Where is the best place to sell a blacksmith leg vise?

I picked up two leg vises a few years ago.

I tried Craiglist a few times, without any response. I could try eBay, but the shipping weight would hurt the value, I would guess.

I did run into a fellow, by sheer chance, who oohed and awed over them, and then offered a whopping $60 for the pair, and told me he was doing me a favor at that, and said that his offer was more than they were worth.

Any ideas?


   

If they were plain four inchers, or minus some parts maybe.   Are the mounting plates present?   How about the curved spring holding the jaws apart?   Any names visible, like Columbia or KeenKutter?   Thirty apiece if they are nice and complete is kinda on the low side.   You could try looking for the nearest group of blacksmiths via ABANA.  That is the :Artist Blacksmith  Association of North America.   Or post your location, someone here may be interested. 

Quote from: john k on September 23, 2012, 08:52:27 PM
If they were plain four inchers, or minus some parts maybe.   Are the mounting plates present?   How about the curved spring holding the jaws apart?   Any names visible, like Columbia or KeenKutter?   Thirty apiece if they are nice and complete is kinda on the low side.   You could try looking for the nearest group of blacksmiths via ABANA.  That is the :Artist Blacksmith  Association of North America.   Or post your location, someone here may be interested.

Yes...I think these are pretty standard 4 inch versions.

Mounting plates are present. One has a spring, the other does not. These were working vises when I bought them, and I even had to unbolt them from the bench.  FWIW, the former owner told me that the earliest of the two did not have a spring when made. A smith could always add one pretty easily, I reckon. Other than that, these are complete, working vises that are ready to go.

No visible markings or names that I can find.

These are not rusted out piles of junk that I unearthed from a fence row.

Why is it that when I was seriously looking for a leg vise to use several years ago, the only ones I could find were priced at $275 each and located 750 miles from home, LOL?

Clovis:

Where are you located? There are blacksmith conferences all over the USA. Some are small get togethers, and some are large. Most all conferences allow tailgate sales. That would be the best place to get rid of them and get a fair price. Last vise I bought was at our local conference, it was a four inch, and I paid $50 for it. The asking price he had on it all weekend was 65, and he finally let it go for 50 so he didn't have to cart it home.

If you are close to me, we have a conference coming up the first weekend of October. Everybody is welcome to come!

Clovis,

Your location will have a large effect on the price.  In FL they aren't as common as in the northern states.  I sold one to a blacksmith shop for $125.00.  It was in almost new condition.  The only mark was a stamp on the jaw that said 1899.  The guy who bought it never argued about the price.  I had run a wire wheel over it to get rid of the surface rust and then sprayed it with RemOil. 

The other one I had I had to wrap up and ship to somebody on the West coast.  I sold it on ebay, when I was still doing that.  Wrapping one in cardboard is not something you want to do.  It wasn't pretty when I got done but the ladies at the PO were OK with it.  It's pretty hard to break one of those old vises, even for the PO.

Good luck, Mike

Quote from: clovis on September 23, 2012, 07:39:57 PM
I did run into a fellow, by sheer chance, who oohed and awed over them, and then offered a whopping $60 for the pair, and told me he was doing me a favor at that, and said that his offer was more than they were worth.
Any ideas?

He was either ignorant or lying.  Out here in Central California, figure $2 per pound or more.  I haven't seen a $30 leg vise in over 30 years.

Quote from: clovis on September 23, 2012, 09:08:32 PM
FWIW, the former owner told me that the earliest of the two did not have a spring when made. A smith could always add one pretty easily, I reckon.
No visible markings or names that I can find.

Made without a spring?  What was he smoking?  Somewhere I have a picture of a 16th Century leg vise -- and it has a spring. 

Need a spring?  Go to:

http://www.anvilmag.com/smith/107f2.htm

THANK YOU for the continued replies!!!

I am in central Indiana.

I measured the vices today. Both are 4 inch jaws, but the older of the two seems to be a smidge over 4".

Quote from: Branson on September 24, 2012, 10:17:47 AM

Quote from: clovis on September 23, 2012, 07:39:57 PM
I did run into a fellow, by sheer chance, who oohed and awed over them, and then offered a whopping $60 for the pair, and told me he was doing me a favor at that, and said that his offer was more than they were worth.
Any ideas?

He was either ignorant or lying.  Out here in Central California, figure $2 per pound or more.  I haven't seen a $30 leg vise in over 30 years.

I think it was a little of both...trying to get a great deal, while at the same time, really not knowledgeable either. 

I'm not sure if he didn't know, or was just trying to get a good deal. I have to say that I was a bit shocked by his low offer. I had just given him about $100 worth of supply for his start up artistry blacksmithy gig, all for free.

I'd just as soon keep them for $30 a piece. But when I was actively looking for a leg vise, I swear that I couldn't find one for less than $200.

As a side note, these weigh 45 and 48 pounds each.

Quote from: Branson on September 24, 2012, 10:27:39 AM

Quote from: clovis on September 23, 2012, 09:08:32 PM
FWIW, the former owner told me that the earliest of the two did not have a spring when made. A smith could always add one pretty easily, I reckon.
No visible markings or names that I can find.

Made without a spring?  What was he smoking?  Somewhere I have a picture of a 16th Century leg vise -- and it has a spring. 

Need a spring?  Go to:

http://www.anvilmag.com/smith/107f2.htm

I don't know...Winstons, maybe?

This was a tool and antique tractor collector that was in his mid-80's. I've never seen an auction like that one, and I'll never forget the amount of tools he had. He seemed pretty knowledgeable about everything he owned, but what do I know?