Should I buy this Starrett vice?

[Olafur]

Should I buy this Starrett - Wilton vice?

Like you see I am located in Iceland and good vices are expensive new, and few and far beetween used.

This is for sale locally for $110- relatively speaking I guess it would compare to $50-70 for you guys since tools are generally cheaper in the US than here.

I am not going to restore it to pristine condition, just lube it up and start using it. From what I understand these vices are pretty good?

What do you think?

 

[Buckgnarly]

I paid 60 for mine, for where you are I would buy that!

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=215611

For the record, no restoration was done other than a WD40 wipedown.

 

[rsanter]

Yes, you should

 

[Youngguns]

Stop wasting time and buy it!

 

[jakemac]

I can't speak to the price, you know your local market better than me.
Yes that Starrett would be a good vise, BUT. You need to remember that that vise is cast and not forged. This means that it can't take a heavy beating (not that you should be beating on your vises). This is a good vise for light to medium work, and should be able to handle the occasional med-heavy job if you're careful. No sledgehammers.

 

[royesses]

If that were in my area for $110 I'd create a sonic boom going to get it.

 

[Olafur]

It appears to be heavy built and strong for small vice. And judging by the pictures it seems in pretty good shape.

Thanks!

 

[Olafur]

I can't speak to the price, you know your local market better than me.
Yes that Starrett would be a good vise, BUT. You need to remember that that vise is cast and not forged. This means that it can't take a heavy beating (not that you should be beating on your vises). This is a good vise for light to medium work, and should be able to handle the occasional med-heavy job if you're careful. No sledgehammers.

I will leave the beating for something bigger. Out of curiosity - what would you recommend for heavy beating? I mean should I win the lottery and stumble across a usable old vice - which US brands are forged?

 

[oldldh]

How come---

Why for---

You ain't bought it, yet????

 

[Lx460]

Nice vise...

BTW, do you really have to double check you're not accidentally dating your cousin in Iceland because the population is so small or is that just an Internet rumor?

 

[Olafur]

Nice vise...

BTW, do you really have to double check you're not accidentally dating your cousin in Iceland because the population is so small or is that just an Internet rumor?

It's true.
Population just over 300k.

 

[Olafur]

How come---

Why for---

You ain't bought it, yet????

I find it a bit small for the job.. But perhaps it will do just fine.

 

[devoncoolman]

Id say for your area thats a good price for it. In my area id prob pass on it if it was $75. It will work well for you but its not gonna survive a beat down.

 

[jakemac]

I will leave the beating for something bigger. Out of curiosity - what would you recommend for heavy beating? I mean should I win the lottery and stumble across a usable old vice - which US brands are forged?

For heavier hammering, I'd recommend a Blacksmith's Post Vise. They're designed to transfer shock down to the ground.

For US vises, if you can get your hands on them my favorites are Reed. There is also Athol and Parker. There are others, but those would be my top three. Others might try to steer you toward Wilton, especially the Bullet style ones. They're nice vices, but I think the hype over the shape over-inflates the price and they're not as beefy as the ones that I listed. IMHO.

For UK vises, since you're stuck in the middle, my choice would be older (pre-Irwin) Record or Paramo(?). They're essentially the same thing.

In the meantime, that Starrett should serve you well. If you find something bigger/better, you could always sell it to the next guy and make most/all your money back.

If you see something from the Baltics, Bison or FPU seem to be good, but I've never had my hands on one and they may be lighter duty than the ones I've listed above. IDK

 

[Monkey Milk]

For heavier hammering, I'd recommend a Blacksmith's Post Vise. They're designed to transfer shock down to the ground.

For US vises, if you can get your hands on them my favorites are Reed. There is also Athol and Parker. There are others, but those would be my top three. Others might try to steer you toward Wilton, especially the Bullet style ones. They're nice vices, but I think the hype over the shape over-inflates the price and they're not as beefy as the ones that I listed. IMHO.

For UK vises, since you're stuck in the middle, my choice would be older (pre-Irwin) Record or Paramo(?). They're essentially the same thing.

In the meantime, that Starrett should serve you well. If you find something bigger/better, you could always sell it to the next guy and make most/all your money back.

If you see something from the Baltics, Bison or FPU seem to be good, but I've never had my hands on one and they may be lighter duty than the ones I've listed above. IDK

x2 What jakemac says!

 

[jrobb316]

Starretts are quality vises. Every one I've used has been very tight. To add to Jakes list of U.S. Vises, Morgan is good and Rock Island (probably going to be very rare in Iceland). My top 5 are, in order, Parker, Rock Island, Morgan, starrett/athol, and prentiss.

 

[Olafur]

Much appreciated, thanks guys!

 

[drivesitfar]

Olaf: i'm a fan of Starrett and Athol vises that was actually owned by Starrett and the one you are looking at wasn't their high quality one. i don't think they ever made a low quality vise so it's still a nice vise.

i'm not a huge fan of the cast in pipe jaws because i like the removable ones, but if they work then at least they are there.

if you haven't bought that vise already i'd want to take an old toothbrush and brush out the stuff on the dynamic jaw under the jaws because it looks like there is a hole there. hopefully not and hopefully not a weld. other than that your vise looks like it's a good medium duty vise. does it weigh about 25-30 pounds?

