Let's Talk About Vises!

One of the greatest Vises ever made is the Gressel. They are made in Switzerland.

Pictured for reference, you have a sliding base so you can adjust the working height and rotating the vise 360 degrees. The back jaw is the dynamic jaw meaning where you stand at the bench to address the work is always the same. It's a very novel concept and is beloved by skilled gunsmiths.

1780924675802.png
 
I don't have a proper workshop here at the ranch. My only vise is a cheapo on my welding trailer. Someday I want to be like you guys! A guy can dream right?
 
One of the greatest Vises ever made is the Gressel. They are made in Switzerland.

Pictured for reference, you have a sliding base so you can adjust the working height and rotating the vise 360 degrees. The back jaw is the dynamic jaw meaning where you stand at the bench to address the work is always the same. It's a very novel concept and is beloved by skilled gunsmiths.

View attachment 769537

All vises have this, but it is normally an upgrade.

I will look that up.
 
I have a versa vice, a 6" heavy duty bench and a patternmaker vice from Grizzly Ind.
 
I use a Wilton that I put on a removeable trailer hitch style receiver so I can get it out of the way when it is not in use. It gives me entire use of the bench when not needed, which was a nice upgrade. The vise basically only gets used for firearm related stuff. I always thought I would use it for more things. I think that is typical of tool buying though for me, I will buy something thinking I will use the hell out of it for all kinds of things, and then in reality it gets used maybe twice a year. :E Lol:


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I have an American made Wilton 1750, that is Snap-On branded. It’s been a good vice and has held up pretty well to the abuse my father and the farm hands have put it through.
 
@rookhawk
I think I need new glasses and a cleaner mind.
I thought it was VICES.
I wasn't prepared to list the vices I have and enjoy, night not be printable on this forum.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Bob
Bob I thought the same thing my friend like we are brothers from another mother lol!!!
 
Here's mine...


IMG_3639.jpeg
 
Vices! I have 8 and wish I had 8 more. I have 3 1/2” Parker, (2) 4” Parker’s, 5” Parker, 4” Wilton bullet, 4” Columbia, 3” craftsman and 5” Chinese not-so-good vice.
Parker’s are nostalgic. They made a smooth jaw vice like the attached pictures. They’re my favorite. I love their shotguns too!
 

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Bob I thought the same thing my friend like we are brothers from another mother lol!!!
@Rare Breed
Just hope your mother was good looking because I'm an ugly bastard.
When I was born the Dr looked at my face then looked at my arse and then told mum lady you have twins.
When a baby is born the Dr usually smacks it's arse to get it breathing. Apparently the Dr slapped my mum.
Bob
 


I want one of these, but I don't know how I would get that kind of use out of one. They are 2600 Euros here in Germany, I think they probably go for half that, but still what does it do that the ones I have don't?
 
Not the direction I thought this was going from the title........;)

When I saw the title, the first thing that came to mind was "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits."

Great album, incidentally!
 
I use a Wilton that I put on a removeable trailer hitch style receiver

I have a bench vise set up similarly, except that it gets mounted in my truck's receiver hitch. Can come in very handy.
 


I want one of these, but I don't know how I would get that kind of use out of one. They are 2600 Euros here in Germany, I think they probably go for half that, but still what does it do that the ones I have don't?

Did you read the fine print? Don’t know how they can market these things if you can’t use it as an anvil!

“It can't be used as an anvil, but if your application calls for precision machined jaws form fit to your parts, with the ability to gradually apply pressure without crushing or scratching the part, the Orange Bench Vise is for you.”
 
I use harbor freight type vises as anvils.

I would never use one of my expensive vises as an anvil.
 
5" Dawn bench vice -bought by my Grandfather, made in Australia when we made things.
20260624_184800.jpg

150mm Vetex Mill precision vice, made in Taiwan.
20260624_184840.jpg


Repco 4" precision vice on Repco tool & cutter grinder
20260624_184918.jpg
 
The best vises for home gunsmithing are probably the old Parker Hale 'Bisley' models.

84553b_1000x.jpg.webp


Modern rip-offs are available from Lothar Walther, as Mr. Muskox has posted. The modern ones come without that strapped-on ladder arrangement (which ought to be in two parts), and which on second-hand models often seems to have wandered off; the purpose of which was to swivel the vice through 90 degrees, from horizontal to vertical.

These come up for sale about once every 6 months on eBay.co.uk. Expect to pay between £125-150 ($165-200), but shipping is usually a killer due to the weight.

Holts have one coming up for auction next week, with an estimate of £100-200, which would be just about acceptable were it not for their larcenous commission.
 
We moved to our home in 89, I inherited my vice from previous owner.
 

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