Timothy Miller Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I picked up this cutie off of eBay. Its about 22" long weighs about 5 lbs and has 3" jaws. I don't know if it is the smallest one ever but it is the smallest one I have ever seen. It is also the older style with a tenon mount, brazed box and unthreaded pivot bolt with cotter pin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armand Tatro Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Salesman sample? Armand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 They had one on there a few weeks ago that was about 8 inches tall and had 1" jaws... Too cool... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Sweet, I've used my small bench type mounted in a larger vice on occasion for horizontal work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I don't think they had sales men trucking around sample vises in the mid 18th century but I might be wrong. :wacko: Nice find Tim. The shape of the jaws indicate it was made as a bench or finisher/filers vise. Seems to be just what you need for that white work you've been playing with lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 This vise was used It shows some wear to the jaws I doubt it was a salesman sample. I don't know if I will be using it but it sure looks cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 It sure is a cute little poke. For some of the people that wonder why its so small. In the 1700s this style of leg vise was general the only type of vice on the market. There were some even smaller ones that just clamped to a bench and some hand vices to. So with this being the only choice in type if you made spectacles (glasses), worked silver or gold, clock work, or pretty much any other small work and needed a small bench vise this was the thing for you. I have not seen to many of the smaller ones. I would guess this is becouse many were destroyed as many small vices of any time period are, and there was probably much less of this type made. Larger leg vices are still made today so they have been produced for 300 + years, the small leg vice was probably replaced with small cast iron bench vices in the 1800s, I look at ebay weekly for interesting vices, I wonder how I missed that one. Enjoy your new toy Mackenzie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 It sure is a cute little poke. For some of the people that wonder why its so small. In the 1700s this style of leg vise was general the only type of vice on the market. There were some even smaller ones that just clamped to a bench and some hand vices to. So with this being the only choice in type if you made spectacles (glasses), worked silver or gold, clock work, or pretty much any other small work and needed a small bench vise this was the thing for you. I have not seen to many of the smaller ones. I would guess this is becouse many were destroyed as many small vices of any time period are, and there was probably much less of this type made. Larger leg vices are still made today so they have been produced for 300 + years, the small leg vice was probably replaced with small cast iron bench vices in the 1800s, I look at ebay weekly for interesting vices, I wonder how I missed that one. Enjoy your new toy Mackenzie I thought I was buying something bigger when I bid on it I was confused and upset when such a small box showed up. I thought someone had cut the leg off to make it fit in the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciladog Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I think it was made for the little people. Wizard of OZ comes to mind. Or maybe for a child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I have one that size but it has a full length leg ( long and slender ) Weighs in at 16lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 my oldest and smallest vise has 3" jaws, also a tenon and cotter pin with a brazed up screwbox with the screwthread brazed in it. Mr Turley opined that it was pre-1800. I use it sometimes at demos but keep a close eye on ot so some kackhanded barbarian doesn't strip the screw box out. BTW Moxon in "Mechanics Exercises" published 1703, written slightly earlier mentions both vise (postvise) and handvise as typical tools for a smithy. I'll have to weigh mine, though I did have to make the mount and spring for it---best thing it was US$20 at Q-S one year; same year I bought a 6" vise for $50 in good shape! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwhite Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Model vice made as project and displayed at Hamilton Il tractor show a year or two ago. search will find it. job well done whomever made it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Just for clarification from right to left we have a "Hand Vise" a "Table Vise" and a "leg Vise" all forged. These are the names that are used in the old catalogs. The hand vise is probably the newest vise in the group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 That is a sweetheart of a little leg vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodogzz Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 How `bout this one: Jerry Achterberg is the artist. A full gallery of his blacksmithing miniatures can be seen on the Balcones Forge website. click on the link and then go to the member gallery and select his page: http://www.balconesforge.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Welcome aboard DittoDog, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in your header you might be pleasantly surprised to discover how many IFI members are within visiting distance. Beautiful piece of art, Thanks for the link. When I was a kid, say the 60's you could buy miniature tools in good toy shops, including the blacksmith's shop, from villiage smithy to industrial smithy. I could never get Mother or Dad to spring for any of them but sure regret not saving my pennies for when we got to the better part of town. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodogzz Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Oops. I thought I had done that profile thing. Basics added, more later etc. Thanks, Frosty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I thought I was going to win until I saw twodogzz post! The little pin vice was my Grandmother's and it came with a small fly press of which I will post a photograph some time.. Pair of 5 inch leg vices Another pair of 5 inch leg vices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodogzz Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I don't think Jerry's were meant to b functional so you win the every-day user's category. Those are pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I remembered I had another little hinged vice in the shed at home. This one is complete and fully working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 @ Timothy Miller I have just dug this out from the pile of "to be tidied up one day" in the old forge. It has a much longer leg than yours, or any of my others come to that. But the actual body of it is an inch or so shorter than yours. I picked up probably over twenty years ago and it still has a 15 pounds price label on it! I only noticed the mounting plate and spring were attached to the wrong side when I took the photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 @ Timothy Miller I have just dug this out from the pile of "to be tidied up one day" in the old forge. It has a much longer leg than yours, or any of my others come to that. But the actual body of it is an inch or so shorter than yours. I picked up probably over twenty years ago and it still has a 15 pounds price label on it! I only noticed the mounting plate and spring were attached to the wrong side when I took the photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 @ Timothy Miller I have just dug this out from the pile of "to be tidied up one day" in the old forge. It has a much longer leg than yours, or any of my others come to that. But the actual body of it is an inch or so shorter than yours. I picked up probably over twenty years ago and it still has a 15 pounds price label on it! I only noticed the mounting plate and spring were attached to the wrong side when I took the photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 @ Timothy Miller I have just dug this out from the pile of "to be tidied up one day" in the old forge. It has a much longer leg than yours, or any of my others come to that. But the actual body of it is about the same as yours. I picked it up probably over twenty years ago and it still has a 15 pounds price label on it! I only noticed the mounting plate and spring were attached to the wrong side when I took the photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 @ Timothy Miller I have just dug this out from the pile of "to be tidied up one day" in the old forge. It has a much longer leg than yours, or any of my others come to that. But the actual body of it is an inch or so shorter than yours. I picked up probably over twenty years ago and it still has a 15 pounds price label on it! I only noticed the mounting plate and spring were attached to the wrong side when I took the photo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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