Friday, December 10, 2021

One of my vices is vises, Coachmakers vise, Keystone logo

This oddly shaped vise is a coachmakers or sheetmetal vise, the tall shape gives more clearance to work and the smooth jaws prevent marking the work. The jaws open much wider than is common now.

From Papawswrench.com;"To the best of my knowledge the coachmaker's vise was developed early in the 18th century for use in shops that worked mostly with wood. In the early twentieth century demand for these vises seems to have nearly dried up. In the 1930s some manufactures were marketing them as woodworker's vises, but apparently this sales tactic did not work. Later they were marketed in small numbers as filler's vises or sheet metal vises. At least two companies (Yost and Milwaukee Tool & Equipment) still manufacture them as sheet metal vises".

For markings, this one has only this keystone logo, apparently this is associated with the Hollands Mfg. company of Erie Pa.

thanks, Inno!



 

1 comment:

  1. I can definately see the utility in that vise for sheet metal work. Letting you bend about 125 degrees instead of just 90 which makes it easier to continue the fold over using the jaws. Hard to do that with just a 90. Wish I had one of these before I bought a finger brake.

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