Hi all,
Sorry Haven't posted in about 6-8 months( computer problems have kept me off list). Hopefully will have my new large forge up and running by the end of the month. Need help Id'ing this Very large post vise. Picked it up at a local auction last week and cleaned it up a lot. It is missing the spring( i have another one that should fit or i'll make a new one)as the one that was on there was a piece of jury rigged garbage. The box is solid bronze (as are the spacers). It weighs over 150 lbs(probably close to 180) and has 6.75" jaws. There is a 3/4 inch long chip out of the jaws but it is still a beauty. Looks similar to some peter wright vise pics i have seen( the double ring on the ball end of the screw and the very long lips on both post sections- pics 3 and 4). Any ideas?



Sean AKA Bear

I'm guessing that you haven't found any maker marks on the vise so that would help in identification so I have no idea since this is the first leg vise that I have ever seen with parts made of bronze. That is a very handsome vise.:D

That is a real pretty beast...and stout to boot. The bronze box was likely shop made after initial production so unless you can find a letter or name stamped somewhere, you might be out of luck. In addition, the bigger shops sometimes forged their own vises so it may have been made anywhere. In any case, I'd mount it and put her to work.

The leg's not chamfered like the PW's I have seen also the only time I have seen bronze/brass parts on a post vise have been repair parts and so not indicative of the original maker.

Post vises were made by a large number of companies and are seldom marked. I'd call it the lone ranger, (Who was that masked man?), and forget about trying to identify it and get on with using it.

My identification system; A: Working B: non working
That's as far as I give a hoot. Of course your personal mileage may vary
Finnr

Edited August 3, 200817 yr by Finnr
spelling1

You are ONE finicky dude Finn!

Frosty

Gotta be picky some times ya know!
Finnr

You forgot the "could be made to work" one as well.

My student picked up a nice chamfered leg post vise in iron in the hat at the SWABA meeting Saturday---missing the mounting bracket, spring and screw/screwbox. As it's his first and only PV he wants to get it back to working order, sigh.

Edited August 4, 200817 yr by ThomasPowers

True Thomas . Those fall into the "Can I get it cheap enough to make the repairs worth while" Group.
Finnr

Well out this way things are a lot more expensive than they were back in OH, and some folks seem to think they are worth even more! Craigslist had a 4" post vise for sale today for US$400. I picked up a nice, complete, 4" post vise in the same city for US$60 two weeks ago.

I still remember a friend of mine telling me not to pay US$25 for a 4" vise in OH cause then the dealer would want that much every time! (and that was about 5 years ago...)

Location makes a lot of difference. Up here where nearly every small had at leats enough smithing equipment to shoe the horses things haven't gone completely nuts yet. Though, collectors have been driving up the prices of the nicest goodies.
Finnr

The only id marks on the vise is the number 178 (stamped not cast) on the front jaw and the number 2 stamped into one of the smaller bronze pieces. I will try to get a clear pic of the number on the jaw.

Here is a pic. There are also (single digits) numbers on the mount and other places( seen this in a few vises as they are just a part number). Not like i care much about who made it as long as it works but i kinda like to know the history of my tools.


Sean