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FR518
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Yes there’s a pic from the ad
dannysheff
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I know there were specialist floor standing vices etc from Woden and Record, but I'd guess that that might be the widest-jawed regular bench vice ever made in UK? Anyone know otherwise.
As it's Fortis it'll be steel, and those jaws look a bit stretched, so needn't be the heaviest but it's quite a vice.
And it's quick release - certainly the widest QR I've seen - did they have to beef up the QR for this weight of vice?
With the design and hex-head jaw screws it looks quite recent (casting also looks better than some Fortis/Herbert) - anyone suggest when made?
As it's Fortis it'll be steel, and those jaws look a bit stretched, so needn't be the heaviest but it's quite a vice.
And it's quick release - certainly the widest QR I've seen - did they have to beef up the QR for this weight of vice?
With the design and hex-head jaw screws it looks quite recent (casting also looks better than some Fortis/Herbert) - anyone suggest when made?
The_Yellow_Ardvark
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From this limp of metal, via emergency surgery to this lump.
Seadog
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Its a a good job he wasn’t passing it on.
offered up, not fitted
Arc Tourist
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Got a few better photos of the Parkinsons today. I like this one, it unlocks and locks up tight with just a light twist of the side handle. 
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dannysheff
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triggered by fr's huge Fortis vice, and some questions about vice numbering, I photo'd some retailer catalogue pages - sorry the pages are rather dark, but editing them lighter with this old pad is very slow. Hopefully at the resolution chosen you can at least make out the figures - (the Fortis 15 has the widest jaws, but I think the big Record chipping vise is probably the heaviest bench mounting vice).
no copyright - use as you will
these three from a Buck and Hickman London catalogue 1963
no copyright - use as you will
these three from a Buck and Hickman London catalogue 1963
dannysheff
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more pages T P Headland London
1950s
1950sdannysheff
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more pages Wishart Glasgow 1950s
dannysheff
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EARLY HANDY STORY POST 1
As some will know, 'Handy' was the name Parkinson of Shipley chose for their non-quick-release vice.
One story reported in a few places is that they were so annoyed with other makers copying their vices that they were spurred to invent and patent the buttress thread lever quick release in the 1880s (they may also have been spurred by other vice makers in the Bradford area patenting other forms of QR vice in the 1870s).
Anyway they kept on making vices under the Handy name, (later also called 'G') although the name was rarely cast-in, until well after WWII - many English makers followed this design of basic Acme screw engineer's bench-mount vice (all respect to Welsh, Scottish and Irish manufacturers, but they don't seem to have been making vices - mostly they came from Bradford area, Sheffield area, B'ham/Coventry area and London).
I have yet to see a confirmed Handy (name cast-in or original label) with the double static section (as opposed to single) but i think there is evidence that this was the early type. Certainly the first 'Perfect' (QR) Parkinsons in the 1880s/90s were made like this.
Here's an early Handy in the Marples catalogue of 1909 (I think Parkinson's had probably already moved on to a single rear casting by then, but catalogue engravings were not always up-to-date).
As some will know, 'Handy' was the name Parkinson of Shipley chose for their non-quick-release vice.
One story reported in a few places is that they were so annoyed with other makers copying their vices that they were spurred to invent and patent the buttress thread lever quick release in the 1880s (they may also have been spurred by other vice makers in the Bradford area patenting other forms of QR vice in the 1870s).
Anyway they kept on making vices under the Handy name, (later also called 'G') although the name was rarely cast-in, until well after WWII - many English makers followed this design of basic Acme screw engineer's bench-mount vice (all respect to Welsh, Scottish and Irish manufacturers, but they don't seem to have been making vices - mostly they came from Bradford area, Sheffield area, B'ham/Coventry area and London).
I have yet to see a confirmed Handy (name cast-in or original label) with the double static section (as opposed to single) but i think there is evidence that this was the early type. Certainly the first 'Perfect' (QR) Parkinsons in the 1880s/90s were made like this.
Here's an early Handy in the Marples catalogue of 1909 (I think Parkinson's had probably already moved on to a single rear casting by then, but catalogue engravings were not always up-to-date).
dannysheff
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Handy,2:
Here's what I think is the earliest of my Handys; 2 1/2in wide jaws, 2-casting rear/static section, bolted from the top into a threaded bottom casting, with square headed bolts/machine screws, just marked No 0, traces of what looks like original dull green paint (you can see I'm in the middle of making a replacement jaw).
