Arc Tourist
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Wasn't very expensive when I bought mine brand new back in the mid 1970's. In hind sight, wish I'd bought dozens !
- Thread starter MattF
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jack-daniels
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Picked up a Record 36 Locally tonight 
dannysheff
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Weld-fabricated:-
This is the George Herbert of London patent (1942/44) drg for a vice - the patent is mostly about how a vice can be made by welding plate, tube, bar to form the body -- seems they made 2 'war effort' vices - this and the rotating 'Swindens' type - maybe just for a short while - I guess they then passed the rights to Record for their Leaders.
Here are the two Herbert 'Armourers' Vices' - with the weld fab DOHM and an offset jaw weld-fab (only a trace of the decal left - a bit like Leader but ??) The big Armourer has 6in jaws like the mid-sized Leader but a much bigger opening (about 12ins) and is more massive all round.
A little more - the big 'armourer' was over-painted white and red, but I think originally a pale blue-grey, the rotating 'Armourer' (same size as the 4in/3in Swindens) a slightly darker blue or green, the offset was dark blue and red, the DOHM partly grey.
Tough vices.
Anyone know more about the offset or the DOHM?
poss background - the Swindens-type rotator came from a midlands army surplus and the other Armourer from a defunct Merseyside navy yard - not confirmed.
This is the George Herbert of London patent (1942/44) drg for a vice - the patent is mostly about how a vice can be made by welding plate, tube, bar to form the body -- seems they made 2 'war effort' vices - this and the rotating 'Swindens' type - maybe just for a short while - I guess they then passed the rights to Record for their Leaders.
Here are the two Herbert 'Armourers' Vices' - with the weld fab DOHM and an offset jaw weld-fab (only a trace of the decal left - a bit like Leader but ??) The big Armourer has 6in jaws like the mid-sized Leader but a much bigger opening (about 12ins) and is more massive all round.
A little more - the big 'armourer' was over-painted white and red, but I think originally a pale blue-grey, the rotating 'Armourer' (same size as the 4in/3in Swindens) a slightly darker blue or green, the offset was dark blue and red, the DOHM partly grey.
Tough vices.
Anyone know more about the offset or the DOHM?
poss background - the Swindens-type rotator came from a midlands army surplus and the other Armourer from a defunct Merseyside navy yard - not confirmed.
CwazyWabbit
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I thought the name plate was usually brass on these? I guess this may help with dating them.
dannysheff
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Talking of Fortis (great vices), I have only one, but a bit different --
On first seeing it I thought "re-branded Vono" (like late Peter Wright cast iron vice) after all they were not far from ea other, but I've shown in these pix that it's not - see the Vono No3 - heavy, swivel and the Vono 3C - much lighter. This is steel and has wide jaws, opening for size. Model T3 1/2 - any catalogue, other sizes???
Some samples of Fortis have rather rough castings (prob still v tough, as steel) - this one seems a pretty fine casting.
dannysheff
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I asked you, the colour threw me, but should've known as I have one tucked away - the only other one I have seen otherwise was in Canada - mine is bright red, I think his green and yours crackle black - I think all original - lovely little vice and I believe very scarce (any advance on 3?).
If you look carefully at the brass plate, you may see as I can -- "Offen British Pat 535305" -- I also thought Offen sounded Germanic, but in fact it's an old English name and the patent was applied for by James Herbert Offen in 1939 -- so I believe this long predates the baby Wilton on Powrarm (or British Spencer-Franklin).
The style of vice with dovetail ways is quite Swiss/German watchmaker etc, but also 'Made in England' pre WWI.
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Arc Tourist
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Thanks for posting. There are no visible markings on the small plate surface on the base of the one I have. Was "OFFEN " a makers mark ?
Edit: If you need to make one ? I'll post a photo with measurements of the lock & release arm I have for it.
Edit: If you need to make one ? I'll post a photo with measurements of the lock & release arm I have for it.
dannysheff
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thanks - I made a tommy bar - not exactly the same, but actually quite like your original one - it's neat how they fitted the mech into the flattish base, but thus the losable bar.
as Offen was the patentee, I guess also the company/maker mark, yes, - I don't know where located in UK, or whether they made other tools or?
dannysheff
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this makes 4 - 2 in Canada and 2 UK --- did more searching and found a good page on www.vintagemachinery.org - the Co was in Redhill Surrey (just outside M25, London orb) - here's it's parts -- simple, but effective (if well machined, which it is) -- I acknowledge the website for this pic-
CwazyWabbit
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That's not far from me, I wonder if I'll ever come across one?
Arc Tourist
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pressbrake1
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Last three of the damn things . Foundry raised price again which is unpleasant and taking a day off from work and loosing money compounded my disgruntlement
Looking at sad faces all day doesn’t help either
Looking at sad faces all day doesn’t help either
dannysheff
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useful selection - going to tidy up and install on bench(es)?
anyone date the Record change from round and egg shaped to cylindrical?
I have 2 young boys taking an interest in metal work. I prefer to keep them out of the workshop so I will mount two vices to metal plate / plywood to make them easy to clamp down to my outside welding bench. I may paint them in due course.
As far as I know the standard record engineers vice ie 00 to 8 never had a round nose
dannysheff
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so 6ply's Record No2? - a Parky Handy?
MattF
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We'd need a side-on photo to know.
