Saturday past, I drove down to Niagara region to collect my latest two vintage treasures...

Niagara-on-the-Lake was the destination for this nice 4" Record No. 100 vise (or "vice", as the British would write):






At $25, it is not a screaming deal, but a good solid value on a nice old vise. A quick cleaning results in what you see, but I'm not sure what the difference is between a No. 3 and a No. 100 is as they are both 4" mechanic vises.  headscratch (100mm = 4" more or less...)

It will join its big brother (bought for another $25 last year):






The real prize was found in St. Catharines. kijiji yielded this awesome old Hults Bruk 3-1/2 lb.  double-bit axe with a 36" handle:








It was not in bad condition, but I spent about an hour or so in the back yard last evening with a couple of sanders removing all the rust & dirt (patina) and cleaning up the handle. I didn't sharpen it per se, but I did lap it on a belt sander and it is surprisingly sharp as it is. I will eventually hone it to a razor, but for now it will hang on my wall, look cool and be at hand should I be attacked by a horde of vikings, zombies or other. An excellent buy at $30!

Hults Bruk is one of the 3 big makers of hand-forged axes in Sweden, along with Gränsfors Bruks & Wetterlings. Here are some examples of their work:




and a label from a vintage axe:




I don't know how to embed a video, but there's one on youtube showing the smiths at work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svl9WvYPII0

That is a great axe, very nice find.

Nice axe! I guess if ya gotta have a vice then collecting another vise isn't a bad one.

treasures indeed!  congrats!