BryanL Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 Hello All, just scored a very interesting piece that has two pairs of vise jaws and a shear all operated by one treadle. The treadle also locks if you shift it over to the side. It should be very handy in the shop for light work but I've never seen anything like it. Does anyone have any idea who made it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 That's a neat toy--never seen one built that way. Any chance of a couple of more photos please? Some aspects seem a little light in places for smithing--maybe aimed at a different industry? Any chance the shear would have been for thin wood slats? For some reason this is reminding me of some of the old box making equipment I've seen--for stuff like the old wood fruit crates (the light ones). Might be way off base but there is some brain-wire pointing that way for some reason. Maybe because it's similar in build to a foot stapler for those crates I've seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 I'm sure I've seen something like it in a shop that made horse shoes but I can't remember where I've seen it. It's a cool vice for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 21 minutes ago, TwistedCustoms said: I'm sure I've seen something like it in a shop that made horse shoes but I can't remember where I've seen it. It's a cool vice for sure! Yes, there are calking (caulking, corking...they are used interchangeably) vices but those all take a downward hammer hit and are pretty robust. This one is a bit weak in the vertical direction and I don't think it could take any serious pounding--it's more like a quick clamp for some operation than an actual beating-on vise. Still might be for shoeing but it's definitely a vise of a different color. Typical calking vice looks more like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironartforge Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 This one appears to have the added bonus of being able to hold a shoe vertically but I have to agree that it is very light for any serious work. I have several of the traditional styled caulking vices and they are invaluable to have around the shop. They also hold surprisingly well with little pressure on the treadle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 The horizontal vice on the back (opposite the foot pedal) is what made me think it may be farrier related. I've seen plenty of the more robust type like Kozy posted. Centaur Forge sells an anvil stand that includes a foot vise for holding a shoe in the horizontal, like the one posted by BryanL. Not being a farrier I don't know why it's handy for them to have one oriented that way but I could find uses for it! The one made by CF looks like it's made of square tubing and wouldn't stand up to much hammering at all, more of a clamp really, certainly not for heavy forging. File work maybe? Holding a used shoe steady to knock out the old nails? I'm guessing but either way I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 That would be one awesome filing vise. I can't tell from the photo but the gap and strength of the shear section don't seem shoe oriented to me. Maybe one of the farriers here would know better regarding what on shoe production might need to be sheared and if that shear looks like it might work for the stock involved in shoes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted November 13, 2018 Share Posted November 13, 2018 Just looking at the photo I would guess the shear would handle 3/4" by 3/8" mild without too much trouble. Now I'm thinking I want to build a foot peddle shear to replace my tail gate shears for cold cutting mild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanL Posted November 14, 2018 Author Share Posted November 14, 2018 Other pics. The guy I got it from seemed to think it was for leather work, and the shape on the horizontal jaws were used for making the horn on a saddle. That would make sense, the linkages on the shear hardly seem strong enough for metal shearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwistedCustoms Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 IFI is home to some talented and knowledgeable farriers, one of them will chime in eventually and solve the mystery one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 I'd say that's definitely a farrier's vise meant for rasping shoes, not hammering on like a blacksmith's post vise. The sheer doesn't look to be so powerful that I'd want to cut cold steel in it. Maybe good for nipping some hot steel real quick, but it's too lightweight for me to believe it'd cut 1/4" thick bar while cold. The two vise jaws are interesting and would certainly come in handy for a lot of projects outside of farrier work. Replace the missing bolt and you'll have a real dandy for the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanL Posted November 15, 2018 Author Share Posted November 15, 2018 Yeah I think it will be a great addition to the shop, especially for light twisting or filing work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 I looked in the 1902 Sears catalog 112 and didn't find that vise in any section blacksmith, farrier, saddle/harness maker, carriage/wagon maker. Plenty of common foot operated calking vises though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 I looked in the 1897 (?) and 1908 Sears Roebuck catalogs; same places, same results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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