Help identifying post vise

[Will Still]

I just finished building a stand for my post vise. The jaws are 6 1/8” and prior to shortening the vise it was around 41 1/2”-42”. I’m not sure on the weight but felt somewhere around 70lbs. The vise had no identifying marks at all. Just curious on the maker and if anyone might have an idea of the age. I cut about 6” of the leg off. I’m assuming it’s wrought iron? 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. You vise looks like a good one as long as the screw & screw box are good. Sorry that I can't help with the ID, there were a lot of manufactures that didn't mark them. A wire wheel on an angle grinder to clean up some of the areas may show up some markings.

[Will Still]

Thanks for the reply. I figured as much. Just figured I’d ask. I plan to full clean and restore the vise. But right now I just need to get it set up to use it. Everything seems to be in good shape. Other than the jaws. They’re almost worn flat. Should I just file the grooves back in or weld new jaws to it?

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

nice find! Howdy from eastern Oklahoma and welcome to the forum!

I’d leave the jaws alone, ive only seen a handful of post vises that had grooves, 90 percent ive come across are smooth flat jaws

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I agree with leaving the jaws flat. The jaws with groves can mark hot stock and make it so you have to do more work to get them out.

[Will Still]

Ok great thank you guys for your input. Now I won’t have to figure out how to do that. I appreciate it. 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

One thing I would make for the vise is a set of spacer coupons. They help when placing the stock out at one end of the vise jaw. Without a spacer of the same width as the stock the jaws will twist and not hold as good.

[ThomasPowers]

I'd guess Columbian or Indian Chief as the body looks like it was forged in dies to me. The screwbox is not the typical Columbian late model open ended one; but as I harp upon, screws/screw boxes  may be changed between vises over the years.

Not knowing how you plan to use it makes telling you how to modify the jaws difficult, perhaps a 1/2 slab of platinum hard soldered to each jaw?  (To avoid contamination of the workpiece...)