Here's what I think is the earliest of my Handys; 2 1/2in wide jaws, 2-casting rear/static section, bolted from the top into a threaded bottom casting, with square headed bolts/machine screws, just marked No 0, traces of what looks like original dull green paint (you can see I'm in the middle of making a replacement jaw).
dannysheff
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Handy 3:
2 1/2in jaw, static screwed from on top but with Hex head (usually indicates later), black paint, but looks like there might be some green under. This one has a brass plate with 'Anglo Lewis' embossed - now S Lewis had a large Anglo works in Dudley near B'ham and had been a nail maker (Dudley's fame) and then other fixings plus some tools, so I did think they might have made this (and maybe many others of this type) but I now tend to think this was a retail or users plate (on slightly wonky) as they had a catalogue of many things as well as fixings at one time. My guess is that it's by Parky.
2 1/2in jaw, static screwed from on top but with Hex head (usually indicates later), black paint, but looks like there might be some green under. This one has a brass plate with 'Anglo Lewis' embossed - now S Lewis had a large Anglo works in Dudley near B'ham and had been a nail maker (Dudley's fame) and then other fixings plus some tools, so I did think they might have made this (and maybe many others of this type) but I now tend to think this was a retail or users plate (on slightly wonky) as they had a catalogue of many things as well as fixings at one time. My guess is that it's by Parky.
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dannysheff
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Handy 4:
With anvil: 2 1/2in jaws - now the static is bolted from below, with a nut (square) atop and there is a registered design number RD 94546 cast in also the size 1A (which would be 0 at some stages of Parky mfgr also if Woden/Record).
Did this model have the name Handy? It's also related to the 'Eclipse' vice shown in the Marples cata (I don't think that's the Eclipse as used by James Neill later for hacksaws and blades). The green paint might be original?
With anvil: 2 1/2in jaws - now the static is bolted from below, with a nut (square) atop and there is a registered design number RD 94546 cast in also the size 1A (which would be 0 at some stages of Parky mfgr also if Woden/Record).
Did this model have the name Handy? It's also related to the 'Eclipse' vice shown in the Marples cata (I don't think that's the Eclipse as used by James Neill later for hacksaws and blades). The green paint might be original?
dannysheff
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And Handy 5:
This is a very chance find and, although the dealer it came from deals in factory clearances, he couldn't tell me where this had come from - these are casting patterns for a Handy- type vice - made from a mahogany-type wood and painted - in good nick, but look used and pattern stores at a big foundry did tend to look after their patterns well. If you ask, the split parts are for the split mould box - they'd leave the casting in the centre of the mould-form and you can often see a central cast-split line if you look at any vice. They would make the Handy type of size 0 after shrinkage and machining but do have 'ears' for a slightly different bench mounting hole pattern (3 screws, not 4?).
"That's all folks" and "that's my theory, anyway" -- to be disproved later
You can see I can't hang around here on this forum - I've got some serious vice-cleaning/restoration to do.
Oh and ps the prequel to all this is obviously the swivel vice further above, before Handy 1 .
This is a very chance find and, although the dealer it came from deals in factory clearances, he couldn't tell me where this had come from - these are casting patterns for a Handy- type vice - made from a mahogany-type wood and painted - in good nick, but look used and pattern stores at a big foundry did tend to look after their patterns well. If you ask, the split parts are for the split mould box - they'd leave the casting in the centre of the mould-form and you can often see a central cast-split line if you look at any vice. They would make the Handy type of size 0 after shrinkage and machining but do have 'ears' for a slightly different bench mounting hole pattern (3 screws, not 4?).
"That's all folks" and "that's my theory, anyway" -- to be disproved later
You can see I can't hang around here on this forum - I've got some serious vice-cleaning/restoration to do.
Oh and ps the prequel to all this is obviously the swivel vice further above, before Handy 1 .
Arc Tourist
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Thanks for posting. 
dannysheff
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Sorry - this was the clincher - thought I'd posted it here above, but posted on ukworkshop - found for £5 on a local town market less than a week ago - what I believe is another Handy, with slightly different base casting and mounted on a swivel - some damage and a braze repair (well done) - yet another to tidy up, but I think the best of the lot. Size 00, again no makers name, 2 1/4in jaw, square head bolts down into thread in casting, can't tell what paint
No probs Vono - (hopefully you can use these for your book (!?))
Seriously, if anyone wants to use the pix -- OK by me.
