Vise Info Thread

[KMScott]

Charles Parker Semi Steel # 806. 6" jaws that opens to 9-1/2" and weights 159lbs.

 

[dct55]

Samson 5229 branded Rock Island vise. Not rare, but not on the spreadsheet. 4" jaws, opens 6", 51 lbs. I assume it's identical to the Rock Island 573. Painted dull black, as listed in a 1919 catalog provided by one of our members. This is a really nice vise.

 

[KMScott]

Thanks dct55 for the pic and spec:s. Nice looking vise and a great adition to the Spreadsheet. Kevin

 

[Vise]

Some pics for the spreadsheet.

The bright red vise (1st pic) is an Athol 95 (precursor to the 616)- 6” Jaws, 135lbs

The lighter red vise (2nd two pics) is an Athol 97 (precursor to the 618) - 8” jaws, 260lbs.






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[KMScott]

Hollands 76. 4-1/2" offset jaws that opens to 7" and weights 84lbs.

Here is more info on this awesome vise.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7950209&postcount=72953

 

[va.grouseman]

Can anyone give me the link or phone number to Yost Manufacturing Co,?---Every time I try to pull it up all I get is, Hmmm...can’t reach this page.---Have they shut down temporarily because of COVID 19?----Any help appreciated.


 

[TOTO]

Phone: (616) 396-2063 Fax: (616) 396-8276

388 West 24th Street, Holland, MI 49423

Email: [email protected]

Service: [email protected]

 

[va.grouseman]

Thank you.

 

[KMScott]

American Scale 206. 4-1/2" jaws that opens to 10" and weights 76lbs. Sheet metal vise

 

[va.grouseman]

Now that makes me , KM

 

[KMScott]

Dawn 60s. 6" offset jaws.

 

[Vise]

June 1975 Ridgid Catalog. Post is edited to include that, based on the info from Fierljeppen and AngryBeaver below, Ridge Tools (maker of Ridgid) acquire Desmond Stephens on 1964. Below explains the timeline for Ridgid’s vise styles.

Ridgid Simplex vises......(1964-1979)
Ridgid Columbian vises...(1980-1998)

*information based on Ridge Tool catalog information.








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[AngryBeaver]

June 1975 Ridgid Catalog. In this era, Desmond Stephens made Ridgid’s vises. Anyone know when the contract to make their vises was held by Columbian (before or after 1975)?





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In that era, ridgid had purchased Desmond....


This rigidlumbian had 1983 casting marks on it. It was an M3 style with bolt on jaws instead of pin on, but I also have a 1988 marked 206 that is the M2 style with pin on “tee” jaws so it’s hard to say for certain. Reed ran the N/S series until 83 (last dated catalog to surface so far) before switching to columbian made vises.

 

[Vise]

In that era, ridgid had purchased Desmond....


This rigidlumbian had 1983 casting marks on it. It was an M3 style with bolt on jaws instead of pin on, but I also have a 1988 marked 206 that is the M2 style with pin on “tee” jaws so it’s hard to say for certain. Reed ran the N/S series until 83 (last dated catalog to surface so far) before switching to columbian made vises.

Great info, thanks! I wonder why they outsourced production to Columbian rather than continue with the Desmond factory, unless Desmond didn’t make their own vise?

 

[AngryBeaver]

Great info, thanks! I wonder why they outsourced production to Columbian rather than continue with the Desmond factory, unless Desmond didn’t make their own vise?

Ridge Tools bought the vise line from Desmond-Stephan in 1964. Ridge Tools (ridgid) owned the vise portion of the company and produced them until the mid/late 70's when they killed the brand. I'm guessing at that time, it wasn't profitable to keep the less than stellar vises alive.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Ridgid Simplex vises......(1964-1979)
Ridgid Columbian vises...(1980-1998)

*information based on Ridge Tool catalog information.

 

[Vise]

Thanks for the info, gents. Will update the post above for the spreadsheet.

 

[davethorik]

Ridgid Simplex vises......(1964-1979)
Ridgid Columbian vises...(1980-1998)

Awesome, this is good to know. I am still curious as to when they added Ridgid and dropped Simplex from the name cast into the vises, I am not seeing Simplex anywhere in the 75 scan that Vise just posted. So there's that.

 

[Fierljeppen]

They dropped Simplex from the catalogs right away and kept the same graphics all the way to the last catalog of the Simplex vises in 1979. Without a date stamp, it would be pure speculation as to when the -3- casting changes took place between (1964-1979).

It would be possible and relevant to gather some photo's of each different casting and put them in chronological order.

 

[KMScott]

I believe this to be a Swindens #2. 2"jaws that opens to 2" and weights 8-1/2 lbs. Pipe jaws are 1-1/2" wide. If anyone can verify then thanks in advance. Verified, Thanks Timgunn.

 

[RTM]

Hey gang, while actually looking at the spreadsheet on a computer where it was easy to view, I found that Sargent is very poorly represented. Not that I have any, I just have a 1911 catalog reprint with a few pages of them, thought I'd offer them up here. There is a few other catalogs I have to poke through, from 1894, 1910 and 1922. The 1894 has a different numbering for the oval slide vises. They are also the only ones to survive into the 1922 catalog. There were some fractional inch differences in the jaw dimensions between the catalogs.

