What is this "vise"?

[atch]

This "thing" is in an estate sale near me that starts tomorrow (Thursday; 2/5/26). I'm wondering if I should go try to buy it. I've never seen anything like it.

 

[KenC]

Can't answer your question. But, I'd buy it! May never know or care who used it or for what, but I'd just have to own it.

 

[jcbrew]

If I were closer, I'd drive there and buy that in a heartbeat

 

[txvwnut]

This is the garage journal, you are required to buy it since its a vice and this is the GJ. I'd buy it just cause its different and looks to be complete.

 

[Danno1]

.


Of course you should go buy it!!!

.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Blacksmith anvil vise?

 

[SweetD]

I've not seen one like it yet. Looks like some sort of multi-functional vise apparatus. Someone here will know. It's cool.

 

[wolfhawk73]

Stowell Combination Vise

 

[Sturgeon]

Looks like a cure all your needs vise. Going with the general consensus, it has your name all over it. Just think how cool your shop would be?

 

[atch]

It looks like @wolfhawk73 nailed it...

Thank you all for looking, considering, and responding. I'll let you know if I get it.

 

[rsparks64]

There is a whole thread on vises in here somewhere.

 

[four.cycle]

I'm not understanding why you feel the need to ask.
It's a vise.
You need it.
You should buy it.
That's it, and that's all.

Look what you can do with that marvel of modern engineering:


1914 Wyeth Hardware & Mfg. Co. catalog Adams Cheney Stowell Hanson Julien vise ad pp 320

Of course, you will want to make sure that (a) it's all there (b) it's not cracked anywhere (c) the NUT is good. (One of the vise experts can tell you how to get to the "nut" and (d) you brought enough cash to bring it home with you.

 

[atch]

I'm not understanding why you feel the need to ask.
It's a vise.
You need it.
You should buy it.
That's it, and that's all.

Look what you can do with that marvel of modern engineering:


1914 Wyeth Hardware & Mfg. Co. catalog Adams Cheney Stowell Hanson Julien vise ad pp 320

Of course, you will want to make sure that (a) it's all there (b) it's not cracked anywhere (c) the NUT is good. (One of the vise experts can tell you how to get to the "nut" and (d) you brought enough cash to bring it home with you.

Based on information I've gotten (from here, the Ford Barn, and FTE) there are some pieces missing. That said, though, what's there is extremely intriguing.

On FTE (Ford Truck Enthusiasts) someone said that the Hanson shown above was made by Stowell. Or maybe visa-versa.

 

[firebirdparts]

Looks like it's just pipe or regular jaws with it and you're seeing it half pipe and half regular jaws for no reason. so that explains 90% of it. Top is a drill attachment, I guess? I like it. Buy it.

There are so many pieces for that thing that whatever you do get would be awesome.

 

[WisJim]

As seen in the photos, it has more of it's parts (fewer missing) than other examples that I remember seeing. Often the drill attachment and even the jaws are missing or broken.

Even if you don't get it, try for some more pictures.

 

[jkuro]

This "thing" is in an estate sale near me that starts tomorrow (Thursday; 3/5/26). I'm wondering if I should go try to buy it. I've never seen anything like it.

You mean your going next month.

 

[atch]

uh oh. 2/5/26

corrected...

 

[alfadan]

That channel "cast iron machines" is a pretty interesting one by the way, he comes across all kinds of cool stuff.

 

[paulsomlo]

Looks like a "curiosity" - you have space on your mantel?

 

[NUTTSGT]

If it was cheap enough, I would buy it just because I could.

 

[NYBODYMAN]

I don't need it and probably will never use it but it would be coming home with me if I could get it.

 

[ozyborn]

So what is the address of this estate sale and what time will they open? Just asking for a friend... muhahahaha see tool I do not have, must have..

 

[nadogail]

Looks like it is intended to hold something in place while a hole is being driled; or maybe a screw is being removed.

 

[Stuart in MN]

As seen in the photos, it has more of it's parts (fewer missing) than other examples that I remember seeing. Often the drill attachment and even the jaws are missing or broken.

Even if you don't get it, try for some more pictures.

If this place is like most estate sales there's a lot of clutter. Dig around in the workshop to see if the stray parts are sitting on a shelf or a box somewhere else in the room.

