Is it a true Wilton bullet vise?

[dogfight]

Hi,

A guy has 2 Wilton bullet vises, both are 4 inches. I want to know are they true 9400 Wilton vises? Is there any possibility that they are fake Wilton vises?

Vise 1:

Vise 2:

Thank you!

 

[Davefr]

Very unusual. I'd say 99% chance of being fake.

- Unusual jaw shape
- Thin collar washer
- Vise footprint is smaller then the base
- No numbers, city, etc

I can't say I've heard of counterfeit Wiltons before. The ruler looks Chinese, probably same as the vises.

 

[exmaxima1]

Very unusual. I'd say 99% chance of being fake.

+1

 

[dogfight]

Thanks. As I see the jaw is not right, and it has only "Wilton" text, no additional info, so I bring it here get advise.

Very unusual. I'd say 99% chance of being fake.

- Unusual jaw shape
- Thin collar washer
- Vise footprint is smaller then the base
- No numbers, city, etc

I can't say I've heard of counterfeit Wiltons before. The ruler looks Chinese, probably same as the vises.

 

[rlitman]

...I can't say I've heard of counterfeit Wiltons before. ..

Ditto, but that vise gives me the heebie jeebies. There's so much about it that isn't right, and not just that godawful krylon finish.

What I know for certain is that handle isn't Wilton, the jaws aren't Wilton (and they're sitting higher than Wilton would place them), the base is missing the sliding T handles (WTF is up with those cap nuts...), and the base is made for a different size vise. The STYLE is Wilton-esque, but that's about all I've got.

 

[Ryan_340]

Looks like these ones:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=415193&showall=1

 

[bobcatdan]

I don't know if I'd go as far as a fake, but a cobble job for sure. The swivel base looked like it's from a larger vise. The jaw inserts are from something else.

 

[Fierljeppen]

 

[dogfight]

Exactly the same, also the color. Very interesting.

Looks like these ones:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=415193&showall=1

 

[dogfight]

The 2nd one.

Could be a fake

 

[matt_i]

My take is it there's no way it can be a fake. All the main parts are there. The C-style retention ring for the screw, the vise jaws have the same knurl pattern and have the same screw spacing and placement. I can't imagine the amount of work it would take to counterfeit a vise all the way to the name and for what small gain (?) If it was a Whipon it would be completely believable someone had knocked it off as a copy.

There are some fastener replacements, the handle retainers don't appear original.

Its possible Wilton has made these in another part of the world in a different foundry for a different market and some happened to make their way back into the USA. That seems to be the most plausible explanation to me.

 

[Davefr]

My take is it there's no way it can be a fake. All the main parts are there. The C-style retention ring for the screw, the vise jaws have the same knurl pattern and have the same screw spacing and placement. I can't imagine the amount of work it would take to counterfeit a vise all the way to the name and for what small gain (?) If it was a Whipon it would be completely believable someone had knocked it off as a copy.

There are some fastener replacements, the handle retainers don't appear original.

Its possible Wilton has made these in another part of the world in a different foundry for a different market and some happened to make their way back into the USA. That seems to be the most plausible explanation to me.

I disagree. I can't imagine Wilton putting their name on anything that looks that bad even if it was manufactured overseas. If for some reason Wilton needed to produce some of these vises overseas, wouldn't they have used their existing designs/castings?

I bet these were made in someone's backyard foundry.

 

[rlitman]

I disagree. I can't imagine Wilton putting their name on anything that looks that bad even if it was manufactured overseas. If for some reason Wilton needed to produce some of these vises overseas, wouldn't they have used their existing designs/castings?

I bet these were made in someone's backyard foundry.

I agree that I find it unlikely that Wilton would dilute their brand on something that looks like a cheap knockoff of their star product.

But I also don't think a backyard foundry would be branding their stuff like that.

I'm guessing that this will be an interesting story when we actually find out what's up with this weird vise.

 

[davethorik]

I disagree. I can't imagine Wilton putting their name on anything that looks that bad even if it was manufactured overseas. If for some reason Wilton needed to produce some of these vises overseas, wouldn't they have used their existing designs/castings?

I bet these were made in someone's backyard foundry.

Not if they were produced under contract overseas (maybe).
You would need a foundry capable of making decent sized castings, large press to install slide tube, not to mention a full machine shop. I think it's no coincidence the vises in the other posts are similar.

