- Thread starter MattF
- Start date
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Mine has had a hard life , is missing a chunk from the moving jaw (was cheep) but always does it's best 
One inch thick plate as a base makes it nice and stable even with a few meters of bar stock hanging out one side
Did a lot of grinding yesterday plz excuse mess.
Stu
One inch thick plate as a base makes it nice and stable even with a few meters of bar stock hanging out one side
Did a lot of grinding yesterday plz excuse mess.
Stu
StevieO
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- 190
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- Stoke on Trent, UK
Sorry chaps but I had to post this.
The Refurbishers art.
From a famous online auction site.
The advert text....
"Record No 1 Engineers/Fitters Bench Vice 2 1/2 inch Jaw (Sheffield Steel UK)
The vice has been meticulously serviced by a tool marker of 45 years so the mechanism are in great condition.
The bodywork has been repainted using enamel blue paint.
Vice in images shows the Record No 0 and as you can see from the photos the jaws are in good condition. One can only assume that the vice has had very little use over its lifetime.
The Record No 0 makes an outstanding vice for any craftsman, Mechanic or Engineer looking for a durable long lasting vice that is made to work. As seen from the images the vice is in great condition with a lovely responsive mechanism.
The Brand Record has since been bought by IRWIN who continue to produce Vices. However with Irwin using a cheaper Steel in production these vices are weaker and more prone to shattering. This makes the Original Record vices more sought after being some of the best steel produced vices ever built in the UK".
Astonishing claim it is "Sheffield Steel UK", and stating it's made from "Steel" !
For an "Iron" vice! That's a heck of an incorrect claim.
But he is a (& I'll use his own text) "tool marker of 45 years"
The paint runs (& a very poor quality casting) made me howl after his claims ....
and he wants £55 for it.
My apologies for taking the p*ss but this just could not be missed from a display of "The refurbishers art".
I really do wonder sometimes.....
The Refurbishers art.
From a famous online auction site.
The advert text....
"Record No 1 Engineers/Fitters Bench Vice 2 1/2 inch Jaw (Sheffield Steel UK)
The vice has been meticulously serviced by a tool marker of 45 years so the mechanism are in great condition.
The bodywork has been repainted using enamel blue paint.
Vice in images shows the Record No 0 and as you can see from the photos the jaws are in good condition. One can only assume that the vice has had very little use over its lifetime.
The Record No 0 makes an outstanding vice for any craftsman, Mechanic or Engineer looking for a durable long lasting vice that is made to work. As seen from the images the vice is in great condition with a lovely responsive mechanism.
The Brand Record has since been bought by IRWIN who continue to produce Vices. However with Irwin using a cheaper Steel in production these vices are weaker and more prone to shattering. This makes the Original Record vices more sought after being some of the best steel produced vices ever built in the UK".
Astonishing claim it is "Sheffield Steel UK", and stating it's made from "Steel" !
For an "Iron" vice! That's a heck of an incorrect claim.
But he is a (& I'll use his own text) "tool marker of 45 years"
The paint runs (& a very poor quality casting) made me howl after his claims ....
and he wants £55 for it.
My apologies for taking the p*ss but this just could not be missed from a display of "The refurbishers art".
I really do wonder sometimes.....
StevieO
Member
- Messages
- 190
- Location
- Stoke on Trent, UK
Seadog - yes you are correct and I did think of that when I read it, but the detailed way he then went on and on really would indicate the toolmarker was him.. lol.He does not state that the toolmaker is him. That is an inference on your part.
Still a rubbish description, all the same
But - genuine apologies for taking the michael... just could not let it go... doh!
Arc Tourist
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- 4,896
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- Wales
Were you able to get the base plate unit for the Auto-Vice ?
Yip it’s all complete, that one I won’t paint a funky colour
StevieO
Member
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- 190
- Location
- Stoke on Trent, UK
What colour do you go for on that? Sticking to original or just a close one? I've recently refurbished a Parkinson Handy Vice no1 and used Cherry Red Gloss from Paragon.
Photos
-after bead blast
-after Zinc primer
-taken just after spraying so very "wet" but love the colour.
Very "in your face" red but hey stands out a bit more than Parky Red which is a bit dark and dismal for me really.
SteveB58
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- Messages
- 502
- Location
- Essex, England
I believe yours to be post 1950 as it does not have the ‘All Steel’ legend as Record stopped all-steel production of the No.75 in 1939; most likely due to steel demands during WW2.
