Black Frog Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I might be picking this up this afternoon, only picture I was given of this. Is this a Fisher #2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 From what I remember from last time we had a Fisher vise thread NJanvilman said the #1's and #2's came without a leg. IIRC the #1s are more rare. Looks to be in good shape! Read down to the bottom of page 1 in the thread below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 I got it... Yup, it is a Fisher. I'll have some better pics tomorrow.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluidsteel Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I got it... Yup, it is a Fisher. I'll have some better pics tomorrow.... Woot! Woot! Congrats!! I'm green with envy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 Weird part is, I wasn't even going after this vise. I was negotiating a price on a large anvil, I was offering less than his asking price. The seller pulled this vise out to sweeten the deal, and would include the vise WITH the anvil if I paid his original full asking price for the anvil. Since I had quite a travel distance with considerable gas costs, I got him to lessen his price on the anvil somewhat AND throw in the vise. :-) Not sure if he realized what he had there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 Here's some pics after a gentle cleaning and greasing the threads. I didn't want to wire brush it, that would've peeled all the remaining paint off. Looks like it had been painted twice. Forest green was the bottom layer, and the blue was over that. In some of the pics, you can see the green well- wonder if that was the original color? Did these come painted when new? The jaws are in remarkably nice shape for the age. This vise was definitely used, but not abused. The threads are somewhat worn on both screws nearest the closed position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 The story told to me by the last living relative of the Fisher family was that the anvils and vises were painted with black or whatever color paint they had. They were not too perticular about the color or details. Their priority was to have the face be hard and the weld between the steel and iron good. And no glaring defects in the casting. Fisher actually guaranteed their anvils for a year. If the face separated or any other factory defect appeared, you had to ship it back to Trenton, NJ to be evaluated. If is was defective, it was replaced. This was the reason for the dates on the anvil, starting in 1880. The #2 vise was discontinued back in the 20's or before. Towards the end, Fisher/Crossley was only making the #4, #5 and #6 vises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Great info! Thanks a lot- it's fun to put some history to the chunk of iron laying in front of you.... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 O.K. I'm clueless so please fill me in here as to the advantages of such a design in a vice. Is it because a standard leg vice has a pivot point below the jaws and the jaws meet when closing on an arc and so not horizontal to each other and less than 90 degrees when holding the work but this type would have jaws that meet up flat to each other at 90 degrees the way a bench vice/machinist's vice does? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 O.K. I'm clueless so please fill me in here as to the advantages of such a design in a vice. Is it because a standard leg vice has a pivot point below the jaws and the jaws meet when closing on an arc and so not horizontal to each other and less than 90 degrees when holding the work but this type would have jaws that meet up flat to each other at 90 degrees the way a bench vice/machinist's vice does? Fisher Anvil Works began producing their design back in the 1870's. They were an iron foundry. This design lent itself to casting. As such, they could make their patterns the size they wanted for strength. Are they better than the forged type? Is one anvil brand better? That is really left up to the smith. In my forge shop, I use the standard leg vise design. I find them quicker to tighten. And I have a monster 8" to hammer on if I need strength. My Fisher Double Screw Vises are all in my museum with the rest of the Fisher stuff. I do use them their occasionally for holding material for hacksawing. They do work fine. They did advertise that the jaws were always parallel and they were very strong. All true. Are they superior? Up to you the user. If you visit my museum you can try them out and see for yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Lake Forge Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I have a question, how do you mount it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 None of the pics show it but there are bolt holes cast in so you put the flat section behind and under the back jaw on your sturdy bench and bolt it down much like you do a machinist vise---though the fisher also offers the option of a leg too IIRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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