Just saw this at the Junk-tuque store where I bought my anvil (two weeks ago) .

Thought I’d share.

Anyone else seen one of these ?

Its 6” from the top of the jaw to the pivot box.

Nice little bench clamp vise. Without a leg to conduct impact forces into the ground they aren't good for heavy hammering but being wrought or steel they are good for much heavier abuse than a standard cast iron bench vise. I hope you spent the $18.

Frosty The Lucky. 

I didn’t buy it as I just don’t have any use for it (I have a large post vise) but I did find it interesting and on the verge of sounding weird I thought it was “cute”.

Someone put some time into making it maybe for a son or grandson.

I was searching for hardy tools not a 5th vise. 

I just never saw one of these of this size  and I won’t pretend to know much about Blacksmithing tools , so I am interested in whether these are common or just a one off thing.

 

I could always call the shops owner & have them set it aside for me if someone is under the impression it has value other than as an item of  curiosity.

I have seen them and it would be added to my collection for sure at $18. They seem to go for a bit more here when I do see them. 

I agree, it's cute. 

I’d drop $18 on that in a heart beat. Very cool little vise. Those small vises are handy for holding small pieces when filing. 

looks cool, id of brought it home just to have it. it looks like it would come in handy since it mounts with a clamp which would make it fairly portable.

Very common back when; I think I saw a half dozen at Quad-State last weekend.  Priced considerably higher.  I have a smaller one I have mounted on my forge when needed.  Not made for a son or grandson; a typical tool of the time. I think the upper screw may be a replacement though.

If you don't want it you could always let folks know where it was at,,,

Yeppirs like Thomas sez  that’s how most vises were made, in a multitude of sizes.

The parallel jaw bench vice is a relatively new thing (well last couple hundred years).

The pivoting jaw style was far easier to produce until castings became stronger and also closed die drop forging was common.

If you look at Steirisch (Austrian, Styrian) vices they made them well into the 20th century, babies like this one up to big 100lb monsters.

They tend to have the German style box and side plates added extra lateral stiffness.

My Dad carried one in his tool box that is about 3' tall. He was a carpenter and retired in "78. I still have it in my collection.

 

The square plates covering the spring/hinge area makes me think German pattern. Not so much a forging vise but great for file work on smaller stuff. A locksmith/gunsmith/clockmaker might clamp tiny pieces in a hand vise, then clamp the hand vise in a small bench vise like that for mill work. I would snatch it for the price mentioned!

A couple weeks ago I picked one up very much like that at a garage sale.  Hate to even say what I did/didn't have to pay for it.  Brought it home and my wife instantly snapped it up.  She's been buying a lot of mini-vises and has them all on a bookshelf in the living room.  Yes, she's a great wife.

Moosetrot

Cool little vise,  almost looks like a lock washer on the screw

 

Why I picked a wife that did NOT share my hobby; all my tools are my tools! 

OTOH before I proposed I took her to the the Knifemakers Guild Show, back when it was still in Kansas City, to see if she could deal with such craziness.  She loved it and was dragging me across the hall to see patternwelded stuff she liked..  Been married 34 years now. A couple of weekends ago at the fleamarket I was glancing over a knife sellers table: modern, commercial, cheap stuff and saw a hand stitched  heavy veg tanned sheath. Pattern welded blade, jimping on the spine, mosaic pins in a sand blasted micarta handle.  Then the seller told me US$20!!!!!!!!! So I went home with a knife and showed it to my wife and said "who in the family shall I give this to for Christmas?"  Her reply was: "ME!" (well one present down, I was expecting her to suggest my step son in law who would really have liked it...)

I use my little vise on the anvil.

I was wondering if I would find a thread for these little guys here!

I got mine for $5, not including the hour and a half round trip to get it lol! 
 

The only thing is, obviously, that it doesn’t have the handle to spin it in and out. I assume that it is made from wrought iron, and in that case I will need to wait for a more proficient smith to give it some TLC. Thoughts?

That's a cutie and making a handle is easy.

I'm thinking the same handle was used to tighten the clamp as work the jaws. Is there something hard about making  replacement? It's not like it cares if a handle looks like one from the factory.

A length of round rod that'll fit the through hole and bend a 90 a little longer than the hub thingy on one end.  That way you can leave it hang and use it in either.

Hmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

I realize it would be extremely easy to make a handle, I just want the handle to look like it was always there, like it belonged. I also don't have any wrought iron, and have heard that it can be temperamental if too cold.  

This isn't a criticism so please don't take it like it is.

Do you want a working tool a decoration or looking for increased resale value?

Frosty The Lucky.

Good point...

A working tool would be nice, but having a wrought handle would be even nicer!!! However, I wonder if having a wrought handle wouldn't be as good as mild steel, because it would be softer?

Something that size would most likely be used for filing and other delicate work, so I doubt there would be enough force put on the handle to bend it. 

The photo of wicon's vise above looks like someone made the handles for both the jaws and the mounting screw from some heavy nails with the ends heated and upset enough to keep them in their respective holes.

If the replacement handle(s) look fitting enough to the aesthetics of the rest of the vise I doubt anyone but a real expert would be able to tell if it was right or wrong or wrought iron or mild steel. Usually we have to spark test, break test, have existing signs showing or etch to tell the difference. 

To me it would be nicer to have the tool back in service than to worry about that perfect a replacement. Besides, if you get better or find someone to do it how youd prefer later you can just remove the replacement handles and do it different. Easy peazy. 

I just realized that wrong + right = wrought. Thanks, Das!

Lol, you're welcome I guess. Glad to help. That is an interesting observation.