April 21, 201610 yr I've been wanting a post vise and I finally tracked down some in my local area. The prices for these things always seemed to be about $100+ on CL and they were always mismatched parts and missing the brackets. I paid $160 for all three and he threw in the tongs for free so I feel I got a good deal. Thats cheaper than I've seen them elsewhere. I'm going to keep the 5" Columbian which is one on the far left. The middle and right one I plan on selling. They are compete 4" vices, and the screws and everything are in good shape, and the jaws line up. The middle one has no markings and a decent amount of rust. The one on the right is a 4" Columbian, from the markings on the bracket and in good shape. What would be a price to sell them for? I live in PA where there is smithing stuff available not not exactly common, you have to do your legwork to find stuff. I dont want to ask an insane amount but also dont want to sell/trade them for less than what they're actually worth. Thanks.
April 21, 201610 yr Check the "sold" listings on the popular auction site that I won't mention by name and you'll see what similar actually recently sold for rather than what was asked. On a recent foray there to check post vices, your number seems about right (give or take) for a generic 4 to 4-1/2" vice in good shape...and there was shipping on top of that. You'll also notice a few that command higher pricing so it might be worth seeing why that happened--in case yours can be slipped into that category with a tweak or two to the cosmetics. "Recently sold" is becoming a more important factor because prices are moving pretty quickly. A year ago those would have been worth about half as much.
April 21, 201610 yr Great score. Why not keep at least 2 of em? Never know you might want another one later on then you'd have to buy another one. Couldn't say exactly on a price. If you put in some leg work and clean em up well then someone would probably pay more. That one in the middle with the mortise and tenon mount bracket looks like an old one I just recently picked up. Kozzy has a good point for checking prices.
April 21, 201610 yr Middle one looks old! Check the screwbox for brazing in it's construction. I'd take them to a local blacksmithing meeting and see what folks would be willing to fork out.
April 22, 201610 yr Personally, I'd pay no more than $50 for a leg vice. Its cheaper than what the "antique" crowd sells 'em for, but I use them as a tool. I also already have two, which I got for a combined total of $60, and that's all from just south of Gettysburg. YMMV
April 23, 201610 yr FWIW, the Antique Crowd in the West are trading vises in the $200 range. I got one for 80 a few weeks ago by being lucky enough to be the first message on a new ad. The seller was genuinely happy that it would be put to good use. He'd gotten another half dozen messages by the time we met up that afternoon.
April 23, 201610 yr Mine have run free to $50. The last one was a newer model Colombian 4" for $40, I could have got it for less if I had tried since it was headed to the thrift store if I had not bought it. They were originally asking $100. A really nice 8" recently sold near me for $80. I just couldn't break away from work to run and get it. So, what are yours worth? Whatever you and the buyer agree on....
May 27, 201610 yr Quad-State? You mean 4 corners? Probably not worth it for me to drive from CA for a $100 vise, if that's what you mean.
May 27, 201610 yr No I mean Quad-State Blacksmith's Round Up; and how were we supposed to know you were in California?
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