this is my post vice. the pictures dont show the extent of the damage time has done but it gives you a good idea. mostly im worried about the scalloping under the fixed jaw and the fact that the jaws dont meet square (unless thats normal for post vices im not sure). ideas on repairing or do you think i should just leave it the way it is?

The reason the jaws don't meet squarely is the pivot joint has play in it . the rest of the problems can be taken care of with a good file...how does the screw look?

ive never taken the screw out completely but i greased it well when i first got and it turns smooth, so i assumed it was fine.

do you think i should take it out and examine it?

Edited September 12, 200916 yr by kashmire

Yes, take the screw out and look in the box too. That vice looks fairly good. The main thing that needs work other than the screw is the pivot pin. When the movable jaw is lower than the stationary jaw, the pin is worn or the holes egged out. Asuming your screw and box are in good shape, this vice is a pretty easy fix.

perpendicular the jaws meet up fine. parrallell they are about a 1/4 inch off closed. and the scallops under the fixed jaw are about a 1/3 inch deep in some places.

Fix? Fix what? Pretty rare for any of the problems to affect the use. Guess you could straighten the front jaw leg a little, or not. Just use it and see if anything causes you a problem. Out of parallel? Just put your work on the tight side and crank down till the jaws are parallel!

As the others have already said, the vise looks usable as it is. If there is play at the pivot point, then it is up to you whether to replace the bolt there.

ok, so no real fixin needed. the scalloping under the fixed jaw is that normal? it causes my work to shift some times while im trying to work on it.

Looks like a vice that's ready to do the job to me!

As mentioned above, you can fix the eccentricities if you want, but I'm thinking with a good cleaning - you're off to the races.

Have fun!

Because these vises only meet parallel on one thickness, you'll get some of that "shifting" regardless. Even if there was more meat toward the bottom, it's unlikely it would touch anyway. Given that they are never meet parallel, it might be better the way it is.

i have a small vise that looks that way i haven't fixed it yet and the reason it is like that is from the 2 hundred years of use the scew and the box has been closed to tight and bent the posts on both sides check to see if the post are streight from the pivot to the jaw it may have the same problem as one of mine if you had a side view of the vise from the ground up it would help see it on mine i'm gona put in a press and bent it streight again

It's easy to take angle iron and make "jaw covers" that have straps that bend over to keep them on. Then you will have nice flat faces...

My post vice, a 65 lb. 4", no name on it, is in good shape per say, screw, pivot pin, jaws are flat and smooth, the jaws are only perpendicular at 1" open, this is by design, they are made to hammer on, not known for holding power, you must build jigs or tools to hold some material in the vice to keep it from moving.
I can put a 3/8" bar in one side of the jaw and tighten till the vice flexes enough for the other side of the jaw to touch, and when released it will spring back to paralell.
I use mine for holding some hardy tools, drifting or punching when my pritchel or hardy holes aren't big enough.
I also have a saddle made to close on R.R. spikes to keep them from being driven down through the jaws when punching in faces etc. on trolls/wizards, without having to chase it around the anvil.
There are blueprints for vise tools.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by keithgartner
Added info.

Note that while a good vise will recover it's generally a better idea to make a set of "spacers" to drop in the opposite side to keep your vise from twisting so much in use.

One of the things that keep coming up is how do I fix or repair this old(fill in the blank). Most of them ain't broke but only worn. I not saying the vise is perfect but it is after all a leg vise not a machinist vise which is an all together different critter. This vise looks ready for work, a little rough but OK.

Looks like a vice that's ready to do the job to me!

As mentioned above, you can fix the eccentricities if you want, but I'm thinking with a good cleaning - you're off to the races.

Have fun!

I agree. Good luck! All has been said.;)