MotoMike Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Picked it up today. It is marked The Columbian Hardware co. Cleveland O. Made in USA. Jaws measure 4.25. Only Jaw Damage I could see is a chip on the top of each jaw. the faces of the jaws are straight and clean and all the inscribed lines forming a diamond pattern across them is sharp and clear. To me it does not appear to have been abused, the screw is in great shape. Did I do ok at $80.00? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Greetings Mike, Ya done just fine and a fair price.. It will serve you well for many years. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 You did better than OK. In my area that would have been a steal. It should clean up to look like new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 Thanks very much guys. I guess it is normal for someone to have gorilla handed the handle and put a bit of a bend in it. can you tell by looking at it when it was made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Very common to have the handle bent. I hot or cold straighten depending on the material and the amount to be done. I generally think of the open screwbox as being one of the later styles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted January 8, 2018 Author Share Posted January 8, 2018 Thanks Thomas. I wondered if the bracket attachment, a u bolt as opposed to the wedge locks, might have been a later design as well. seems like a better mounting system to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lionel h Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Looks great , did well . Ready for working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Well if one of the nuts had disappeared on a U bolt system and you didn't have access to tools to make another one; I bet you could forge a wedge bracket and wedges with just your forge. Me I collect rusty U bolts and nuts at the scrap yard---"just in case" and can forge them to fit a vise in just a couple of heats. My travel vise uses wedges as it's fast and easy to set it up and take it down----but I always throw an extra wedge in the tool bucket as I've made more than one when I get to a demo and found the wedges are in the *other* bucket of tools... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Nice score at a decent price. Ones like it have been listed elsewhere for hundreds of dollars which is on the high side. You got it for a bargain though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMike Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Thanks guys. I have the parts to make a "portable" post for it. time and weather allowing, I'll get that built soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Very nice, and a good price to boot. For your stand, remember that "stable" is much more important than "portable". Unless you're setting up and breaking down your forging setup every single time, make a heavy stand with a wide, stable base and a lot of mass to resist pounding and twisting. My own stand is fairly heavy (made from welded-up 4" x 8" I-beam), made more so by the three 5-gallon buckets of scrap steel and some heavy plates resting on the back, but even that can walk around a bit when I'm doing something particularly vigorous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Scan-D Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I just picked up a Columbian also, finished the clean up and some fresh grease on the pivot and screw, plus a good wipe of boiled linseed oil on all the rest. It doesnt have the bracket or spring, but thats what smithing is for...isnt it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Very nice. Go easy on greasing the screw, though: you don't want anything that scale and grit will stick to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Scan-D Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 I didnt go all that heavy JHCC, and i removed any excess that was expelled when i reassembled. Good tip though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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