Tool Talk
Blacksmith and Metal Working Forum => Blacksmith and Metalworking Forum => Topic started by: oldgoaly on November 24, 2015, 06:53:25 PM
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Has a "C" on the mounting plate, is that the Columbian vise company logo?
sorry for the bad pic, sun was shining in the door brightly! oh it was nice and warm so we had to keep it open.
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Probably. I believe Columbian vises were all later period. At least, I've never seen a middle period Columbian vise. This would mean it is cast steel, rather than forged wrought iron. But, it's always possible the mounting plate was replaced at a later date. It looks like it still has the shims, vs the U bolt on the 'newest' vises...
Do the arms the jaws are a part of have chamfers forged into them, or are they straight rectangular all the way to the pivot?
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I'm still learning this mac, found a better way to resize, damn why they don't tell you this!
here are couple more pics. my 5" has the camfer on the jaws, it seems old than this one,
I don't see any markings on it.
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Here is a pic of the 5" vise, just moved this bench into the shed after taking it out of my workshop 5-6 years ago. None of the stuff has gotten any lighter! Was checking to see how it would fit and set the rule on the anvil it looks like it has grown! I didn't think it was 24" but.... I'm getting closer to making a bunch of lead hammers!
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Yes, that 6" is probably a Columbian, circa very early 1900's, and is likely a steel casting instead of forged wrought iron. Your 5" is older, wrought iron, circa mid 1800's most likely.
Anvil looks like a Fischer? Maybe a Trenton? Tough to tell from that angle...
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Got a 1903 Fisher with tool steel plate! milled that on the Bridgeport, it is sweet!
Not sure what the big one is but it's twice as big as the Fisher! side view of it with a anvil/vise combo on it.