Tool Talk

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Branson on February 25, 2015, 09:32:48 AM

Title: Older form hand vise
Post by: Branson on February 25, 2015, 09:32:48 AM: Recently Timmon's Tools for the Trades and Crafts was brought up at Sutter's Fort as a source for documentation of tools as acceptable in our programs. That made me spend some time again looking through my copy. I happened to look at the pages showing hand vises and noticed
a form that looks more like a tiny smith's leg vise. Nice look, I thought. But I'd never seen one in the wild.

But this one came up on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Antique-Hand-Vise-Clamp-Old-Vintage-Tool-Machinist-Jewelers-Gunsmith-/181670004891?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=SaYAhAIzK8xuTSX18vSmMi0%252Bme4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

And now it's mine!
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Chillylulu on February 25, 2015, 10:36:47 AM: Congratulations Branson!

Chilly
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Plyerman on February 25, 2015, 02:22:15 PM: Nice! Any idea who made it?
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: anglesmith on February 25, 2015, 04:25:36 PM: Branson. Certainly looks those in the Timmins pattern book. All the ones I have seen around have joints like the two in the corner of that page and the following page. I think you might have snagged a early one. A lot of the very early small "toys" sold from the pattern books didn't have a makers mark
Graeme
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Branson on February 26, 2015, 10:15:53 AM: The listing didn't mention a maker. I don't really expect to find a maker's mark, but I will check it carefully when it arrives. If I find a maker, I'll post it here. At any rate, it will accompany me to Sutter's Fort!
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Bill Houghton on February 26, 2015, 07:53:48 PM: I'm surprised you'd never found one in the wild, Branson. I've found three (older son now owns one of them; can't figure out why I own two...).

They're pretty nifty little tools, quite useful.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: leg17 on February 27, 2015, 06:51:32 AM: Quote from: Bill Houghton on February 26, 2015, 07:53:48 PM
I'm surprised you'd never found one in the wild, Branson. I've found three (older son now owns one of them; can't figure out why I own two...).

There are plenty on eBay. Quite common.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Branson on February 27, 2015, 09:08:33 AM: Quote from: leg17 on February 27, 2015, 06:51:32 AM
There are plenty on eBay. Quite common.

Hand vises are common enough, but ones with the hinge joint like this are not, IME.
I have two or three of the more common form. If anybody runs across one with the
early hinge joint I'd like to know about it.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Bill Houghton on February 27, 2015, 10:17:45 AM: Ah. I had missed the hinge pattern. You're right; all three of those I've owned have a center pivot, rather than that pivot-on-straps arrangement.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Bus on February 27, 2015, 03:04:25 PM: Here's the photos from ebay. They won't be there forever.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: leg17 on February 27, 2015, 07:11:05 PM: Quote from: Branson on February 27, 2015, 09:08:33 AM
Quote from: leg17 on February 27, 2015, 06:51:32 AM
There are plenty on eBay. Quite common.

Hand vises are common enough, but ones with the hinge joint like this are not, IME.
I have two or three of the more common form. If anybody runs across one with the
early hinge joint I'd like to know about it.

Thanks Branson.
I overlooked the difference in the joint.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Branson on February 28, 2015, 09:01:38 AM: I would probably missed the hinging except that I had recently studied the plates in Timmons. It arrived yesterday and is a tad under 4 inches long. No maker's mark at all. About half way down the bolt, the threads are stripped out, but there's plenty left to hold the thin pieces I am most likely to be working. No rust, no pitting.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Plyerman on March 04, 2015, 02:22:22 PM: Saw this auction while cruising ebay.fr, and it reminded me of this discussion. Ain't that the cutest little vise ever?

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/outils-anciens-art-populaire-etau-dhorloger-etau-pince-a-main-/191527568761?ssPageName=ADME:SS:SS:US:1120

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/jooliesews/Bobbys/Temp%20Stuff/hand%20vises_zpsea2i3xuu.jpg)
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Bill Houghton on March 04, 2015, 04:34:20 PM: Plyerman,

that is cute! I like the tiny little anvil. I wonder what trade it was for? Combat/field repairs of jewelry?
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Branson on March 05, 2015, 09:55:48 AM: Quote from: Bill Houghton on March 04, 2015, 04:34:20 PM
Plyerman,
that is cute! I like the tiny little anvil. I wonder what trade it was for? Combat/field repairs of jewelry?

The technical name of this tool is "table vise." These come in a bewildering variety and have done so for over 200 years that I am aware of.
About all that can be said is that they are for working on small pieces. This one seems too small for combat/field repairs, although a three pound version (without the anvil) was issued to light artillery artificers. Good for jewelers, clockmakers, and gunsmiths I reckon.
Title: Re: Older form hand vise
Post by: Bill Houghton on March 05, 2015, 01:29:34 PM: Quote from: Branson on March 05, 2015, 09:55:48 AM
Quote from: Bill Houghton on March 04, 2015, 04:34:20 PM
Plyerman,
that is cute! I like the tiny little anvil. I wonder what trade it was for? Combat/field repairs of jewelry?
This one seems too small for combat/field repairs...
Branson,

I was teasing about the combat repairs of jewelry.