Rock Island 597 Vise

[leif2626]

Hi, I inherited this Rock Island 597 vise from my grandfather. He said he brought it back with him after serving in the Merchant Marine in Guam during WWII. While I was rebuilding it, I noticed it was stamped with the numbers 11-44, I'm assuming this is the date of manufacture?

 

[Schmidlapper]

Welcome to the site. I can’t answer your specific question, but your vice is restored nicely. I have and use its little brother a three inch.

 

[shanny19]

My RI has just the year (54) stamped into the slide in three spots.

 

[Maui]

Yes, the numbers stamped on the top of the slide represent the date of manufacture for Rock Island vises.

Maui

 

[drivesitfar]

Leif: welcome to the forum and your Gramp's vise is one of my favorite brands and sizes. are your arms sore from moving that 130 ish pound vise around? Rock Island did stamp their dates on the top of the slides and I think they might have stamped them elsewhere.

great job on the restoration. I was lucky enough to find a 597 almost in pristine condition and still wondering if I should mount it and just use it or admire it since I've got more than a few users already.

can you post up a few more pictures of your vise and maybe a good picture of the date stamp?

 

[leif2626]

Actually it was 12-44, not 11-44. I love the vise, I get a lot of comments on it. I love the provenance as well.

 

[drivesitfar]

Leif: not sure how you lost the end ball off the handle, but if you post up your cool Rock Island over on that thread and ask what your options are to replace something that looks close to the original you might find a good method.

here's the link to Vise Repair 101 and if you have any before and after pictures to post pictures of please do with your comments on how you did it for others to learn from.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252830

thanks

 

[bigb56]

That's a nice vise and you did a beautiful job restoring it. I bought a Rock Island at a yard sale and it came with this cool Mobil Oil base. I am not sure what model it is, no numbers except for the "X". I haven't unbolted it and looked underneath yet, been using it for my portaband stand.

 

[Retroman]

Very nice restoration and great to have that connection to your grandfather. My GF was in WWII as well but he was packing a BAR around the Philippines.

 

[drivesitfar]

Big: that's a very cool stand!! can you post up a few more pictures of your Rock Island vise so I (we) can get a full view and maybe a couple from each side? so only an X on it seems strange cause Rock Islands liked to cast their #'s on all their vises. how wide are the jaws and any idea how much it weighs without the stand? since you live in GOD'S WAITING ROOM (or the devil's as hot as it gets down there) i wonder if a prior factory worker brought that home from work cause it looks like it might have been maybe a prototype? Did you happen to talk to the prior owner or was he already up at the Pearly Gates getting his brand new 80 year old Rock Island vise?

thanks

 

[don long]

BIGB56

I like the idea of clamping your portaband in the vice but that base has all of my attention. Those are cool.

Leif
Nice job on that restored 597

 

[bigb56]

Started another thread on mine so as not to hijack Lief's more than I already havehttps://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7064195#post7064195