Brent H
Ultra Member
So I picked up this vise off the floor of an estate sale for $70. Those folks who forge their way through life will recognize it as a blacksmith’s leg vise.
The stamp on the short jaw “ THOMAS.S.NEWELL WILMINGTON DELAWARE” traced to a sales firm that operated around 1830 ish around Wilmington. Evidently they had various items made and then resold them. This vise would be around the 1820 to 1840’s build. The screw box is roll forged and made up of segments brazed together. The screw is roll formed around a steel dowel and then brazed. The pivot bolt is tapered and has a left hand threaded nut. The only thing missing is the spring and one of the keys that retains the screw box from rotation. Plans are to build a new spring and fix the key. As with all things steel it will be put to service and beaten on.
Any info or suggestions from those that are in the blacksmithing game would be great!
The stamp on the short jaw “ THOMAS.S.NEWELL WILMINGTON DELAWARE” traced to a sales firm that operated around 1830 ish around Wilmington. Evidently they had various items made and then resold them. This vise would be around the 1820 to 1840’s build. The screw box is roll forged and made up of segments brazed together. The screw is roll formed around a steel dowel and then brazed. The pivot bolt is tapered and has a left hand threaded nut. The only thing missing is the spring and one of the keys that retains the screw box from rotation. Plans are to build a new spring and fix the key. As with all things steel it will be put to service and beaten on.
Any info or suggestions from those that are in the blacksmithing game would be great!