I agree with Jake that you need to find an old blacksmith vise that was meant for pounding because pounding on a nice vise is how a lot of them break. find an old welded up one or use an old piece of Railroad track to pound on if you need to.

Remember when you are asking about prices here a lot of guys own several vises and scour that sales for good deals so the prices they quote are not market prices typically.

good luck and i hear Iceland is a great place to live or vacation. do you have any pictures to post of your favorite spots?

 

[Olafur]

Thank you Drivesitfar. I am not much of a photographer and I would have hard time selecting favourite places to pick. However Iceland is a buffet for photographers so pictures are easy to find all over the web.

I picked up the small Starrett vice yesterday, paid $75 for it. I will post pictures later.

Strange as it is, for months I have not found any used vice of decent quality. But this just showed up in local ad:

I called the guy and he wasn't at home so he could not measure the width of the jaws. But he guessed 12-15 cm and weight 30-40 kg. Price is probably around $150. He wants It to be part of a package deal with junk Chinese air compressor. But I am sure he will come around. This one looks like it is ready to go to work.

 

[drivesitfar]

Olaf: now that C series Wilton Bullet is one of my favorite vises and it looks like it's in pretty good shape. Depending on whether it's a C1 or C2 they are both worth more than $150. If it's a C2 I've paid 3 times that for them.

only thing i see missing is the swivel lock pins have been changed to nuts which might actually work as well. here's a picture of my most recent Wilton C2 that is now on another member's bench.


I found another picture I saved of another member's Wilton C2 that he restored and made a nice stand for.

here's the thread talking about the C2 restoration that Alan Camby did earlier this year, but it looks like a few of his pictures are missing. anyway hope you get the Wilton if it checks out in person because it's a great vise that will last you a lifetime.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277542

good luck and congrats on buying the Starrett.

 

[Olafur]

Many thanks -drivesitfar!
C1 vs C2 has to do with size if I understand correctly?

Judging by pictures the pipe jaws in Wilton C1 are secured by two bolts: http://www.wiltonviseparts.net/wilton-c1-pipe-jaws/ - and they are clearly visible on the side of the vice. Like:

If this is correct the vice I am looking at is probably C2

Spoke to the owner this evening (local time) and we are going to meet tomorrow. He insist the vice is in fine working order - been in his possession for decades.

BTW
Have you seen this NOS Wiltons by Canadian seller on Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-N...944?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2801b82048

 

[drivesitfar]

Olaf: i sold the one like is on Ebay for $100 a couple years ago and mine was in like new condition. i couldn't be for sure it wasn't made in China and the handle on mine bent some just when i tightened by hand.

i'm pretty sure you are looking at a C2 and if you can get it for $150 then you have yourself not only a great deal, but a vise for life. i just sold the one i posted a picture of in a little better condition for $500 to a member and i even tried to buy it back and he doesn't want to sell it.

jaw width is the difference and about 40 pounds. the C1 i'm pretty sure is 4.5 inches and about 65 pounds and the C2 is 5 inch wide jaws and about 110 pounds. the bigger pins or bolts as you think they are holding the pipe jaws in are on the older versions. here's an old C1 i sold for $350 to a client because the one he had was stolen off his truck so i gave him a discount because i usually sell them for $425 restored if i have one to sell.

so one question before i let you go. my wife finds inexpensive flights to Iceland all the time and just wondering if i might end up there which city and sites should we try to see?

cheers

 

[PT Doc]

I would have said pass on the Starrett but old day long buy Wiltons.

 

[Olafur]

I bought the Wilton vice for $111
It has 4,5" jaws. As you can see the rust bugs missed this one almost completely. This is the bare casting under the swivel foot.


And the jaws are not to bad either:


Actually it is in excellent condition and operates more smoothly and more easily than I thought possible for it's size. I like the ***********, the hardened steel pipe jaws and the swivel "tooth" system locking the vice firmly in position. Overall very impressive and as a bonus -perfect size for me.


(Behind is a 140mm German Heuer)

Just for fun - here is the same Coke in the jaws of a 7" (180mm) Heuer

 

[drivesitfar]

Olaf: you done good sir. that Wilton C1 will last your lifetime. plenty of information and knowledgeable guys (and gals) here that have restored those Wiltons so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask or look up in the Vise Repair 101 thread for a few to start with.

it looks like it's in great shape and when you get time to pull out the dynamic jaw out all the way can you wipe off the keyway on the dynamic and take a picture of the date stamped on it?

cheers and nice Heuer vice too

 

[Olafur]

Starrett:
This one has probably only been used for woodworking and not much at all. It has surface rust but after quick wire wheel job it moves normally. I had to heat the lever-nut for the swivel cherry red to brake it free. This is very nice small vice and with quite serious clamping force since 10 rings on the lever only move the jaws 4 cm.