 

[Perrorojo]

Look at the shelves in the background of the green vise. Those don't give me confidence in the authenticity of the vise.

Sent from my XT1710-02 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[seber]

Notice that both vises have the same mismatched base and handle and the same wrong hardware. That screams fake to me.

 

[Davefr]

Not if they were produced under contract overseas (maybe).

But even if Wilton needed someone to produce these overseas, wouldn't they provide the design, drawings, prints to get started. This vise isn't like anything Wilton ever designed/produced.

I just think it's unlikely that Wilton would have asked a Cambodia foundry to design/manufacture a vise and put Wilton's name on it without any Wilton involvement.

But as crude as it is, I do agree that it probably required a basic foundry/machine shop vs. someone's backyard.

I'm guessing that this will be an interesting story when we actually find out what's up with this weird vise.

Yes, I hope someone can solve the mystery. Do we have any Wilton Corp. guys on the forum?

 

[montanafordman]

I'm betting its not authentic the way things look mismatched between the vise and the base, the hardware etc. Its very possible that some foundry in asia decided to make a vise based on a design that was imported or from a picture and they saw a use or market. Considering the language barrier its possible in addition to making a close copy that "WILTON" was put on there because it was thought to be the name of the tool like putting "VISE" on the side. Similar to brands and tool names being synonymous like Channellock, Crescent Wrench, or Vise Grip. I think that is more likely behind duplicating the name as well as the design - not necessarily trying to counterfeit a high end brand but closely duplicating what looked like a solid tool used in the USA. When you live in a part of the world that doesn't honor patent laws, copying something is much cheaper than engineering your own design.

 

[chrismenke]

Look at the slide tube...it has a void where every Wilton I've seen has a key.

vs.

Screams fake to me. Someone cast the externals from an original and cheapened the internals to match their manufacturing capability. Casting is an ancient practice and still a cottage industry in India and SE Asia, so I don't think that is the big hurdle.

 

[Steve_P]

I'm betting its not authentic the way things look mismatched between the vise and the base, the hardware etc. Its very possible that some foundry in asia decided to make a vise based on a design that was imported or from a picture and they saw a use or market. Considering the language barrier its possible in addition to making a close copy that "WILTON" was put on there because it was thought to be the name of the tool like putting "VISE" on the side. Similar to brands and tool names being synonymous like Channellock, Crescent Wrench, or Vise Grip. I think that is more likely behind duplicating the name as well as the design - not necessarily trying to counterfeit a high end brand but closely duplicating what looked like a solid tool used in the USA......

Agree. Probably a small company that copied a Wilton for local sales. They didn't do a good job but also didnt put USA on it - so it doesn't seem that they meant to sell them anywhere where real Wiltons would be for sale.

 

[dogfight]

I receive another pic from the seller, the end cap does not exist. He assures that the green one is new, and taiwan made.
.

 

[dogfight]

Agreed. Could be China made.

I'm betting its not authentic the way things look mismatched between the vise and the base, the hardware etc. Its very possible that some foundry in asia decided to make a vise based on a design that was imported or from a picture and they saw a use or market. Considering the language barrier its possible in addition to making a close copy that "WILTON" was put on there because it was thought to be the name of the tool like putting "VISE" on the side. Similar to brands and tool names being synonymous like Channellock, Crescent Wrench, or Vise Grip. I think that is more likely behind duplicating the name as well as the design - not necessarily trying to counterfeit a high end brand but closely duplicating what looked like a solid tool used in the USA. When you live in a part of the world that doesn't honor patent laws, copying something is much cheaper than engineering your own design.

Look at the slide tube...it has a void where every Wilton I've seen has a key.

vs.

Screams fake to me. Someone cast the externals from an original and cheapened the internals to match their manufacturing capability. Casting is an ancient practice and still a cottage industry in India and SE Asia, so I don't think that is the big hurdle.

 

[rlpnotrip]

There are aftermarket parts available on ebay for the bullet vise. Especially the baby Wilton such as some cap and c-clip These I have seen.
One way to determine a fake over original tool
that I have found very useful is the scale weight.
In example proto wrench(Graingers) are the same weight and quality as the Mexican company of Rebondo
I believe. It took a scale to make me a believer

 

[anndel]

My Wilton bullet vise says Schiller Park, ILL right under WILTON.