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Jimboha!

Can you ID my vintage vise?

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Howdy,

 

I came across this nice-looking vise. Looks like it's older but a for-it's-time nicer one.

 

post-37740-0-35633700-1331795429_thumb.jpg

 

The knob on left adjusts the tension of the spring next to it allowing, I believe the vise jaws to rotate for inspection. The head angle is fixed and the shaft only rotates if you loosen the lock-nut at the base.

 

The only markings on it are "PAT APP. FOR" on the base.

 

I almost wonder if it was a prototype unit?

 

Anyone recognize anything familiar in the vise?

 

Biggest thanks.

 

Jimboha!

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To my untrained eye it looks like one a machinist has manufactured for his own use, not to say it isn't quality or going to work. It definitely looks solid. Maybe one of our more experienced tiers will recognize it as a name brand model...

Murray

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Yes, I agree it has the feel of a hand-made - though by an expert machinist - piece of work. The "PAT. APP. FO" message indicates that it may have been manufactured for sale, and it appears to have been used (a small chip in the tip of one jaw).

 

Without a patent number, it is nearly impossible to look up the patent (if one was been granted) or even to learn what aspect of the vise was considered patentable.

 

Anyone else recognized this STYLE as similar to a known product line???

 

Thanks.

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Well, being home sick and getting a little bored, I looked at about 150 US patents and patent applications with the words "fly tying vise" and spelling variations in them. None of the picture/diagrams look remotely similar in overall form or in operating mechanism.

 

Could it be British? I typically see "Patent Pending" or similar on most such US items.

 

Still looking...

 

Jimboha!

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It is certainly hand/home made. The markings on the base could possibly have already been on the metal if it was salvaged from something else. Remote, but possible. The jaws look to me as if they are needle-nose plier jaws which have been cut off and repurposed. I used to have a set of LOOONG needlenose pliers with jaws seemingly identical to those. Of course the maker might have just patterned the jaws after plier jaws.

 

It's a pretty neat vise.

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It is certainly hand/home made. The markings on the base could possibly have already been on the metal if it was salvaged from something else. Remote, but possible. The jaws look to me as if they are needle-nose plier jaws which have been cut off and repurposed. I used to have a set of LOOONG needlenose pliers with jaws seemingly identical to those. Of course the maker might have just patterned the jaws after plier jaws.

 

It's a pretty neat vise.

 

 

Good call on the jaws. After that inspiration, the other end with the threads struck me as the adjustment knob from a pair of vicegrips.

 

Deeky

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My first thought on seeing the jaws was that they do look a lot like plier jaws, with the serrations ground off. After looking again, the "chip" in the jaws look more like the serrations in a pair of plier jaws. Might have been left on to get a better grip on the hook.

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All good comments. It should not come as any surprise that certain elements of this vise design are "borrowed" from other tools. We do that all the time. Whether the individual components themselves were re-purposed, I don't know but I don't get that impression from closer inspection. I've tried to photo the individual pieces for you to see.

 

Base:

post-37740-0-54677100-1331863334_thumb.jpg

Notice the location of the "PAT. APP. FOR". The slab could have come from something else, but that location looks like where I would choose to put it if if I was really trying to make a statement. Of course, if the original use was similar, then the location might equally apply.

 

Jaws:

post-37740-0-60068500-1331863192_thumb.jpg

1. Plating: These look to be plated based on the chip that is missing from one of the jaw tips. At the rear end, they curve around to the inside - all of which is plated. If they had been needle-nose pliers at one time, they would not have the plating on the cut ends.

2. Grooves: Near the tip of both is a light cross-hatching pattern, but lighter than any I've seen on need-nose pliers. And the ones I've seen area always parallel lines that are perpendicular to the long axis.

3. The long bolt-like piece out of the rear of one jaw that goes though the black tube - at first I thought it and the jaw were machined out of a single piece of metal, but I can see the indications of threads and lack of rounded shoulder under a 10X loupe. Doesn't prove anything, it's just so.

 

 

OK, whether hand-made from other parts or machined from raw stock, it was rather expertly made, from my view. That's why I wondered if it was a prototype built to establish that the design can be rendered to implementation. [sorry, I am an engineer...]

 

I'm still hoping someone will say, "Gee, that looks sort of like XXX vise by YYY!"

 

I was thinking about actually using it occasionally. I was going to stick it in my "portable" materials bag with some other tools in case I take my fly tying stuff on the road. Most of the time it would no be used. But I didn't want to misplace it or damage it if it is an antique or museum-type piece. I'd rather get it on display, instead.

 

Anyway, thanks for your comments.

 

Jimboha!

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Don't recognize the vise, but I say enjoy it.

The spring appears to be a small valve spring, Does it rotate ? Thanks for sharing with us ! Love old handmade stuff ! milo

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Does "it" (ie. the vise) rotate? Yes, if you back off the tension on the spring by un-screwing the knob. I haven't actually tried to tie a fly on it and see if it does "works". That is, doesn't rotate when you don't want it to, but does when you want it to.

 

Well, even if we never figure out what this is (and it might just be one-of-a-kind, hand-made job), I'm glad to see that others appreciate it as I did when I chose to buy it.

 

Thanks.

 

Jim

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