Estate sale score. How'd I do?(Blacksmith leg vise, and more)

[JG Custom Metal Works]

I went to a estate sale last weekend and snagged up a few items for pretty cheap. I got the following:

Drill Dr. $15(this thing is amazing, I've sharpened a ton of bits and they're as good as new after being utterly destroyed)
Around 60 different sized C-clamps- $10
Three rivet guns and a ton of rivets- $5
Around ten different axe/hatchet heads and splitters- $15
Five blacksmithing hammers with various heads $5
Two high speed drill bit sets that each have probably 30 bits each ranging from 3/32-1/2in - $4 for both
Around 20 different unknown files(large and small). $5 After seeing some of the knives TK Steingass has made from files I figured I'd just snag them.
Large section of railroad $15
Last but not least a blacksmith leg vise $20

My main reason for starting this thread was to inquire about the blacksmith leg vise. Although, you guys are the only ones who I can share my treasure find with that appreciate it. When I tell my fiancee she pretends to be interested but I can tell it's going in one ear and out the other.

Anyway, the blacksmith vise seems to be in good working order. It opens to around 6-7in but when closed the jaws don't clamp together evenly(about 3/16in still open on one side). There appears to be a "1-5" stamped on the side and a "3" on the inside of the vise. From what I've researched most of these come with a mounting bracket that sits above the leg at the base of the vise itself. This bracket mounts to a bench while the leg is mounted to the floor. This vise I got does not come with this bracket. It also appears as though the leg might be slightly bent.

With all the axe/hatchet heads that I got it's lit a fire under my ass to get a electrolysis tank up and running. I have about 5 heads bubbling in there now and am thinking about doing the blacksmith vise after. Is this a good idea? There appears to be some grease on the large cross screw, should I clean that off before putting it in the tank?






If anyone knows anything about this vise or any ideas about how I can refurbish it I would greatly appreciate it. I had a pic of the leg but for some reason i can't find it. I'll get another one in a little bit and will also try and get a few of the axe/hatched heads. Some look like they could be 100-200yrs old.

 

[Augus7us]

Hey JG,

Very nice score, sounds like you got a lot of great stuff.

That vise looks like my Columbian, made right here in good old Ohio. I can't say for sure that is the brand but it does look similar. Unfortunately the logo is stamped on one of the pieces you are missing. There is a bracket that allows you to mount it to a table and you are also missing a metal bar that fits in between the jaws (well, below the jaws) and this serves as a spring that pushes the jaws apart when you unscrew them. I have two myself and would post a picture but I haven't signed up on a image host yet. You can google though and find a picture of this pretty easy. They are not hard to make from what I've heard, basically a piece of metal bar and one of those C shaped bolts with both open ends threaded. The part you mount to a table is going to be a slightly more difficult to fabricate, but nothing you can't do I'm sure! One other thing to check is the leg, often the tips or part is broken off and this can be fixed by welding a larger pipe as a coupling device and another piece of leg the same diameter as the original leg.