- Thread starter MattF
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Dickthedark
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Just for anyone out there doing up a vice paragon paints do the original colours ( and for machine tools too). Pricey but very good. I got mine shot blasted at work taped up the relevant bits, paragons primer and then record blue. Like new now and I got it free.
Arc Tourist
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Hello, and welcome to the best thread (
) on the forum. 
The Paragon paints are expensive, but if you can find a reasonably priced source, try "One Shot" sign painter's paint. I've been using it for years and it goes on smoothly, self levels, and is very durable.
slim_boy_fat
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I've a couple of vices I found hidden in my garden that I don't know what to do with yet (restore or not, keep or sell). I'm unable to find any info on the Lewis. Are these good makes, any estimation on their value, and is it advisable to restore them or not?
dannysheff
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these are definitely good, interesting vises (US spelling) and stand and glad to see you here on this thread.
I'm sure someone here knows much more than I do.
But also I suggest checking out the US www.garagejournal.com - they have a a database which I've not used, but also folks who would be delighted to inform you if you just post the same on their 'the vises of Garage Journal' thread.
However do come back here and let us know about these (I suggest keep em and become an enthusiast)
I'm sure someone here knows much more than I do.
But also I suggest checking out the US www.garagejournal.com - they have a a database which I've not used, but also folks who would be delighted to inform you if you just post the same on their 'the vises of Garage Journal' thread.
However do come back here and let us know about these (I suggest keep em and become an enthusiast)
Arc Tourist
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Hi Matt, welcome to the forum. Yes they are worth refurbishing if you have use for a large vice. As for selling, you have to weigh what your time is worth in cleaning them up or just sell them as is.
Barking Mat
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If you don't want them, someone on here will have them, including me.
You need to restore them, lovely evening job.
Mick Annick
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Thanks to muppets like you I’ve now got six saved searches going on Le Boncoin for various bits of kit that I ‘need’
No shortage of cheapish blacksmiths vices round here
Cheers Danny, I'll check that out and pop back when I'm laden with info.
I'm initially keen to restore the large vice and incorporate it into the garden (along with an old mangle which was also left, as part of an industrial feature), but hope I'm not committing some sort of vice sin by doing this!!
Barking Mat
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I single handeldly (is that a word ?), blame this forum, for exacerbating my tool porn acquisition 'ness.Thanks to muppets like you I’ve now got six saved searches going on Le Boncoin for various bits of kit that I ‘need’
No shortage of cheapish blacksmiths vices round here
dannysheff
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what are you drinkingeldely?
I would never infer but some 'colleague' has suggested both cidre and armangnac at different posts in the past
One shot is around £25 for a 236ml pot, it's a tad expensive for painting a vice!
dannysheff
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I'm a paint cheapskate -- even for vices, I tend to mix my own colour and use remains to make the next lot with a cheap white or grey base (eg Lidl outdoor gloss with poundland for mixing colours to get the shade I need). A v small fraction of the prices you quote.
It goes without saying that you only mix like with like, and I'm talking about non-water solvent based gloss here - not so good for greenhouse gases, but unlike most, I waste very little.
As it happens a neighbour was painting the front of house woodwork with ultra expensive 'designer' exterior gloss a few years ago and I was using the usual as above in almost the same shade -- they both seemed to last the same but mine showed v slightly more UV fading.
£25 is a typical vice price, not tiny can of paint. Hey ho --- you probably would think some other things I do spend money on are wasted cash.
Arc Tourist
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Delivered today, the Columbian Swivel Jaw Vise I was "not" going to acquire. Oh well, it was money well spent. 
Needs a sand blast and a repaint, but in is in excelent working order. I had to use a crowbar to lift the bolt used, where there should have been a pin, but that's not an issue as I'll machine a proper pin later. I scraped the paint where the number was supposed to be, and it reads ( 403 1/2 ). Here are some photos.
Oh well, it was money well spent. Needs a sand blast and a repaint, but in is in excelent working order. I had to use a crowbar to lift the bolt used, where there should have been a pin, but that's not an issue as I'll machine a proper pin later. I scraped the paint where the number was supposed to be, and it reads ( 403 1/2 ). Here are some photos.
Arc Tourist
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A couple more photos.
Blue Chips
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Delivered today, the Columbian Swivel Jaw Vise I was "not" going to acquire.
I really like the swivel jaw feature on these vises. I'll have to keep an eye out for something similar in my neighborhood across the great water.
I just had a look at the Internet Archive's "International Tool Catalog Library" and found a couple of catalogs with Parkinson and Columbian swivel-jaw vises. Here are a couple of images from old catalogs, which you may already have:
Arc Tourist
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I am surprised to find Columbian vises on this side of the pond, and although I already have a Gyro Vise and a 405 bench vice, I had to take a punt on it. I remember my Dad bringing home a large Columbian vise when I was a kid back in California. It seemed indestructible considering the paces we put it through over time. Personally, I would consider the Columbian brand as good as the Wilton vises, which go for ridiculous money nowadays.
dannysheff
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Great find, tourist (I had to bite my hand not to bid on that, but already have a similar US swivel/swivel, by Parker).
Nice catalogue pages blue.
Now here's my big Parky on its stand: first the back of the stand to show height adjustment mech, then the lightly painted stand and vice in what I thought were near original colours - correct for stand but I was doing a final scrape of a hidden part of the vice when I saw a trace of the Parky red - so I s'pose that it was red, although later very carefully painted light grey, say 100 years ago, then (not carefully) painted very dark grey, say 50 years ago.
This is an early example, with no 'Made in Britain' or model number, but a nice inscription: PARKINSON'S PERFECT, then in the roundel, TRADE 'PERFECT' VICE --- note the singular apostrophe, which puts it before the 'and sons' and the spelling vice, when they adopted the less embarrassing vise very early, only seen 2 others with vice.
I find the quality of manufacture great - good castings, machining, and although the later single casting rear, static section is an obvious advance, this type with its bent bolts and also locating pins, is rather fine.
It's a 6 1/2 inch wide jaw, so would later be F type model no9 or 9A, but has very well made oversize replacement inserts of 7 ins - inserts little used
These have both seen very long use - over a century of production work, but by people who have looked after them while not worrying about the slip of a file or a splat of weld - love that history. I'll do some work with them but also would like to think they're being kept useful for some future crafts-person.
Nice catalogue pages blue.
Now here's my big Parky on its stand: first the back of the stand to show height adjustment mech, then the lightly painted stand and vice in what I thought were near original colours - correct for stand but I was doing a final scrape of a hidden part of the vice when I saw a trace of the Parky red - so I s'pose that it was red, although later very carefully painted light grey, say 100 years ago, then (not carefully) painted very dark grey, say 50 years ago.
This is an early example, with no 'Made in Britain' or model number, but a nice inscription: PARKINSON'S PERFECT, then in the roundel, TRADE 'PERFECT' VICE --- note the singular apostrophe, which puts it before the 'and sons' and the spelling vice, when they adopted the less embarrassing vise very early, only seen 2 others with vice.
I find the quality of manufacture great - good castings, machining, and although the later single casting rear, static section is an obvious advance, this type with its bent bolts and also locating pins, is rather fine.
It's a 6 1/2 inch wide jaw, so would later be F type model no9 or 9A, but has very well made oversize replacement inserts of 7 ins - inserts little used
These have both seen very long use - over a century of production work, but by people who have looked after them while not worrying about the slip of a file or a splat of weld - love that history. I'll do some work with them but also would like to think they're being kept useful for some future crafts-person.
