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!
Congratulations Branson!
Chilly
Nice! Any idea who made it?
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here's the photos from ebay. They won't be there forever.
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.
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.
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)
Plyerman,
that is cute! I like the tiny little anvil. I wonder what trade it was for? Combat/field repairs of jewelry?
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.
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.