Supereibar Posted January 1, 2019 Share Posted January 1, 2019 Hello peeps, as I have mentioned on the introduction section, I Just picked up this leg vise yesterday for 70€ (about 85USD). I think I did good. I have begun to take it apart this afternoon. Couldn't wait!! And the first thing I did was looking for a makers mark. I found one that looks like "L / P" Or something like it. I wonder if this is Spanish made, or if it is foreign. I only know of one brand that made them here, and it is not that one. Please excuse my short vocabulary on these items, as they are totally new to me, and I am unsure of the precise technical name in English of some of the components. I would love for you to correct me on the go! The leg seems to have been cut at some point, and there is some bodge that someone made to make it sit higher; by fitting some metal bars acting as spacers between the clamp and the leg, then tightening it by a lower point. Not sure if it is as a result of this procedure, but it seems like the clamp that holds the leg to the table, is bent. It does not worry me excessively. The thread on the vise bolt is new and is good. Someone replaced it at some point in its life, and also did a helicoil on the box. If I had to guess I would say that this was made in the 1970's. as Barcelona was a heavy industrial city back then; and quality work was done. Even if the other bodges were grotesque and done ruthelessly to the poor tool, I must say this was done spot on. The bolt is replaced entirely as you can appreciate in the pictures, and it looks like it was inserted in the bottom metal The heilcoil only goes to about half of the box tho, but I think that if it has done the job until now, it will continue doing so. Last but not least, the box key is completely worn. I found the box bent towards one side. I am taking the box to work, to have it welded by a colleague, and then filed back to shape. Questions... Any clues on the origin of this vise? Would you peel it back to bare metal and leave as is or would you laquer it or paint it after that? Any tips on cleaning it other than wire brushes and scotch brite? Many thanks in advance! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 How to treat the "outside" of the vise is a personal preference item. I generally brush off any loose paint/rust and start using it---I live in a dry climate though. Others will power wire brush it down to shiny metal and then go over it with boiled linseed oil---or paint. One smith I know cleaned a vise and polished it and heat coloured it and then had it clear coated---spent about as much time working on it as I get to spend smithing in a couple of months! The screwbox is very distinctive; but not one I am familiar with. I agree that the stamp may be a maker's mark---or an owner's mark. It should be easy to heat the mounting bracket and re-square it up. (watch out for possible lead paint issues though!) If you do decide to paint it---I'd go with your tool colour! (Most smiths I know have a colour they use to identify their tools as being theirs. For instance I will drill a shallow divot in the handle end of a hammer handle and put a drop of light blue paint in it. Makes it easy to sort tools when I bring them to a multi smith demo---or for tools to find their way back to me when a storm blows up and it's a hurried get everything under cover!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supereibar Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Thomas, thank you very much for your kind reply. I took the box to work today and my colleague returned it to me like this! I was thinking of painting it with Hammerite and giving it a green tone to it. I was also thinking on what you were saying, in fact, giving my tools that same color. I know what you are saying, I lived in Texas as well for a short while, although, very far from El Paso... Do you think I could straighten the U piece that clamps the leg to the bench? It looks impossible to bend, as it is drop forged. Also, not sure if it is needed. It might work as it is, I have not tried to ensamble it properly yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartW Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 The box looks a lot like a french type.. french rail road works vise . this thread also show some cleaning and painting; but also a stand to make it freestanding... verrry handy. In the picture in this thread; the right black legvise is also a french vise; seems the same construction just heavier. Most french vises (found around here) were made in longwy or lorraine region (maybe that's the "L"), but I know there is also a steel producing area around montpellier... any foundry with casting forging abilities can make these vises. Well; living in Barcelona it should be fairly dry depending how far of the coast you live. However; don't underestimate it; if you build your shop with a lot of metal under trees; it will get wet (like my shop). Hence I paint everything. Legvises for example, I clean with a angle grinder wire brush; then use cleaner (to de-grease) or sandblast if I really need to paint to stick to it; then paint hammerite. I've learned over the years to paint thin several times; instead of painting a thick layer once. There are better paints then say hammerite; for example; the two-part epoxy paint they paint steel diving bottles with ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 The U shape in the 4th picture down? Probably not drop forged and anyway if it's steel---as is most likely you can heat and adjust it easily---I've made 5 or 6 of those for vises using my forge. That's what smiths do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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