Doesn't need to be spring steel, the throw on a postvise is small enough that it's in the springy range on plain mild steel! I'd cut the old one off, normalize it and forge to a better curve and normalize it again. (First normalization because we don't know how the weld was done.)

Does that vertical postvise have a mortise on the moving leg of the vise?

Yeah, both of them actually.

15 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Where they chucked it in a lathe?

Perhaps Thomas, I hadn't thought of that.  I'll clean it up and the tongs and get a picture posted.  When I wire brushed it, I didn't see that the rivet like part went into the head or peen and the head looks pristine so perhaps you are right. 

Koek; here in the USA I have never seen a vise with a mortise in the moving leg, I own one with it in the stationary, back, leg.   Is this a common variation where you are at?

Looks like a pass through hole for the end of the tenon. Possibly that maker though it would aid in jaw alignment?

Well, all the post vises I ever saw where these two that I now own, So I can't say much about its relative local scarcity. I will take a close-up to make sure that there isn't an translation error sneaking in somewhere. 

Pinned bearing pegs/bolts are common and even seem to have lasted later than the through mortise located below the screw/screwbox on the stationary leg and in your example on the moving leg too!  I think Daswulf had a good idea about it though.

Koek, I was looking at this section on the vise that Thomas mentioned. ( close up from your picture) never saw a design like that. 

ten pound sledgehammer $1

Grandpa's 5 1/2" post vise priceless

Heck there's a dollar's worth of hundred mile an hour tape on that sledge hammer........you did good, but getting grandpa's post vice is priceless I agree.

Isn't that the truth. The faces of the hammer are unmarred but he wore the handle out.

Sign of an accurate hammerman!

Well Daswulf, 

Only thing I know it that had been laying in a basement “broken” for the last 40 years before my dad traded his colleague (both welders/fabricators) a case of beer for it.  Turned out that the tenon (pictured in your closeup) was missing and he didn’t know how to fix it.

 

 

And Lyanne, if I were your grandpa I would be happy to know that my tools would be put to good use by the next generation.

Read a few pages here yesterday and thought I take some advice from you guys. Saw a yard sale at a old barn getting set up thought I would stop and check if there was anything they didn't want to move, I'm looking for another forge something better than railroad rail for an anvil and I need a good vice none of that unfortunately but I did find a pile of coal for $35 and she wants to pay me to reinstall a fireplace in the barn so it should work out to free or I get a few bucks to haul off the coal. The lady buys up estate sales regularly and said she'll keep a look out for the other stuff as she just sold the 120lb anvil for under a buck a lb

No photos but I found a small scrap pile on site today. I got half a dozen rusted files, a couple of old chisels and a 18 inch long bit of solid steel, 14 inch is 3 inch diameter and 4 inch is 4 inch diameter. I haven't got a clue what I'm going to do with it but it's too good to scrap. 

Nice. Cut off a bit to test for hardenability, and see if it's good for hammers.

Picked up a block 5x5x7 of s7 steel today. Should I use it as is or attempt to harden one side to make a viking anvil?

 

Use it as is, S7 is shock resisting tool steel.

That is what I was thinking irondragon.

I've been looking but had about given up hope of finding a decent antique anvil at any price I'd be willing to pay.

 But today at an Antique shop owned by a couple we know I stumbled upon a 160lbs Hay-Budden .

It was tagged at $595

I paid $530 so $3.31 per pound and the edges and face are really nice.

I'm out in the motorhome this weekend so it's sitting in the trunk of the car we tow.

I'll get better pics once we get back home & I get this thing in my shop.

 

I will say this, if we get a flat I'm gonna need help getting to that spare !

 

 

From what I see now it almost looks like an arm and hammer. Or something. Either way looks like a good one.

Flatliner. hardening it will allow you to get maximum use from your S-7 block. All steels in an annealed condition could be called shock resisting S-7 is still shock resisting even when hard - hence why hardening it would be a good idea.

1 hour ago, Daswulf said:

From what I see now it almost looks like an arm and hammer. Or something. Either way looks like a good one.

 

Saw this just after reading your post.

I'm anxious to get it home & cleaned up.

We'll see if some naval jelly will reveal anything.

 

Everything about it looks like the hay Budden I have. 80% rebound with some chipping on the edges. I love mine. Mine is a plow anvil. 180 lbs. rings very loud. I wrapped a chain around it but it could use more help in that area. If is used it every day I would try silicone and magnets. As it is I use some ear protection and live with it. Nice Anvil