They are great vices, mine is earlier and in original gnarly condition. Don’t know about thread sizes there was no need to re-tap any when I stripped it. There was a guy on eBay who made the pipe vice jaws, I bought one a couple of years back, (I think £15, easier than making your own), mine is excellent. Had to file it slightly too fit but very good nonetheless..
Steve
Yip mine is a late model just before the square nose came out in the late 60s, it’s ductile iron and the anvil is part of the cast, threads were bsw, it’s been oil ragged and now looks impressive in the line up. Note the 75 had a very long handle compared to othe vices of similar size
StevieO
Member
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- 190
- Location
- Stoke on Trent, UK
Thought I would post the results of my Fortis 11 refurb.
Started in October 21. Ordered new jaws but on arrival they were incorrect dims for the bolt holes.... eventually changed after I had to send old ones back and send the old jaws for copying.
Even then the jaws were wrong - the supplier (on ebay) missed a chamfer at the bottom of the jaws so it caused them to sit high when assembled.
Just advertised the vice and sold in 24 hrs.
Anyway... here are the stages.
Purchase of original (in Fortis "Apple Green").
Full strip down with degrease fluid, then paint stripper, then wire brush back to base casting.
Then Red oxide undercoat. And I chose Hammerite Hammered Green for the finish.
See next post for balance of photos... (only max 10 allowed each post)
Started in October 21. Ordered new jaws but on arrival they were incorrect dims for the bolt holes.... eventually changed after I had to send old ones back and send the old jaws for copying.
Even then the jaws were wrong - the supplier (on ebay) missed a chamfer at the bottom of the jaws so it caused them to sit high when assembled.
Just advertised the vice and sold in 24 hrs.
Anyway... here are the stages.
Purchase of original (in Fortis "Apple Green").
Full strip down with degrease fluid, then paint stripper, then wire brush back to base casting.
Then Red oxide undercoat. And I chose Hammerite Hammered Green for the finish.
See next post for balance of photos... (only max 10 allowed each post)
StevieO
Member
- Messages
- 190
- Location
- Stoke on Trent, UK
I love the flowing casting of the Fortis at about 70 degrees on the main body which curves up towards an EGG shaped anvil and joins a matching one on the moving jaw.
Real design and to me, stunning
Fortis Steel, from their "Unbreakable" series which looks like their last version.
PS... just sold !
Lovely looking vice those, you did a great job, were those new jaws?, if so how much and did you get them from vice works?
dannysheff
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- UK Sheffield
You may have come across the Sheffield List - this one (8/9th ed) is from 1869. It was a standard catalogue with prices, shared by Sheffield makers - they could only really price compete on volume discounts or delivery etc. (we'd call it a cartel today).
Here's a couple of pages with vices -the leg vice could be basically any size - priced per pound weight. The newish 'parallel' vices were from 4 to 8in jaw width, I'm guessing mostly wrought, but could have incorporated some cast parts, as later ones versions of them did - see also Wright of Brum.
I fancy that one on a stand.
Unfortunately there were no names on most, so difficult to fix date or maker, but likely a Sheffield source such as Mousehole or Wortley.
No metal woodworking vices, just the screw to make your own wooden leg vice. But cast iron ww vices were appearing from Bradford at this time - again without names except for Woodhead Cramp.
How about the 'permanent way cramp'? ie for straightening railway lines.
Anyone have any of these 'parallel' models of this date?
Here's a couple of pages with vices -the leg vice could be basically any size - priced per pound weight. The newish 'parallel' vices were from 4 to 8in jaw width, I'm guessing mostly wrought, but could have incorporated some cast parts, as later ones versions of them did - see also Wright of Brum.
I fancy that one on a stand.
Unfortunately there were no names on most, so difficult to fix date or maker, but likely a Sheffield source such as Mousehole or Wortley.
No metal woodworking vices, just the screw to make your own wooden leg vice. But cast iron ww vices were appearing from Bradford at this time - again without names except for Woodhead Cramp.
How about the 'permanent way cramp'? ie for straightening railway lines.
Anyone have any of these 'parallel' models of this date?
SteveB58
Member
- Messages
- 502
- Location
- Essex, England
Beautiful pieces, love to have some of those in the house or workshop, works of art. I always buy what they call ship cramps if I can find them at the right price as they are the sort of thing you never know when you're going to need them.
I'd like to know how stable that 974D portable bench was. Thanks for posting, very interesting.
SteveB58
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- 502
- Location
- Essex, England
Is there a web link to a copy of this. I tried a search for Sheffield List, all I got was 10 of the best things to do in Sheffield. I was surprised to find there were 10 things to do in Sheffield.
