Vice score

[Smallblock]

I've never had a vice and have thought about looking for one. I work at a auto electric rebuilding company and my boss was gathering up stuff to take to a swap meet. I happened to walk by the pile of swap meet items and saw 3 5 inch vices. I stopped dead in my tracks and called my boss over to ask how much he wanted for one. He said "which one do you want? You can have it"
I looked them over. Two of them didn't have a brand and were missing jaws. The other was a craftsman and was complete so I grabbed it.
My question is this is a Japanese craftsman which by the pics I've saw of others like this it should be red. This one is ford blue right now,but after I disassembled the vice the original color was a bright orange similar to Chevy orange.
Which is the correct color? Red or orange?

 

[trboxman]

No smoking, drinking, gambling or womanizing? Too bad, vices are fun when you're young and carefree...

Vises, however are an indispensable shop tool and that looks like a nice vise. No clue as to original color...

 

[porphyre]

Strange. That's a Craftsman? It looks almost exactly like an English made Record vise. Yours has a small "anvil" on the back of the stationary jaw, though...

Look at the 3rd one from the left:

[/QUOTE]

From the vises thread, here:
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2106057&postcount=3695

Assuming it's USA or English made, free = YOU ****!

 

[ZRX61]

There appears to be pink bondo showing where the paint is chipped = China...

 

[ajchien]

I'll agree with ZRX. I've never seen a craftsman in that shape before. Learn something new.

I don't think it's a record rebrand, the body underneath the static jaw isn't shaped the same. It's shaped more like an import labeled under a lot of other names. Search real closely, if it is a craftsman, and imported, there might be a teeny tiny stamp of coo somewhere - maybe covered over by paint.

But hey, can't beat free!

 

[Smallblock]

It's clearly marked Japan. I'll take better pics tonight when I get home.

 

[ajchien]

It's clearly marked Japan. I'll take better pics tonight when I get home.

My 4-1/2 craftsman vise was made in Japan. It was a columbian rebrand. T-shaped jaws too. My best guess is that it was after wilton acquired columbian, offshored some production to Japan, and craftsman put their name on it. Sometime in the 70's maybe.

The vise was a gray-green color. See this thread:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84651

 

[Smallblock]

While I have your attention.... These are the other 2 vices. Are either worth getting? I have to speak up quick before they go to the swap meet. The coulumbian looks to be missing a jaw an has a jaw screw broke off but is the better looking of the two. The craftsman is USA made and has a broke jaw pad.
I can get them for $10 each.

 

[Smallblock]

It looks nothing like your vice ajchien. Here's some better clearer pics.
It appears to be the bigger brother to thatcoders vice in this thread. They are even one part number apart. His looks red on my screen,but could be orange.

 

[Super Sport]

I would definitely say those other two are worth $10/each.

I just started at a company that just moved in to a new facility. I know that have a bunch of stuff laying around they aren't using...just waiting for a "free" pile like that!

 

[Smallblock]

Well, here she is all painted up. I still have to get some new jaw screws and mount it. Not bad for a freebee

 

[USMCdodge]

That vice looks awesome! nice paint job.

 

[Smallblock]

I figured the color problem out. Somebody had stripped it almost completely and painted it Allis Chalmers orange then ford blue. I found a little bit of red in the nooks and cranny's so I painted it International red.

Thanks for the compliment.

 

[venturesomerite]

Probably not the best quality vise ever, but for a spray bomb and no price tag, it will hold its share of **** while you work on it.