Antique post vise--good find?

TXscout

TXscout

Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Messages
73
Just found a sizeable, old post vise (~5" jaws) for $48 in an antique shop. The vise works well, but is there anything I should be looking for, for function, or that would make it a good buy/deal-breaker??


Thanks
 
I should have taken a pic. I'm not sure it had the base to mount to a stump, so I'm going to go back and look at it again.

If that were true, I'm not sure it's such a good deal--I guess you could always fab one.
 
Some post type vises don't have legs, some have been cut off. For $48 I'd take it even without a leg. They have some that were for wagon tongues. Fisher made several screw type chain vises without legs.

The only thing I'd really look for is wear in the screw. Getting parts is pretty hard(impossible) they can be fabbed and if the spring is weak, bad or missing it can be easily made. I've got two post vises, and have seen 10 or so others in the last year , and not one was the same...

I honestly just can't say no to "deals" on old blacksmithing tools....
 
Thanks Brian--that makes sense.

I think this one is setup for a wagon tongue, because it looks like it would slide onto something, and is locked into position/retained by a large pin.

I'll check the screw and make sure it's in good shape, but it seemed to function well.

I hate passing old blacksmith stuff up, too
 
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