BillyBones Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 Just wanting some info on clues to when the vises were made. For instance i know that at one time the mounting bracket was held on with a tennon rather than a wedge and collar early on. Not looking for exact date just round about period dates. Like for instance around about when did they go from a rivet holding the movable jaw to a bolt? I am trying to get a round about date for my vise. It has a rivet while most i see have a bolt and you can see hammer marks on the components, uneven bevels, etc., so it definitely had some hand forging done to it when made. Thanks in advance for round about answers. I did do a search for the topic but could not find any thread on it, so if this is a repeat just directions to what i am wondering would be plenty. Think i will say "round about" 1 more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 12, 2022 Share Posted August 12, 2022 sounds pretty kinky to me, but hey,,, what do I know,,, 1 hour ago, BillyBones said: when did they go from a rivet holding the movable jaw to a bolt? When the rivet wore out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 I don't recall seeing one riveted; but I've seen and owned several that had a mortise and a wedge. Unfortunately the fellow out here who knew the most about vises was Frank Turley and he died in 2020. (Dated one of mine with a tenon mount and mortise and wedge holding the pivot pin in place as being "pre-1800". Not a bad deal for US$20 at Quad-State one year.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 One of my post vises has that wedged pivot pin for the movable jaw and I got to looking at it and the body the yesterday when the sun was beeming on it and it looked like that vise was forged welded together using smaller strips to build up the body, i took some pictures but they aren’t great, I’ll have to clean it off and get some better pictures of the lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 As wrought iron bar stock was made by forge welding pieces together it could also just be the original welds in the merchant bar or higher grade WI too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted August 13, 2022 Author Share Posted August 13, 2022 A pic of the rivet and you can see how un even the bevels are on the side plate. I ought to clean some of that junk out. On the leg side right above the plate was what i thought was a stamp until i scraped it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted August 14, 2022 Share Posted August 14, 2022 I checked one of my post vices yesterday and the rivet had a hole thru the other end of the shaft for a cotter key. Necessity is the mother of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 14, 2022 Share Posted August 14, 2022 The pivot in my older Columbian is a pin with a small wedge in the end. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 If I were to date a post vise, I would bring flowers & a box of chocolates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 I had a joke to follow that one Randy, but no matter how I’d word it I’d get a call from Glenn! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 It wouldn't have anything to do with the threads would it Billy? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 Nope… the mounting bracket… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 I can't believe you wrote THAT! Wash your fingers out with soap! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 16, 2022 Share Posted August 16, 2022 That’s why I didn’t tell the joke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 17, 2022 Share Posted August 17, 2022 Good decision. Go blow a Frosty razzberry on Max's tummy for me please. Nothing like a laughing child to cheer me up. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 Well... this took a weird turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWISTEDWILLOW Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 Randy started it! Lol sorry BillyBones, I know my big Trenton post vise is dated 1902, it looks to be barely used and in original condition, and it has the nut and bolt on the pivot, but it also has all the fancy looking bevels on the plates and body, The Peter wrights I’ve seen had bevels on the bodies, but I never paid attention to the pivot pins, fisher just went off on their own design lol all The Arthur O Learys, Columbians, keen cutters, iron city’s and Indian chiefs I’ve had or seen aren’t dated but they didn’t put the bevels on the body’s, and they all used nuts an bolts on the pivots, I know Columbian made various vises all the way up till the 1980s? Till they sold out to Wilton, but I’m not sure when they stopped making post vises I’m sure that probably stopped in the 60s or 70s when smithing tool sales disappeared, so I’m guessing that any post vise that has the wedged pivot pen an decorative bevels has got to be mid to late 1800s, but I don’t know what would identify a post vise made in the 1700s to early 1800S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 I do not mind the thread drift, it is a lot of fun most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 13 hours ago, BillyBones said: Well... this took a weird turn. PLEASE tell me your dog's name isn't Max! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 18, 2022 Share Posted August 18, 2022 The mount being tenoned in is a sign of an earlier vise as is the screwbox being assembled from multiple pieces and forge brazed together---including the screw thread in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natkova Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 This title give me chuckle I can imagine someone siting across table and having some drink with post vise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 What would people think if you drove it around town in a convertable with the top down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 Anybody who knows me would be more surprised I was driving a convertible. Yeah, the thread subject made a lot of us smile Nat. I'm having to practice restraint myself. Is it dressed up Scott? Wearing lipstick at least I hope! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott NC Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 IDK i just was wondering. Do post vices have lips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goods Posted August 23, 2022 Share Posted August 23, 2022 I can’t wait to see the next round of pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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