Best Bench Vice Restoration Candidates?

Nesse1

Nesse1

H-M Supporter - Gold Member
H-M Supporter Gold Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
473
I love me a nice restoration project, so I've been checking Craigslist, eBay, and FB marketplace for good vice restoration candidates. I see Morgan, Rock Island, Chas Parker, Athol/Starret, Prentiss, and of course Wilton, vices available on the used market. Do any of these older units standout from the others, in terms of quality, and enjoyment of use?

I picked up a brand new, china made, Wilton 745, a few years back, located through Slickdeals.net for all of $100, and it's impressed me. A quick google check shows new 745's selling for $400 now, though. Nice sample used vices, as mentioned above, are all selling for prices near $400 now too. So where does the value proposition fall? Is it worth the hassle of buying used and restoring?

FWIW, my target is something like an Athol 614-1/2, which is about 60 lbs. I want something sturdy and durable, with a nice moving action.

Should I just save my pennies for a new Wilton bullet? Or are some of these older vintage units worth the cost and effort to restore?
 
Onece restored, a vintage vise could be every bit a good as factory new, if not even better. That's the route I took when I restored my Wilton (Here). I think any quality brand with a solid casting has the potential to be a great vise, the one thing I would look for is the availability of parts that might be hard to make.
 
Nesse1 said:
I love me a nice restoration project, so I've been checking Craigslist, eBay, and FB marketplace for good vice restoration candidates. I see Morgan, Rock Island, Chas Parker, Athol/Starret, Prentiss, and of course Wilton, vices available on the used market. Do any of these older units standout from the others, in terms of quality, and enjoyment of use?

I picked up a brand new, china made, Wilton 745, a few years back, located through Slickdeals.net for all of $100, and it's impressed me. A quick google check shows new 745's selling for $400 now, though. Nice sample used vices, as mentioned above, are all selling for prices near $400 now too. So where does the value proposition fall? Is it worth the hassle of buying used and restoring?

FWIW, my target is something like an Athol 614-1/2, which is about 60 lbs. I want something sturdy and durable, with a nice moving action.

Should I just save my pennies for a new Wilton bullet? Or are some of these older vintage units worth the cost and effort to restore?
Click to expand...

To add to your list, I'm a fan of older Columbian, and Reed. My best vise is branded as Ridgid, but it is a Columbian with only the name changed.

Columbian cutaway view.jpg

One downside is the T-shaped jaws, ironically called out in the ad as "Easily replaceable". (1) it's not easy getting them out, take it from me, and (2) there are no replacement jaws available at any price. There was an old guy who made replacement jaws as a cottage industry, but he's since retired. My jaws were kinda hacked so I just ground them down to the bottoms of the hacked-up areas til it looked like new. There was plenty of meat there so it's still plenty beefy after grinding it down.

Jaws ground down.jpg

I also have a 1965 Wilton bullet and it's very good, but I like my Columbian more.

I can't tell if Wilton quality (however you measure that) has gone down, but the new ones look crappy to me. Maybe just aesthetics, but I'll take an old one over recent production, any day. The date code is on the underside of the ram, take it all the way out to see it. I think it's actually stamped in the key that keeps the ram from rotating.
 
Nesse1 said:
Should I just save my pennies for a new Wilton bullet?
Click to expand...
Hate to see what a 6" Bullet sells for nowadays . momoneyLove the color on this one !

www.ebay.com

Wilton 450 Bullet Vise, 4-1/2” Brass Jaws, NICE! 70 lbs., 4-78 Date, USA Made | eBay

Many hours were put into restoring this incredible tool to its original condition. Although 45 years old, this tool had been very well cared for but needed a good cleaning and restoration. The tightening handle is new and slightly longer than the original.
www.ebay.com
 
I'm pretty partial to Wiltons (have a 9300 and a 450S) but I've always liked the look of Parker and Reed bench vises too.

In terms of value, best bet is garage sales, barn finds and nasty dirty looking vises in auction lots. That's how I got both of mine :)
 
A lot of the Sears vises were Columbian, and they were good
Unfortunately, Sears doesn't carry many parts for them anymore :apologize:
 
I have a stripped out Starrett here if anyone needs a project . I don't ! :grin:
 
IIRC, Wilton owned Columbian for quite some time, before discontinuing the brand. They made good vices, which have generally held up quite well.

GsT
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top