Wednesday, March 22, 2017

One of my vices is vises: Pin Vises

Use and Care of Hand Tools and Measuring Tools.  Department of the Army Technical Manual No. 9-243.  Washington, D.C., 1960.

George W. Barnwell (Ed.), The New Encyclopedia of Machine Shop Practice.  NY:  Wm. H. Wise & Co., Inc., 1941.

(I think the vise at the bottom of the drawing above is more accurately referred to as a "hand vise.")

Below, my small selection of pin vises:


The one at the bottom is particularly interesting.  On the Web, it is usually referred to as a pen-style watchmaker's pin vise.  The knurled knob at the end unscrews to reveal a cavity in the handle for storing probes or drill bits.


Pin vices have been around for a while.  Below, the Goodell Brothers Company Pin Vise from 1896:


Pin vises offered by Starrett in 1938:

Starrett Catalogue No. 26, 1938.

3 comments:

Fishingfiend said...

I have one of those 265s ... but mine is printed with CT 265 C. It comes with the pin, like the one you have But it also has 6 "feeler gauge" like blades in it. They are all the same thickness, so I don't think they're actually feeler gauges.
Do you know who the manufacturer is? Or, what those blades are actually used for?

Mister G said...

I'm not finding any info anywhere on these tools, hoping someone who knows will speak up! Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

Search for "Bell System Western Electric 265-C Burnishing Tool"