Now the day after I bought the Starrett and the day before I bought the Wilton I fished these two out of a pile at the scrap yard:
Record: missing the nut for the lead screw and one jaw. It says "sheffield England" on the side - not sure if it's made in the UK?


And finally F F. Nr 115: works fine but missing one jaw. Judging by appearance it has been used quite a lot and taken a heavy beating. But since it still works fine It seems to be quite strong. Notice the tongue sticking out and supporting the dynamic jaw.


Again holding the Coke can:


Anyone know more about the F F vice?

 

[Olafur]

One more thing related to clamping force:
I tested few vices in the diesel shop by turning the handle 10 rings (circles.. whatever) and measured how much the dynamic jaw moves:
Wilton = 6cm
Starrett = 4cm
Heuer 120, 140, 160 and 180mm all the same = 10cm
Toptul 160mm = 6cm

 

[Olafur]

Olaf: you done good sir. that Wilton C1 will last your lifetime. plenty of information and knowledgeable guys (and gals) here that have restored those Wiltons so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask or look up in the Vise Repair 101 thread for a few to start with.

it looks like it's in great shape and when you get time to pull out the dynamic jaw out all the way can you wipe off the keyway on the dynamic and take a picture of the date stamped on it?

cheers and nice Heuer vice too

I will get a picture of the date on the Wilton.

As per your question earlier about coming to Iceland:
I guess it depends on how long you intent to stay and quite possibly how much you want to spend. In my opinion - what is interesting about Iceland is the landscape and nature. Culture and museums - not so much.

There are so many interesting places in Iceland to see I hardly know where to start. However for a brief visit you will land in Keflavik and your first stop is going to be Reykjavik. The Reykjavik area holds about half the population (about 150k). 97% of tourist in Iceland stop there. A "golden circle" trip from Reykjavik is very popular. It goes to thingvellir, gullfoss and geysir. Takes one day to complete and gives you a good snapshot of Iceland.

 

[drivesitfar]

Olaf: post up the FF vise to get information on it because it does have the European look to it and the members from England on that thread are pretty knowledgeable about vices.

your Record is maybe 15 years old and probably made in China and put together in Sheffield and still a good vice. also parts are still being made if you can't locate or make replacements for it.

Starrett vises area high quality vise and even though yours is one of the less expensive ones it's still a very good vise. your vice (vise) collection has grown in very short period of time and all are quality even the ones that are missing parts at the moment.

cheers and thanks for the heads up on Iceland. i'm probably more of a nature guy and maybe a week or a few days for Iceland because i'm 100% Norwegian so a couple weeks there would be great since I've never been and heard stories and probably have lots of cousins there.

 

[jrobb316]

Thats one heck of a vise haul in Iceland in a couple days! Nice job

 

[Olafur]

Thanks gentlemen. Yes it's strange how it suddenly started to rain vices over here.

Here is a shot from the Wilton C1, is this the number you were asking about drivesitfar?
1 82

 

[drivesitfar]

Olaf: yes, your Wilton left the factory in January of 1982 so now you know. how much does that huge Les vise weigh you just posted on the vise thread? any chance you are getting to buy or take that home because I've never seen a Les much less that big.

thanks again for the travel tips too. how's the food and i'm guessing mostly seafood or what is your favorite meals? sorry but i'd rather hear from a local than Google.

cheers

 

[Olafur]

Thanks for the info, the Wilton is actually younger than I imagined.

I think you are very close in guessing the weight of the LES as 250 pounds. I picked it up from a table and took one step back. Can't say I wanted to carry it any more than that. I used the shop crane to put it on the table.

Food here in Iceland is pretty good I think. You can get the typical fast food (burgers, pizzas) all over the island. And most towns and villages have decent restaurants. Food culture is a mixed bag from Europe and the US (and lately Asia as well).

 

[Dave455]

That Record looks like a British made one to me, but from towards the end of the ''Made in England' era, so quality will be o.k. but perhaps not as good as some of the earlier ones. (You can tell by the style of the Record logo, which was the last style).

Some folks have said on another thread, that vices marked 'Sheffield, England' rather than 'Made in England' were probably made overseas. While that's good logic, and that sort of dodgy description is more commonplace now, it didn't happen back then. (Also, although I believe it's legal in the U.S. and many European countries, it isn't here!)

I saw the last of the British made vices at a show some years back, and they looked exactly like this one!

The current Chinese vices I've seen have no such markings (at least not in the U.K. market).

Spares should be easy to find, on U.K. eBay if you have a problem elsewhere!

 

[Olafur]

Thanks for the info Dave!

After I found it I started searching for parts and right away I discovered late Records were made in China so I stopped and said to my self - ok I'll just take it back to the scrap yard. But looking at it again I just couldn't because there is nothing cheap about it, and it's in very good condition.

Either it is made in England or the Chinese did a fantastic job casting it. I find it likely this vice came from the UK market to Iceland so it's quite possibly late Sheffield production.

cheers!