whatsoever...

Sue Him !!!