 

[atch]

I got it!

I paid twice what I wanted to but half of what I figured it would be priced at.

I bought it strictly as a conversation/display piece. It will NEVER get used in my shop or house. Some pieces ae missing and yes, one piece s broken. Doesn't affect my purpose or desire one iota. Watch the video in response 8 and you'll see a lot more information.


Now I'm torn between leaving it alone "as-is" or welding the one piece, sandblasting the whole shebang, and painting it. Any thoughts?

More pix:

 

[Shiftless]

CONGRATS !!!!

You got a cool old vise/anvil for half of what you thought it might cost.

Cool very rare old tool… bargain price… YOU ****!

 

[atch]

Note: as it's only a display piece and I'll never try to sell it as an antique I don't think it will bother me to ruin the patina by cleaning/welding/painting. If I do that I'll have to fabricate a wooden handle for the drill press as it's obviously missing.


None-the-less; I'm still interested in your opinions.

 

[atch]

CONGRATS !!!!

You got a cool old vise/anvil for half of what you thought it might cost.

Cool very rare old tool… bargain price… YOU ****!

Thank you Shiftless. In a couple of months I'll have my 20th anniversary of being on here and in all those years this is only the second time I've been accused of suckage. I'm honored.

 

[Shiftless]

It’s your vise so you can do whatever you want with it. But I’m going to guess that you and most of the future admirers of that vise will react more favorably to see it cleaned and preserved rather than all painted up like it was new. If it was me, I would scrub off the dirt with a stiff bristle brush, not a wire brush, and apply a light coat of oil. I prefer boiled linseed oil but you can use Watco or tung oil too. Just a light coat. Apply and wipe off the excess. Reapply later if you feel you need to.
The oil gives it a soft glow and brings out the patina that piece has developed over the maybe 100 years it has been around.
If you want to spiff it up some more, find a piece of your favorite hardwood and fabricate a display stand. Varnish the wooden stand or make a wooden stand from common lumber and paint it glossy black.

Again…congrats on a great find.

 

[Recoveryman]

Another thing missing is tools for the hardie hole (that square hole near the anvil point. They would be chisels and fullers and other pieces for forming metal. Google tools for a hardie hole. Good luck
Recoveryman

 

[545_days]

That is cool. You really stuck gold on that purchase.

 

[atch]

...If you want to spiff it up some more, find a piece of your favorite hardwood and fabricate a display stand. Varnish the wooden stand or make a wooden stand from common lumber and paint it glossy black.

Again…congrats on a great find.

That board it's currently mounted on is oak. I'm thinking I'll clean it up and oil it (Tung or linseed perhaps). If I decide to mount it on a shop wall I'll build an oak shelf to mount it on.

Another thing missing is tools for the hardie hole (that square hole near the anvil point. They would be chisels and fullers and other pieces for forming metal. Google tools for a hardie hole. Good luck
Recoveryman

I wish that those pieces were there. I've actually used those pieces in a blacksmith shop in Amana, Iowa; during a weekend learning experience. I'll be on the lookout for actual old pieces. You can buy new ones but I'll not live a hundred years to get them to look right (from use). I doubt I'll ever come upon old ones though. I imagine that most of them have been lost over the years and the ones that are left will never be for sale.

My son-in-law has his great grandfather's forge and anvil. Of course, things like those chisels were missing. I bought him new ones but they sure don't look right.

 

[MushCreek]

I like the idea of cleaning and oiling it as opposed to paint. The patina tells the history. For the broken piece you could probably just glue it with some epoxy for display purposes.

 

[DaveAndStuff]

I'd just clean and oil it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Another vote for oil or some other similar treatment instead of paint.

 

[wolfhawk73]

Congrats, Atch! Nice pickup.

 

[SweetD]

Clean and apply boiled linseed oil. As far as the broken piece, it may be difficult to weld or braise that repair, and maybe risky. As you stated it's not going to be used...I might try an easier "fix" like a thin application of JB Weld to bond the pieces together for looks only.

Great piece and thanks for sharing!

 

[WisJim]

Add my vote for clean up and oil rather than paint.

 

[Jazz1]

Thats a awesome vise..id buy that in a heartbeat as i need a pipe vise seasonally