Inherited An Old Vise - What is it?

[Dude123]

Hi all,

I found your website after trying to find out something about this old vise I inherited from my father. He apprenticed as a sheet metal worker on the railway in Winnipeg Canada in the 1940s. Then, later in life, taught sheet metal and welding in highschool.

Anyone have any idea who the manufacturer is? or age? Worth restoring? Would be a first for me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Dude,

That looks like a Record vise. I think they may have also been branded under different names. Others here are more knowledgeable on that style of vise. If it is a heirloom I'd say fix it up the way you want it and pass it down when the time is right. Welcome to GJ!

 

[Fierljeppen]

It looks like a W. J. Henry vise, mfg. in London, Ontario. He started off only producing vises, but later expanded to many other tools, including power tools. By 1940, Henry organized a company called Craftools LTD. where they made thousands of vises for the Canadian Military, which were sent to all corners of the globe.

I think if you do a google search for "henry vise craftools", you'll find a decent amount of information for your dad's vise. It's certainly worth the time and effort to minimally clean it up, lube it and use it.

Welcome to GJ.

 

[Dude123]

Thanks all. I will do a bit of digging!

 

[Dude123]

That does make some sense. Between apprenticing and teaching, my dad was a pilot in Canadian Air Force.

 

[macgee]

Agree,

The condition looks very nice and well made. I would just clean it carefully and lube it, maybe wax coat the paint with carnauba wax. The paint job looks really nice and has a great patina that I would try to keep that at all cost.

Enjoy the vice!

 

[Roberts210]

Beautiful vise. Restore it and keep it.

 

[JZiggy]

Love that style of vise. Made in the same "English" way as Record, Paramo, Woden, Dawn. The supports on the front of the tower are a very cool feature.

My love of vises began after getting a little 3" Woden vise very similar to that one

 

[Dude123]

Thanks all.

 

[skmbabon]

Late to the discussion, but for the benefit of anyone who ends up here in the future - those curved supports in front of the tower are a distinguishing feature of Rae's lower and mid-range lines (#s 30-60 and 4-7). Henry vises have a beefy edge to the front of the tower but not the extra curved piece. I haven't been able to pin down the link yet but my current belief is that the "Canadian" line of vises is connected to Rae or its foundry, not Henry.
Rae: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/vise-info-thread.355753/post-9345403
Henry: http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/images/39473-B.jpg

 

[Duke74]

Not a Henry vise. I am thinking Rae.

 

[ecotec]

I would just use it as is… maybe clean it and oil it or wax it.

It is in good original condition. Light honest wear… probably all from your own family members.

 

[RivennHewn]

Beautiful vise. Restore it and keep it.

Or, use it as is.

 

[pelletman]

Don't restore it! Clean and keep as your dad had it

 

[skmbabon]

More info on this and other "Canadian" vises here.