smorr Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 Hello! I recently stumbled upon this vise while cleaning and am not a blacksmith or expert. I created an account just to post this because I'm going crazy. Any idea which brand or age post vise this could be? The measurements can be seen, but I would guess this thing weighs at least 50 lbs. I have googled and crossed reference so many pictures but I haven't seen anything that matches, plus I can't find any markings on the vise for the life of me. The closest thing I can see is maybe an Iron City? Other Q's: Does this have all the parts? The only thing I see on a lot of other vises is a little endcap on the screw. I have the nub there but a lot of others have a bell type. Any idea of what it's worth? Thank you so very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 Welcome from the Ozark Mountains. It looks complete to me and Iron City should be the manufacturer. The size is indicated by the width of the jaws and yours looks like a 51/4 inch and in good condition. The screw box is missing the finial (end cap) which is common but won't hurt the operation of it. As far as what it is worth, that would depend upon where in the world you are located and the condition of the screw & screw box. http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=11525 I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s. Semper Paratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorr Posted March 25 Author Share Posted March 25 Thank you for this! That brand makes the most sense to me and I'll look into it more. It has been cleaning up pretty well with a lot of surface rust pretty much. Obviously some deeper too. The screw as far as I can tell is in really good shape, I can't see any rust on it. Also thanks for telling me I was missing the finial and what it was called Located in Massachusetts, thinking about selling it as I don't have too much use for it. But it's a well crafted tool that's for sure and that alone makes it tempting to keep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 Welcome aboard from 7500' in SE Wyoming. Glad to have you. Post or leg vises have two advantages for blacksmiths. First, because of the post they are designed to be hammered on, the post carries the force down to the ground. Second, the screw is "faster" than most bench vises, that is the jaw advances or opens further per turn of the screw. This is important when you are putting something hot in the vise and you need to "strike while the iron is hot." With a fast screw you spend less time securing the piece in the vise. Post vises are generally mounted lower than a bench vise (which is traditionally mounted about elbow high). "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 As far as value goes, things are pretty variable. Would cost you around $400 to replace it with a new one, but there aren't all that many being manufactured today. I've seen post vises in that condition sell for anything from $45 (yes I bought that one myself...) to $175. They do sometimes get posted for outrageous numbers, but rarely sell at them. Needless to say, if you want a reasonably quick sale you will want to be closer to the $75-$125 range. The New England Blacksmith group in your area is quite active. Perhaps someone from that group can help you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorr Posted March 31 Author Share Posted March 31 Thank you all for your input and information, this was super helpful for me. You all are a very kind group and even if I don't remain active I appreciate the warm welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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