MacDaddy Chas Parker 978 Vise Restore or Not

[W-Cummins]

I have ( as far as I know) the largest and heaviest Vice Chas Parker ever made, a model 978 @298lbs of Vise goodness The Vise is not beat all to hell but it's not pristine either as it was used for many years and will be used hard once again. So should I restore it clean, and paint it all purdy or just clean and mount it to a hell for stout bench and use it until I die..... BTW it has what I think is a rather nice patina on it, and although the Jaw inserts are not perfect they are serviceable and I'm sure that they are not replaceable unless I want to make new ones.

William.....

 

[Bolster]

Not voting until I see a photo...

 

[W-Cummins]

I added some pictures to the post as some may not have seen them before. The early consensus seems to be Clean and use it I guess the cleaning is needed for any of the options ans shouldn't hurt the existing "Finish" so I will clean it up....

 

[Flatland Dave]

Keep the patina. It is a veteran and has the battle scars to prove it. Where did you find it? If you don't have a bench big enough I do.

Great vise.

 

[woody 73]

I am not one that paints tools,because I keep an old oil rag and treat them every six months; Now don't get me wrong I want all rust to stay at bay.

My feeling is this if you find youself saying that you will not treat for rust by any method then you should paint it with some kind of rust inhibiting paint.

From a collector standpoint you would leave it alone and enjoy the patina,but if you are going to use it in some kind of moist enviroment,then you should use something even if it is only a can of oil.

 

[t100]

take it apart, clean it up with a wire wheel. swap out all the fasteners with correct type. spray some WD40 once in a while.

if the original paint is still largely intact, repaint it after media blast.

if the original paint is gone, cast iron is very porous, it's very hard to get all the oil and grease out of it without baking it in some serious heat. new paint wont stick.

 

[autopts71045]

I have ( as far as I know) the largest and heaviest Vice Chas Parker ever made, a model 978 @298lbs of Vise goodness The Vise is not beat all to hell but it's not pristine either as it was used for many years and will be used hard once again. So should I restore it clean, and paint it all purdy or just clean and mount it to a hell for stout bench and use it until I die..... BTW it has what I think is a rather nice patina on it, and although the Jaw inserts are not perfect they are serviceable and I'm sure that they are not replaceable unless I want to make new ones.

William.....

Thats the biggest Parker I've seen! Its unusual to see a vise that size with a swivel base. If you plan on using it hard again, I'd leave it alone. Very nice!

 

[W-Cummins]

I am not one that paints tools,because I keep an old oil rag and treat them every six months; Now don't get me wrong I want all rust to stay at bay.

My feeling is this if you find youself saying that you will not treat for rust by any method then you should paint it with some kind of rust inhibiting paint.

From a collector standpoint you would leave it alone and enjoy the patina,but if you are going to use it in some kind of moist enviroment,then you should use something even if it is only a can of oil.

Well I guess if I cleaned it really well it could start to rust a bit, but my shop is not that humid in the summer anymore as I aircondition / temper the air in there.

take it apart, clean it up with a wire wheel. swap out all the fasteners with correct type. spray some WD40 once in a while.

if the original paint is still largely intact, repaint it after media blast.

if the original paint is gone, cast iron is very porous, it's very hard to get all the oil and grease out of it without baking it in some serious heat. new paint wont stick.

I have never had any problems with painting cast iron. If I decide to strip this one I will probably use lye to remove the paint as it's fast and cheep ( oven cleaner)...

Thats the biggest Parker I've seen! Its unusual to see a vise that size with a swivel base. If you plan on using it hard again, I'd leave it alone. Very nice!

It is also the largest I have ever seen too, When I first saw it 25 years ago I knew that I wanted it. After the guy that had it retired, I snapped it up BEFORE the auction I may have paid too much for it that way but I was assured of getting it.

William....

 

[Scout Driver]

Giggled like a little kid when I saw your vice! Keep it as-is. Maintain and take care of it, but use and enjoy it.

Scott

 

[Brad54]

Strip it, paint it and then use it.
I just did a vise today, and it only took a few hours. I don't baby my tools in the least, but a nice fresh vintage vise is tough to beat.

Also, the one I have had a lot of crud on the acme thread, and the action was pretty stiff. At the VERY least, completely disassemble it and degrime every piece.

And at that point, why not a fresh coat of paint?

Grime is infectious in a shop, and freshly painted tools wipe down and clean up better than unfinished tools.

-Brad

 

[CRTDI]

It's nice enough to keep it as is and enjoy. Clean lightly to keep the patina and any original paint if possible, then just lube, maintain and get another life time of use from it.

 

[larry_g]

If it were mine I would tear it down, inspect, clean, smooth out any of the working/sliding surfaces, lube and reassemble. I would also replace the worn jaws. I dislike worn rounded over jaws that do not meet flat together.

Paint is optional. I would not, but I have to admit some of the painted vises here look real purty. I just hate to paint.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Lump]

Yeah, I'm with the "leave it alone" school of thought. Like vintage cars, guns, fishing tackle, etc....restored examples are MUCH easier to find than "survivors" with original finish. You can always change your mind and paint it later; but once you do, you can NEVER return it to orig. NICE VISE!

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Leaving it as is of course after a good cleaning will leave its character intact,i hate to see paint on a vise,vises were made to beat on.

 

[mjozefow]

Sell it to me.

 

[W-Cummins]

Sell it to me.

What would you do with it?? Paint it smurf blue?

Your young enough that you can buy it from my estate sale some day!

I started tearing it down looks like there is very little rust in it

Rather shinny cast iron for being not painted and exposed to the elements for 60+ years

William.....

 

[mjozefow]

What would you do with it?? Paint it smurf blue?

Your young enough that you can buy it from my estate sale some day!

William.....

Don't give me ideas about your estate sale! ..."accidents" can happen in the shop...

I have never painted a vise smurf blue,. My vote would be hammertone black with white letters, just like the Parker in my sig.

Sweet vise, and I'm glad it belongs to someone who will take care of it.

 

[autopts]

What would you do with it?? Paint it smurf blue?

Your young enough that you can buy it from my estate sale some day!

I started tearing it down looks like there is very little rust in it

Rather shinny cast iron for being not painted and exposed to the elements for 60+ years

William.....

If that dirt could only talk! We are looking at dirt from probably an easy dozen big shops factories, maybe a mill when US manufacturing was going full speed last Century. Its a huge heavy piece of functional art!

 

[ZRX61]

I have never painted a vise smurf blue,

'bout time ya got yourself a Morgan then....

 

[autopts]

You would think from all the years Parker Vise Co. was around and they couldn't restyle that crappy jaw design. The least little usage totally distorts the top of that jaw.

 

[mjozefow]

You would think from all the years Parker Vise Co. was around and they couldn't restyle that crappy jaw design. The least little usage totally distorts the top of that jaw.

The jaw was like that to allow over 180 degree access to the work. I love the design personally. I think it takes some whomping to distort it.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

Cool vise! I have seen you comment elsewhere that you had some big ones, but I have never seen any of them. The non-swivel verson of yours has just been posted in the vise thread by demoman.