It all depends on the jaw serrations and overall condition. For example I have a very fine old Columbian vise with jaw serrations that are totally worn out. I have replaced the vise with a newer vise with better serrations until such time as I replace the jaws on my old Columbian with new jaws (no small cost, north of a C note) I would go $50 in decent shape, maybe more depending on what I saw!
You have a machine shop right, just reserrate the jaws. Not difficult at all with a mill.
Not true, the jaws must be removed to re machine, which on the older Columbian vises is NOT a couple of minutes and two screws per jaw task!
I would rather just buy new jaws myself. Regardless though, buying, or making, replacing the jaws on an old Columbian vise is not as simple as removing two screws and swapping out the jaws. On the old Columbian vises, the jaws are shaped like a T. The jaws are held in place by pins that must be either drilled or driven out of the body of the vise before the jaws can be removed.
To compound the problem, Wilton, who now owns the Columbian brand no longer makes the T shaped jaws for the older vises. The remaining supply of replacement T jaws for Columbian vises is gone. The last of them were sold by Harry Epstein Co. in KCMO. Last I knew there was a guy making new replacement T jaws at a cost of something over $100 a set. If I do decide to remove the old jaws like as not I will have to figure out a way of replacements, but it won't be fast, nor easy, which is why I opted to replace the vise and just set it aside until I decide to tackle that job.
Ive taken them off before as well as Parker pinned on jaws and never had a problem.
I have not, but it did not look like a fun or easy task to me, but perhaps I am just a pessimist, or maybe just old and pessimistic, which comes from tackling too many jobs I assumed would be easy that turned out anything but easy. BTW: The pinned jaws looks like exactly that kind of job IMHO.........
