Please help me identify this vise!

[karpesh29]

Hey everyone! So I've recently gotten interested in vises and such, due to my many hours of perusing the depths here at GJ, and it inspired me to at least pull out this free one I got from friend of mine and clean it up so I can at least have a vise in my garage. So I pick it up off the floor, get to work cleaning it up. I have to pick up a new wire wheel, but in the mean time i disassembled it, cleaned off the muck, chased out the thread holes and ran a die over all the bolts.

I didn't see too much for stampings on the vise, but found a few numbers on the side. They read 744 on one side of the main body and 111146 on the other. On the jaw it has 111215, and the bottom of the mounting ring reads 101199. A quick google search tells me that this might be a Wilton 744. I just wanted to see if anyone on here can confirm if this is or is not a wilton?

My only doubt was that it doesn't actualy have the wilton name on it, and that all the pictures I could find of a wilton 744, the locking lugs on the side have turn handles on them and mine was secured with just some nylon lined lock nuts. I am thinking maybe the original handles got lost and somebody at some point just replaced them.

Did I score something sweet for nothing? Are these good vises? I am new to the vise world, and hoping I stumbled upon something sweet. Whatever it turns out to be I d plan to wire wheel it down and put a fresh coat on it and use the heck out of it.

My final question would be where can I find new jaws for it, as one side is very clearly broken. Thanks in advance for any help provided!

Here are some pictures of the vise.

 

[7th Kahuna]

Looks like a 'newer' Wilton to me. Could be a knock-off I suppose or could just be that the label fell off. The casting looks a little rough (or perhaps it's dirty) but I have no hands on experience with these vises. I'm guessing there's a good chance replacement Wilton jaws will fit and a little research or a phone call should be able to confirm this.

Those nuts don't make much sense. Given the teeth I don't see the point. Interesting.

 

[karpesh29]

Looks like a 'newer' Wilton to me. But the quality . . .

I dont quite follow. Were they known for quality many years ago, and have since declined? Or was that meant to hint that I found a legitimate quality piece of equipment?

 

[7th Kahuna]

I dont quite follow. Were they known for quality many years ago, and have since declined? Or was that meant to hint that I found a legitimate quality piece of equipment?

Sorry, obviously I rethought that. On my screen the photos made the casting look pretty rough but the more I looked at it, I decided it was probably dirt. Yes, of Wilton I would expect good quality. I suspect you scored.

 

[drivesitfar]

it's a Wilton and you got a good vise even though a prior user tried to cut the jaw off with his grinder. look at a few Wilton pictures and you'll see which one you own.

also if you want to know how old it is pull out the dynamic slide all the way (don't drop it when you get it out or you'll break a toe) and then clean off the bottom slide and there should be a date. if you find it post a picture and if not some have been known to wear off.