What sort of vice is this?

[Peloquin]

I picked it up with a load of other bits and bobs ages ago and was going to do it up but time and inclination get the better of me.
I'm wondering what it is, where it would be used and what it's worth.

 

[pedrobedro]

It's a blacksmith's leg vice sometimes known as a post vice. The leg goes to the floor to take the pounding it gets when using a hammer on something in the jaws so the jaw doesn't break. It's worth whatever you can get for it, I picked one up in perfect condition for £12 but some go for a lot more depending on where they are or how gullible the buyer is.

 

[fenman]

leg vice
blacksmith
what you can get

 

[daleyd]

Sounds like a job for.........................@MattF !!!

 

[Peloquin]

 

[Peloquin]

Cheers gents

 

[julianthegypsy]

They are extremely useful bits of kit. Every blacksmith has one...because they are so damn useful!

 

[Windy Miller]

They are extremely useful bits of kit. Every blacksmith has one...because they are so damn useful!

Very true. I have 2 in fact!

 

[rtbcomp]

There should be a base which fastens to the floor for the leg to stand in. This spreads the load when hammering.

I got one for free off Freecycle, they seem to go for around the £15 mark on Ebay.

 

[johnik]

1871 ?,thats even older than me !!!!

 

[Peloquin]

I dunno what the marks on it mean.

 

[MattF]

I dunno what the marks on it mean.

May have been a handmade one rather than a production one. What jaw width is that; Looks like a 5" or 6"?

If you're ever over this way and want to find a new home for that, I could make a spot for it, btw. Like the others say, price wise it depends. The couple I've got I payed practically b*gger all for, but some do seem to put them on Ebay for higher money and occasionally get it. It mainly depends on location and timing.

 

[Peloquin]

Ooh, dunno, it's at work, I took it in to start cleaning it up.
I'll have a look in the morning

 

[ronan]

There was one in my grand parents old place, when i had to clear it out i chucked the vice in the canal

 

[MattF]

There was one in my grand parents old place, when i had to clear it out i chucked the vice in the canal

Oh matey. Doing that was bad enough, but mentioning it too....

 

[fixerupper]

Yeah, do it up and use it, I've got one and it's a very handy bit of kit ....jeff...

 

[Peloquin]

May have been a handmade one rather than a production one. What jaw width is that; Looks like a 5" or 6"?.

Daft question but by jaw width do you mean how wide the jaws open?

 

[sardine]

All the old English gunsmiths used to use leg vices too.

I did my apprenticeship on one.

 

[Seadog]

All the old English gunsmiths used to use leg vices too.

I did my apprenticeship on one.

On what, an old English gunsmith?

 

[MattF]

Daft question but by jaw width do you mean how wide the jaws open?

Width of the jaw top, left to right. It's not exactly a perfect size/utility gauge, as jaw width can be misleading as to overall size and sturdiness of a vice without knowledge of a particular model, but it's about the best way to measure a vice, and the one which most recognise. Generally, the larger the jaw width, the heavier duty the vice.