Show us your bench vice(s)

[Arc Tourist]

I have a couple of 9 inch Steelrack instantaneous woodworking vices , absolutely brilliant tool , lift handle slide open slid up to workpiece flick handle down , locked solid ,
Chris

Could you post a photo ?

I tried googling " Steelrack vice " and couldn't find anything. Do they look like this ?
.

 

[rosinante]

Will post up a pic later , they are similar and the toothed rack is similar, same , more streamlined at front as cam locking is at rear underneath , handle is similar ,
Chris

 

[dannysheff]

I believe they look very like that - yours looks like the US licensed version brought out slightly later by Massey (?) which was firstly identical then more like yours - the English original was made by Entwistle and Kenyon - its patent was in the 1870s and preceded by a few weeks by the very similar vice brought out under the Syers name - then came Parkinson (patent 1880s) which swept all before - al three makers were within a few miles of each other to the NW of Bradford.
I think E&K marked 'steel rack' because they also made a version with a cast iron rack (?)- if you look on the removable toothed cam section you can usually see a stamped E & K.
There were also some nice non-quick release vices made at this time - they have a design flourish also seen on the 'Syers' (inverted V) so I guess from the same Bradford maker.
Apart from Parkinson and yet another Bradford maker, none seem to have cast in their name.
Then Woden and Record in Sheffield copied Parkinsons and swept all before in their turn.
-- but back to your vice, rosinante - it's not quite the same as it has part of the cam/QR at the front - who is the maker - is it US?
The above is from memory, but there is a good 'Record QR timeline' in the website smallworkshop.co.uk which also shows the working of (my) Syers vice. I think the guy whose website it is is also a member of this forum.
So, back to Premier - where do they come in/from??

 

[rosinante]

Yes , both mine have the Entwistle and Kenyon marking and iirc Steelrack cast on the fixed body , Q, what are the vices worth ?

Cheers

 

[dannysheff]

dunno, but they're certainly worth "hanging on to"

 

[Arc Tourist]

I believe they look very like that - yours looks like the US licensed version brought out slightly later by Massey (?) which was firstly identical then more like yours - the English original was made by Entwistle and Kenyon - its patent was in the 1870s and preceded by a few weeks by the very similar vice brought out under the Syers name - then came Parkinson (patent 1880s) which swept all before - al three makers were within a few miles of each other to the NW of Bradford.
………….……………………………………………….

The vice in my previous post was from my Dad's carpentry shop, and is a heavy iron beast. I have it in storage along with many of his tools but don't recall the maker's name. I'll check when I go up to the unit this weekend, as I'm still searching for some items I haven't catalogued.

 

[rosinante]

Steelrack pics
Chris

 

[CwazyWabbit]

They look similar to the Wilson Riley design, well the mechanism does.

 

[dannysheff]

I believe this is the same mechanism (patented first in UK, then USA). used for both woodworking and engineering bench vices.

In use I think they and the similar Syers (woodworking only, I believe) are great, as Rosinante says -- but one thing you can't do is exert 'maximum pressure' or slowly wind in (eg to press something together over a distance). This makes it less useful as an engineering type vice -- looks like your example (wabbit) is just like mine - ie the handle has been beaten flat to try and exert max pressure - my woodworking example has the end knob broken off - the metal structure makes it look like cast iron for the woodworker and wrought iron or similar for the engineering one - appropriate.

I'm looking for the right shaped cast iron doorknob to repair the end of the ww handle.

ps -lookslike you're doing a fine job refurbishing -- I'm well behind (and have a lesser collection).

 

[CwazyWabbit]

I'm very far behind in my refurbishing, mostly due to lack of space.....

I did note something interesting on the jaw inserts, they appear to be made of two different metals laminated together, and yep the handle has been hammered a lot.... I guess that at least shows they can take abuse :-/

 

[dannysheff]

You reminded me - i think I have noted the same, but it looks clearer on your photo - I'm guessing this might be a steel face backed by wrought iron - which often shows that grain-like look when aged. The older anvils were made like this.

 

[h-dom]

Couple of recent additions, the bare metal one was a mess with damaged castings under the “jaws” it had been used without jaws for years. The green looks to me like a Record No 24 copy, it came with the bench I bought that it is still attached to, the quick release mechanism is a bit sticky but works, clear damage to casting where the jaw bolt goes through.

 

[Arc Tourist]

The vice in my previous post (#3921) was from my Dad's carpentry shop, and is a heavy iron beast. I have it in storage along with many of his tools but don't recall the maker's name. I'll check when I go up to the unit this weekend, as I'm still searching for some items I haven't catalogued.

The vice is a Sheldon, patent date 1900.

 

[dannysheff]

The green looks to me like a Record No 24 copy, it came with the bench I bought that it is still attached to, the quick release mechanism is a bit sticky but works, clear damage to casting where the jaw bolt goes through.



View attachment 251303

Or maybe a genuine Record, not a copy, just early?

Good work so far - what's the plan for No. 24?

 

[h-dom]

Any way to tell for sure? I’m not that fussed, I’ll be keeping the green one and just sort the casting out and drill and tap a new hole for the bolt, the other jaw is loose - the bolts have snapped at some stage so I’ll drill and tap that side too and then just use it alongside my smaller Paramo I posted a few weeks back.

I also had this little Paramo No 1 a few weeks ago, cleaned it up and found the broad arrow mark and it was in almost mint original condition, didn’t fancy destroying it in my workshop so I sold it but it was a nice little vice

 

[dannysheff]

"Heads up" as they say - we were discussing old woodworking vices - there's a rare Woodhead vice on ebay at present but seems not to have the original rear jaw -- does have the screw, nut and the impressive front jaw though, so someone could fabricate a rear assembly.

I believe it would be made about 1860 and that the same company later became the well-known Leeds maker of car spring and shock absorbers of the 'Woodhead' brand and other brands. Anyone know more?

Yet another Victorian maker/inventor of vices from around Bradford (with Syers, then Entwistle and Kenyon, then Parkinson) - I also have another fine vice of different style that I believe came from round there in those years.

Interestingly, as many are, the seller is also in that part of the world.

 

[dannysheff]

there's also a 'steel rack' ie Entwistle and Kenyon as discussed at the top of this page on ebay today

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I went for gold on my vice.



A bit of tlc.

 

[dannysheff]

I went for gold on my vice.

View attachment 252224

A bit of tlc.



View attachment 252225

watch out cast iron rabbit (?) and collection of stirrup pumps (?)

 

[premmington]

I went for gold on my vice.

View attachment 252224

A bit of tlc.



View attachment 252225

PORN!