Morgan Vise question

[swervncarz]

Picked up this Morgan vise this weekend. My question is about the attachment on the chain. It's sized & shaped to fit over the jaw, there's a second chain as well but missing the attachment, assuming for the other jaw. What are these for? Is it a custom addition or did these vises come like this? I can't find another example like it. Any help appreciated, thanks!

[leg17]

Looks like an attempt by the end user to keep track of the soft jaws.

[Bill Houghton]

Jaw covers are pretty common.  What's the material for that?  From here, it looks like copper, a fairly common material among machinists.

Clever idea.

Oh, and congrats: nice vise.  I've got a similar Prentiss Bulldog vise, that came with the rare "really rusty" option.  I need to clean it up and put it on the bench.  Soon.  Sometime.  While I can still remember what a vise is for.

[Nolatoolguy]

I would be willing to say leg17 is correct.