I have two vises...which one is better?

[Tool Obsessed]

Hello everyone!

I'm as new to G-J as new can be......this is my first post
Recently I had the fortune of coming across two vintage USA vises on Craigslist, both with 4-1/2" jaws:

American Red Seal No. 64
Reed No 204-1/2

I'd purchased the American for $120 and the Reed for $150. Jaws of both are in nice shape and appears neither was abused. Before buying, I watched Craigslist and Ebay for a while to get a familiar and then find the beefiest, nicest ones I could find for the money.

My question to you guys: which one is the better of the two? If I could keep only one, which would it be?

Excluding Wilton, a Reed vise from what I've read is a good one and one of the best...extra heavy duty. The American though, hulks over the Reed...it's larger in just about every dimension and about 15 lbs heavier. I like the look of the American better, but that's just preference.

This was my first foray into vintage vise buying, so I hope I didnt get taken to the cleaners

Eager to know what you think. Thanks!

 

[exmaxima1]

Your Reed is the older version, "Pre-R", and doesn't have the later split spindle collar. Nor does it have replaceable jaws. I would take the American over that Reed.

 

[MayerMR]

I'm a Reed guy and I've never personally owned and American Red Seal vise, so take my preference for the Reed with that in mind, but, yeah, I'd go with the Reed.

As a related side comment, I watch the local CL/For Sale ads pretty closely for old vises and I've seen 2 or 3 pop-up, I remember for a fact that 2 of them had been repaired. Now that doesn't mean Reeds don't break (hell I have a Reed that's been repaired) or that ARS vises are weak, who knows what the people using them were doing...just an observation.

But yeah, the Reed. That ugly duckling shape will grow on you. It's so ugly that it's cool.

 

[Rileysan]

I'm a Reed guy too, although I have heard good things about American Scale. Personally, I would choose the bigger of the vises - the Reed

 

[MayerMR]

I'm a Reed guy too, although I have heard good things about American Scale. Personally, I would choose the bigger of the vises - the Reed

Well in this case though, the ARS, is the bigger of the two.

 

[Rileysan]

Well in this case though, the ARS, is the bigger of the two.

I don't know American Scale model numbers but I do know Reed. The Reed has 4-1/2" jaws. What size are they on the American Scale?

Brian

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Your Reed is the older version, "Pre-R", and doesn't have the later split spindle collar. Nor does it have replaceable jaws. I would take the American over that Reed.

Ditto.

 

[MayerMR]

I don't know American Scale model numbers but I do know Reed. The Reed has 4-1/2" jaws. What size are they on the American Scale?

Brian

Well he said they are both 4 1/2" and the ARS is 15lbs heavier. Even so, I'd still prefer the Reed.

 

[retDAC]

Given equal condition, if only one has a positively locking swivel, then it would be the better. To check that, take off the swivel for each. Are there any serrations (gear teeth)? Here is an example: https://www.kentool.com/index.php/products/vises/professional-workshop-vises-detail
Pix 4-6, though Wilton and/or Yost or yours may use a different design.
If you ever have to pull hard sideways on a stuck fastener or to bend something, you will find out why that's important. "Two lockdowns" are not enough.

 

[kenc184]

I would keep both and mount them at opposite ends of my bench. Rather like I have with my current feeble number of two vises.

 

[thehorse13]

I would keep both and mount them at opposite ends of my bench. Rather like I have with my current feeble number of two vises.

This is always the correct answer.

Also, keep getting more benches to continue this practice.

 

[larry_g]

I would suggest that you mount them both and after a year sell the dusty one. I have a few vises but in the days I only had two, one bench mounted and one on a stand I used both perty equally. I also had them mounted so that the jaw heights were about the same from the floor. At times I would use both to hold long items or for welding tasks.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[taumac]

I’m a Reed guy. I have couple of Reed 204 and Reed 105 so partial in this case but keeping both of them is not a bad idea. Can never have too many vises.

 

[Carla]

Hello everyone!

I'm as new to G-J as new can be......this is my first post
Recently I had the fortune of coming across two vintage USA vises on Craigslist, both with 4-1/2" jaws:

American Red Seal No. 64
Reed No 204-1/2

I'd purchased the American for $120 and the Reed for $150. Jaws of both are in nice shape and appears neither was abused. Before buying, I watched Craigslist and Ebay for a while to get a familiar and then find the beefiest, nicest ones I could find for the money.

My question to you guys: which one is the better of the two? If I could keep only one, which would it be?

Excluding Wilton, a Reed vise from what I've read is a good one and one of the best...extra heavy duty. The American though, hulks over the Reed...it's larger in just about every dimension and about 15 lbs heavier. I like the look of the American better, but that's just preference.

This was my first foray into vintage vise buying, so I hope I didn't get taken to the cleaners

Eager to know what you think. Thanks!

Hi, Tool,

A good start toward making a decision would be to have both vises apart, clean the parts meticulously, and inspect carefully, with good lighting, for any wear or damage, particularly looking for any cracks anywhere, and for wear in the main screw and its nut.

cheers

Carla

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Keep one for a spare