Is this vise worth saving?

[mfgorilla]

I found this Columbian vise, model D45-M4 in the shed when I bought my house. It's pretty rusty, but I think it might be a good little restoration project for the summer. My question for the forum is whether it's worth trying to save or should I just try and unload it as is







?

 

[Nosferatu]

Nope, totally useless. Send it to me and I'll dispose of it properly.

 

[transittech]

As many people on here have proved, you can't have too many vises. If it works, use it.

 

[balane]

USA made. They are OK but not great vises in my opinion. I bought one at a garage sale for $5 and cleaned it up. I've seen two and the screw action was average at best on both. They were both loose-fitting and didn't feel as heavy duty as other old vises.

You got it for free which is great, they are worth bringing back into service definitely. It's a straightforward project you can do in an afternoon or two. (Provided nothing is frozen solid and requires additional time and effort.) If you need a vise and have the gumption then it's a good candidate for a restoration.

 

[allinon72]

Let that sit in some Evaporust for a few days and you'll be good to go.

 

[Zrexxer]

Let that sit in some Evaporust for a few days and you'll be good to go.

By the time you buy 5 gallons of Evaporust to soak something that big you could have just bought a better vise.

 

[zer01]

Vinegar, cheap and works well. 24 hours wire brush, repeat if needed.

 

[allinon72]

By the time you buy 5 gallons of Evaporust to soak something that big you could have just bought a better vise.

Disassemble it and it'll fit in a gallon. Or use vinegar as mentioned.

 

[WWIIjeep]

Vinegar, cheap and works well. 24 hours wire brush, repeat if needed.

^^^^ +1.

Or citric acid. Both are far cheaper and last longer than Evaporust. I only use Evaporust for very small parts or for parts where I'm going to leave a layer of Evaporust on them for rust prevention (one of its other recommended uses).

 

[JASTECH]

May I post a Pipe Vice here that is rust with a form to it? Maybe a good test bed for new rust remover.

 

[454ragtop]

Doesn't look that bad to me. Have the same vise, been sitting on the corner of my bench for about 25 years, use it all the time. First vise I ever bought, probably have 30 or so now. It's no Wilton bullet, but it's not a piece of China **** either. I'd wire brush it as best as I could, then throw some paint on it and use it. Doesn't have to be a 100 point restoration.
HTH, Jim

 

[Gary S]

With old tools, the path is simple. If it works, use it. If it doesn't work, toss it.

 

[WQ59B]

Fix it up:

 

[Outlawmws]

Definitely worth saving. De-Rust, (great first Electrolysis, project) repaint and bolt it to a bench!

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I have the 4"; a D44 M2, which I received for a Christmas gift back around the mid 60's... Still in A-1 shape after all these years. It's my pet vice..

 

[davesnothere]

Clean her up and use her.
Its a no-brainer.

 

[mfgorilla]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I've been looking at the vise restoration thread(s) on the board here and I think i'm going to try and fix it up sometime this summer.

 

[Catalyze]

A man is only as good as his projects! That Columbian is a good project so your choices are to be known as a Good Man or to be known as..... Good luck and post photos!
Craig

 

[HandyManny]

Definitely clean it up. It doesn't look to be in too bad of condition, just rusted and patina'd from years of exposure to the air and lack of use. Looks like it could use a new set of jaws. I'm sure a good clean up, re-painting, and re-greasing of the contact parts may all that needs to be in order.

I somewhat agree with post #4 above from balane. Most (many) Columbian vises were your typical consumer grade hardware store, farm/ranch store variety of the day. Typically bought and used by the average joe, also by the rancher or farmer of the day to be used in their farm workshops. Somewhat like the vises we see at home centers these days. Not saying that Columbian was a bad piece of ****, but many weren't the average industrial grade you'd find in a professional mechanics shop or in a machinist shop, or a factory of the era.