Can anyone recommend a set of vise soft jaws?

J

Jlemay18

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Oct 16, 2016
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I know this isn't totally relevant to this sub forum but I need soft jaws for my vise to use when I'm sanding, sharpening etc. my axes. I bought a set I saw recommended somewhere on Amazon but they're pretty shit, they're hard plastic so they're not even that soft and the magnets aren't very strong either. But I just bought two nice old vises to put onto the new workbench I'm building and could use to get soft jaws but would like to get a good set this time, so figured at least a few people on here would have experience with them.
 
Jlemay18 said:
I know this isn't totally relevant to this sub forum but I need soft jaws for my vise to use when I'm sanding, sharpening etc. my axes. I bought a set I saw recommended somewhere on Amazon but they're pretty shit, they're hard plastic so they're not even that soft and the magnets aren't very strong either. But I just bought two nice old vises to put onto the new workbench I'm building and could use to get soft jaws but would like to get a good set this time, so figured at least a few people on here would have experience with them.
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There's a video on YouTube where a guy makes a set out of hardwood that seem like they'd work pretty well. BTW soft jaws aren't supposed to be soft like rubber, just not as hard as metal.
 
Copper, leather, hardwood would be pretty neat.

I've had good luck with the Bessey's. Being as they are channeled and soft you can grip some odd-shaped stuff pretty solidly to work on it:

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Traditional, cool? No. Functional? Yes.
 
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I got some from Lee Valley (dot com), and they seem okay, but I don't know how they compare to others.

"Slipped over the steel jaws of a vise, these magnetic liners give a high-friction, non-marring grip. Made from extruded aluminum with an inlaid magnetic strip and bonded rubber faces. Each liner can easily be cut to length for smaller vises (although this is not necessary). Sold as a pair. $12.90 "
 
I just make them from 12ga sheet steel strips.
Clamped the pair of strips in the visejaws & hammered them to wrap over the top & sides.
My mainvise jaws I made some 40 years ago in highschool.
 
Agent_H said:
Copper, leather, hardwood would be pretty neat.

I've had good luck with the Bessey's. Being as they are channeled and soft you can grip some odd-shaped stuff pretty solidly to work on it:



Traditional, cool? No. Functional? Yes.
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Yup. The Besseys are great. They're what I use on scythe snaths to undo the over-cranked nibs on account of them allowing me to get a very tight and non-marring grip without cracking the wood. I use 'em a ton when working on tool handles, too. I have aluminum ones for when I'm working on steel and don't want to leave jaw marks on it, but the Besseys are the best I've come across so far for rubber.
 
Hickory n steel said:
There's a video on YouTube where a guy makes a set out of hardwood that seem like they'd work pretty well. BTW soft jaws aren't supposed to be soft like rubber, just not as hard as metal.
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Yeah I know, I mean I have heard people on YouTube and other places say they have ones made from rubber and other materials softer than a hard plastic, just haven't been able to find ones to buy other than a couple on eBay but there's 1 picture and no description so don't feel like chancing it. The ones I have the plastic is pretty hard and will still mark up some wood if I have to make the vise really tight
 
halfaxe said:
I just wrap my axe head with a rag where it hits the jaws.
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The axe head isn't the issue, I do the same with a rag over the current soft jaws I have but they're made from a hard plastic and will still leave marks in wood. That's more of the purpose of looking for some made from a softer material. When I'm carving a handle or other times that I have to put the handle in the vise rather than the head I don't want it to leave marks and mess it up.
 
@stevetall @fortytwo looks like I'm gonna have to order one of each lol, they both sound like they're exactly what I need and I have two buses I got for the table I'm building that I'll need soft jaws for. And I have two on my old work bench that currently have the shitty soft jaws on so if either or both of those kinds that you posted about are good I'll probably buy more to replace the ones that I currently have. Thanks for the help fellas
 
I use thick pieces of leather, available at the local shoemaker. Works perfectly and you can stack them to match the desired shape.
 
True this. More power to you. I don't need that much variability and I sure prefer magnets and some grooves for when I am working round or odd angled pieces like gun barrels or 80-20 extrusions.
 
A few layers (+/- to your liking) of duct tape work just fine if nothing else is available.
 
LOL! I bet it would! Duct tape rules. I mean if you had enough you could make a boat or a glider, or maybe even a highway bridge. There is nothing quite like American ingenuity. Although my kids generation seem to be running out of it. :). Of course with duct tape you have to have some chemicals to clean that sticky stuff off your bench vise...I am talking about adhesive. I will stick with the modern era and spend a couple dollars on magnetic vise jaws...from the USA. However, If I cannot find them, or enough leather, I will get out the big silver roll!
 
Hickory n steel said:
There's a video on YouTube where a guy makes a set out of hardwood that seem like they'd work pretty well. BTW soft jaws aren't supposed to be soft like rubber, just not as hard as metal.
Click to expand...

This^.

I just unscrewed the metal ones and used them as a template for some ones made out of maple - they lasted years. I didn't even have to swap them out for 90% of my vise work.
 
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