They can be found here and following

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Mechanic-Tools/Mechanics-Tools/i-jDW3QjZ

1 cover page, and 5 photos of catalog pages

Hopefully by the time you get to them, they will all be rotated upright.

The full list of their catalogs is here

https://archive.org/search.php?query=sargent tool

Here is the 1911 1st page
https://archive.org/details/SargentToolBook1911Catalog/page/n57/mode/2up

 

[davethorik]

Hey gang, while actually looking at the spreadsheet on a computer where it was easy to view, I found that Sargent is very poorly represented. Not that I have any, I just have a 1911 catalog reprint with a few pages of them, thought I'd offer them up here.

Thanks for sharing. Going by the illustrations, they are just Parker rebrands.

 

[RTM]

Thanks for sharing. Going by the illustrations, they are just Parker rebrands.

I saw the Victor series in the Parker area, didn’t think to look at pictures of the Parker Victor to see if they matched. Thanks for pointing out what I missed.

 

[Vise]

Hey gang, while actually looking at the spreadsheet on a computer where it was easy to view, I found that Sargent is very poorly represented. Not that I have any, I just have a 1911 catalog reprint with a few pages of them, thought I'd offer them up here. There is a few other catalogs I have to poke through, from 1894, 1910 and 1922. The 1894 has a different numbering for the oval slide vises. They are also the only ones to survive into the 1922 catalog. There were some fractional inch differences in the jaw dimensions between the catalogs.

They can be found here and following

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Mechanic-Tools/Mechanics-Tools/i-jDW3QjZ

1 cover page, and 5 photos of catalog pages

Hopefully by the time you get to them, they will all be rotated upright.

The full list of their catalogs is here

https://archive.org/search.php?query=sargent tool

Here is the 1911 1st page
https://archive.org/details/SargentToolBook1911Catalog/page/n57/mode/2up

They’re up there now.

 

[Vise]

Howard Iron Works Vise - 5” jaws, 80 lbs.







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[KMScott]

Pexto #23. No spec:s yet.

 

[KMScott]

Stephens Coachmaker's vise. 3-1/2" jaws that opens to 10" and weights 38-1/2lbs.

 

[va.grouseman]

KMS, the Pexto resembles a Stanley Sweetheart bench vise.


And the Stevens, just WOW.

 

[FMC1959]

Howard Iron Works Vise - 5” jaws, 80 lbs.

Pexto #23. No spec:s yet.

Stephens Coachmaker's vise. 3-1/2" jaws that opens to 10" and weights 38-1/2lbs.

KMS, the Pexto resembles a Stanley Sweetheart bench vise.

And the Stevens, just WOW.

Wow to all three, the Stephen's, the Pexto, and the Howard Iron Works. All 3 are beauties and quite unique.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Pexto #23. No spec:s yet.

Interesting. The pesto name was first used in the 1920's from what I have read. Seems late for that style of vise.

 

[timgunn1962]

I believe this to be a Swindens #2. 2"jaws that opens to 2" and weights 8-1/2 lbs. Pipe jaws are 1-1/2" wide. If anyone can verify the thanks in advance.

The 2" flat Jaws and 1 1/2" pipe jaws do indeed indicate it is a Number Two.

 

[Fierljeppen]

I'm pretty sure the Howard Iron Works vise originally had 4-1/2" jaws before the weld job, making it a model #103.

It's always good to see the old double-swivel vises, especially the rare ones.

 

[va.grouseman]

I'm pretty sure the Howard Iron Works vise originally had 4-1/2" jaws before the weld job, making it a model #103.

It's always good to see the old double-swivel vises, especially the rare ones.
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Is that the one that I see for sale on eBay?---Nice rotator.

 

[Fierljeppen]

Is that the one that I see for sale on eBay?---Nice rotator.

Yeah, it's been listed forever. A little too rich for me in that condition.

 

[Smitty]

Prentiss vise no. 807
3” jaws
4 1/2” opening
15 lbs


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[Vise]

Reed 999 - 8.5” jaws and 292lbs (per catalogue page located by Fierljeppen, thanks!)

Appears to be a Prentiss-made Reed, with the “notch-the-bench“ base style. Even with the blown out jaw shelves I’d say it’s worth a pretty penny.








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[Fierljeppen]

I can't remember where I got this catalog scan from or if it's even the correct model of the above vise, but the weight listed is considerably more than the Prentiss 58 or Columbian 108-1/2 chipping vises.

Another "never seen by me before" vise.

 

[Vise]

I can't remember where I got this catalog scan from or if it's even the correct model of the above vise, but the weight listed is considerably more than the Prentiss 58 or Columbian 108-1/2 chipping vises.

Another "never seen by me before" vise.

Wow! Great find! I think we have a match. Will update my post with your catalog page for the spreadsheet. Thanks!

 

[Smitty]

This is a through the bench mounted Pexto no.23. The vise has 3” jaws, opens 2 1/4” and weighs in at 9 3/4 lbs. I don’t believe that this vise was made by Stanley but the design is strikingly similar.


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[KMScott]

Nice vise Smitty. Rare one indeed.