Wilton vise question

[yeldogt]

Finally cleaned off the layers of grease from this old vise using my mechanics parts washer. Next, I guess remove the many layers of paint.

Can't find any date code -- picked it up at a farm auction in a box sale years ago ... have no idea of age. It's a nice 3.5 inch vice -- not all cut and banged up.

Don't understand the jaw inserts. Mine look to have been drilled in a random fashion. Would prefer smooth inserts --- how would one go about replacing?

Know people sell the inserts -- but they come predrilled?

 

[Shiftless]

Look for a date code on the underside of the long key strip at the bottom of the round slide. Many times it has worn off but you might get lucky. Clean it well before you look.
This one reads December 1946

Those holes look wacky...

 

[yeldogt]

I have the punch marks -- or whatever the round circles are .. but no date.

 

[Shiftless]

I have the punch marks -- or whatever the round circles are .. but no date.

Those circles are pins that hold the key onto the slide.

 

[matt_i]

I think you are going to have to custom-drill any inserts. That looks rough like a casting slipped out of a clamp fixture.

All of my bench vises have copper or aluminum jaws. But I made them in the shop.