Vice experts, please I.D. this vice

[tweidman]

I found this vice that my grandfather had stashed away above his shop. I could not find any markings on it.
Anyone have any idea who produced this and when?

 

[Shiftless]

Strange that it doesn’t have any markings at all.
Based on some of the clues I see, I am going to say that is is most likely a Prentiss from the early part of the 1900’s. The removable tapered pin that secures the swivel back jaw looks to be missing and I wouldn’t be surprised if the swivel jaw is locked up and no longer able to swivel. With some work, those can be freed up. Don’t use violence. Those are valuable vises with strong collector value but of course can be great user vises once they are serviced properly.

It’s great that you now have your grandfather’s old vise. Nice heirloom!

 

[pelletman]

I think Prentiss too, they made a bunch of unmarked vises

 

[1982fxr]

Ditto on Prentiss.

They usually have a logo on the slide. It's about 4 inches and often mistaken for a crack.

 

[tweidman]

Strange that it doesn’t have any markings at all.
Based on some of the clues I see, I am going to say that is is most likely a Prentiss from the early part of the 1900’s. The removable tapered pin that secures the swivel back jaw looks to be missing and I wouldn’t be surprised if the swivel jaw is locked up and no longer able to swivel. With some work, those can be freed up. Don’t use violence. Those are valuable vises with strong collector value but of course can be great user vises once they are serviced properly.

It’s great that you now have your grandfather’s old vise. Nice heirloom!

Thanks for the info. I find it strange that he stashed this one; while his user was a slightly smaller Reed that was broken and rewelded and had no swivel.

 

[exmaxima1]

Another vote for Prentiss due to the plunger-style lock on the base swivel.

 

[jonshonda]

There should be some markings on the face circled in red. From left to right it would be "Prentiss No. 04" (or whatever yours is, which can be identified based on the width). Yours is fairly early base on the fact the jaws are cast into the face, with later ones having separate replaceable jaws.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Ditto on Prentiss.

They usually have a logo on the slide. It's about 4 inches and often mistaken for a crack.

Sadly that is so true. I was looking at a friends immaculate prentiss vise their Dad has bought new and it has the same “logo” on the slide.