Vise hierarchy?

[qqzj]

We have two very long vise threads here. A lot of information. But I am wondering how to evaluate the desirability of various vises. Ideally, we can score all of the vises from 1 to 100. So we can take into consideration various issues like Manufacturer, jaw width, weight, swivel base or stationary, scarcity. Of course, assume the target is of similar nice conditions with no damage. Opinion can be subjective, but we can throw away top 3 outliers on each side and average the rest. That will get a pretty decent score for each vise, I think?

Of particular concern is a vise I recently got. A Reed 2C made in December 1978. I am wondering how it compares to other vises especially good ones from Wilton, Starett, and Anthol. I can go to eBay to search around, but that is very random. Sometimes the price I found makes no sense. So I'd like to hear people's opinion here.

 

[Shiftless]

It will be interesting to see what you finally come up with. Let me just say that your Reed 2C is just about the best out there. You are already at the top of the heap.

 

[exmaxima1]

Great vise but a little tall for many users. When I built my new workbench I needed the working height to be about at the break in my elbow. I opted for my 4-inch Wilton over my Reed since it yielded the optimum working height.

 

[Lassen Forge]

A vise is a tool, and it all depends on the job you're doing with the tool... I have a bunch of different vises, everything from a jewelers wilon to a 7 1/2" post vise... I could no more dress down firing pins using the post vise as I could not bend hinges on the baby wilton or my 4" bullet or my 3" 70's craftsman...


I know that's kind of not what you were after, but to me, every vise has a plus and a minus and shy of **** Chinesiums (and even they have their utility) it's hard for me to quantify a "best" vise... All around, I like my larger Wiltons, but I wouldn't kick a Reed out in the snow...

 

[Texag0842]

I use an Orange Vise. It gets the most use on my firearms but it's a great Vise overall.

Original Bench Vise

An American manufacturer of premium single and dual station CNC machine vises, machinable quick-change soft jaws, and quick-change fixturing solutions.

www.orangevise.com

 

[Texag0842]

 

[Maui]

I have a Reed 2C that I tore down and completely restored, and even made a few minor improvements to it during the restoration process. It is in my opinion one of the best all around bench vises that was ever manufactured. You will not have an easy time finding one that was better made, although you can certainly find bigger ones out there. I think that the point others made about the intended use or application will have an impact on how people would grade each vise, so it is a factor that probably can’t be ignored if the results are to have any meaning.

 

[matt_i]

Reed 4C and Starrett 926 owner, definitely love the overall look of the Reed more.

But the cantilevered moving jaw support (metal "tongue" which sticks out from the fixed-jaw-housing) is about 5x as beefy on the Starrett. Under the heaviest use I think that would eventually matter.

The handle on the Orange seems proportionally very short to me, maybe it has a finer pitch internal thread to compensate.

 

[pelletman]

Reed C series is the epitome of vintage American vises. I initially bought a 4C for one of my benches, but it was too big and slow for me, so I picked up a 2C (or two) which turned out to be too small in my opinion (bench is large and formerly a bowling alley) I found a 3C and it was JUST right! I have had a Columbian 605 on one of my benches for as long as I can remember, which has served me well, albeit a little sloppy. Yesterday I replaced it with a Starrett 325, I kinda felt bad about relegating the 605 to another bench I was building for another shop though. Once nice thing was the holes lined up and I didn't have to do anything but unbolt the Columbian and bolt the Starrett down...
The flat meatball, removable jaw later C series are the best of those vises.

 

[Packard V8]

Too many variables and subjective opinions for a score to be meaningful.

Some here prize the swivel jaw vises and will pay a premium for them. I've never owned one.
For others here the swivel base is a must and wouldn't buy a vise without it. Several of mine are fixed base.
The precision of the cylindrical movable jaw Wiltons is ne plus ultra for some. Others are just fine with the relatively sloppy fit of Athol and Columbian. I have examples of each and they all clamp stuff as needed.
Often, Reed vises are given as examples of the strongest and best of the classic vises; a Reed 3C was one of the few older vises I've seen break in normal use.
A personal favorite of mine are the Parkers; but some of them just look weird.
Your opinions and results may vary.

jack vines

 

[MinimumImpact]

If I was searching for vises on eBay I’d probably just search Vise USA sorted by time ending soonest to try to catch auctions and just be looking for whatever is appealing to my eye and in the size that would be most useful to me..

I think just about anything made in the USA would be pretty decent and well good enough for most use, could avoid anything made in china, sending money to china, and buying used is the greatest form of recycling, likely giving your money to a small business also rather than a huge company..

I probably have around 10 vises that I find at garage sales, about half USA vises, and about the only ones I use are my drill press vises (including XY) and a 4” Wilton from the 70s (not a bullet)..
Nothing truly spectacular but good enough for me..

Their are some truly fine vises out there but I think Wilton has the name recognition that most will recognize and respect/value, even if they aren’t the best, if you are looking for ones that would be an easy sale after fixing up a bit..

 

[General Geoff]

So I'd like to hear people's opinion here.

It's worth as much as a buyer is willing to pay, tempered by how desperate the seller is for cash. The better and more exposure an advertisement for it gets, the larger the buyer pool. The larger the buyer pool, the higher the potential value. This is why things will sell on Ebay for generally higher amounts than a local craigslist ad will net: because Ebay draws a much larger audience to even see the listing.

Never underestimate the power of effective marketing. That's how Apple can sell a phone that costs, at best, $150 to build, for $1,000 and why Gucci can sell a $60 handbag for $1600.