What is this on the leg of my vise

[Donal Harris]

The can-like thing, I assume it is to set the vise in a concrete floor. 

 

I tried double-tapping to edit the size of the photo. That option did not appear.  How do I reduce the pixel count?

It took quite a bit of work with a chisel and punch, but I finally got it off. I had Googled and looked at thousands of leg vise images and could find nothing on that “can-like” thing. The vise was too tall with it on and too short if I set the can into the floor. 

Sorry about the size. 

[ThomasPowers]

Folks did whatever the wanted to to fit their vises to their shop and them. I've seen ones with the end cast in a pyramid of concrete and a lot of them where they cast them into the floor and then just torched the leg at the floor when they were getting rid of the vise.

[Donal Harris]

I was a little worried about what I would find when I finally managed to get the ‘thing’ off. I thought the bottom of the leg may have rusted completely and I might need to put it back in, so I was careful not to break it. SOtherwise I would have just cut it off. 

Now I am stuck with some floor mounting thing that I seriously doubt I will ever find a use for sitting around taking up space. Can’t toss it because even though the day I find I need it will never ever come, I gotta keep it.....I am not a hoarder, but I think I may be a carrier of the gene. 

This is the end of the leg.  A lot of rust, but I don’t think it is too deep to save.  The rust looks odd.  Is it wrought iron.

[BLDSMTH]

Yes it is wrought iron. The body and leg is wrought with steel welded on for the jaws.