Best vice

[alan smith 6Participant @alansmith6]

Thanks for tip about the fibre jaws, I`ll send away for a couple of pairs ASAP.

I`ve always bought Britool tools in the past and they haven`t let me down, recently at the Beaulieu Autojumble I bought a new old stock boxed Imperial socket set as a standby in case my other set was ever stolen!

As "Britool" now sells vices does this mean that the name has been bought by another manufacturer?

Years ago Woden products were considered to be of inferior quality, however I`m glad that Vic is satisfied with his vice.

Alan

[Nick HughesParticipant @nickhughes97026]

I too always bought Britool spanners and sockets, but not any more, as they are now made in the far east and sold under the "Britool Expert" banner.

The British made Britool can still be found as NOS, but it's getting harder to find.

Nick.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by alan smith 6 on 21/06/2015 16:47:26:

Years ago Woden products were considered to be of inferior quality, however I`m glad that Vic is satisfied with his vice.

Alan

? Mines a Record vice.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Britool was bought from James Neill tools of Sheffield by FACOM of France in the 90s. I would not be sure they are made in the Far East, that is more like Draper-Expert.

But who knows the real answer?

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, **LINK** four scans of vices from 1963 in a catalogue that I have, for those who maybe interested. ( 20/- =£1.00 those days)

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I have a few Facom spanners at work, they are good quality, but not as nice to use as the older Britool ones that I used to have.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 21/06/2015 17:33:22

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Looking at the quality (and the price), it sounds as if Britool have gone the way of many well-known names. I have a "South Bend" drilling machine vise that was bought in North America. It was clearly made in China or India and just about up to drilling work – once the lovely cream coloured paint had finally dried. I'm sure a lot of patriotic Mercans bought these because of the name.

In its day, Britool seemed to be the UK equivalent of Snap-On ie top quality and top dollar. And if you bought Britool tools from RS Components, you could be certain of paying an arm and several legs regardless of what it was. I have several such tools acquired at a company closure that I gloat over to this day. Perhaps if Britool hadn't been so ruinously expensive, both companies would still be in business…

Murray

[alan smith 6Participant @alansmith6]

I have a Facom "mole grip" type of tool, lent it to somebody and it arrived back damaged and no apologies or offer to buy a new one.

I also have a Facom nut splitter which elongated the frame when I used it first time. Facom did have a good reputation once but I will never buy another of their products.

Sorry Vic, put it down to old age!

Alan

Edited By alan smith 6 on 21/06/2015 18:04:04

[VicParticipant @vic]

You and me both Alan!

[richard 2Participant @richard2]

Many, many thanks everyone.

It's definitely "flea-bay" and a Record 3.

Richard.

[paul 1950Participant @paul1950]

just offered you a record no 3 for £15.00 or £20.00 on ebay it just need a repaint

  eBay item number: 261920835995

Edited By paul 1950 on 22/06/2015 09:01:00

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Gentlemen,

A slight step sideways, when I was an apprentice you had to spend time in all dept's including company security and one afternoon at the end of the day shift I was with the guards watching everybody leave, it was also raining, when a gentleman on a push bike rode past wearing a yellow wax cape. As he passed he was seen to fall off the bike for no apparent reason so the guards went to assist to find that he had a large bench vice tied by a rope around his neck which had been balanced on his crossbar and had fallen off dragging him with it

Martin P

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Richard 2,

Don't be put off the Record 23 vice with the quick release facility. I have used various Record quick release vices for 50 odd years and the mechanism has never failed in anyway. The convenience of have the quick release is well worth having. You will find No 23 at much the same price ass No 3 at car boot sales.

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Sorry post added twice.

Edited By Lambton on 22/06/2015 10:33:15

[paul 1950Participant @paul1950]

I have been buying and selling vices for years and the half nut can fail and to replace it will cost more than a second hand vice, so check it before you buy. Myself i have a record no 112 plus other vices.

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

My first vice was and still is my Parkinson no 5 bought at a discount via the apprentice tool club 1963/64 I surface ground the jaws smooth and the jaws are held tight with hex head bolts into tapped holes in the jaws a far better method than Records countersunk screws,this vice did get abused for around 20 years,on stationary engines,trials motor cycles,tractors and cars plus model making and is still my prime vice,most destructive was using it as a press.Eventually the quick release jaw would slip,real nuisance,I found that the nut would not fit back fully into the thread,the the screw had stretched so I had a variable pitch screw. Its now a fixed nut vice. I later bought a second hand big beast a Record no 25 for rough work and also hydraulic press.So check the screw on old used vices before purchase

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Or there's one like this, based on my Record bench Vice, took an afternoon, mainly file and hacksaw work, it"s about 1" long, and it and the bench live in my model workshop. Ian S C

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Ian,

That is delightful

MichaelG

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Nobody has mentioned the leg vice, or blacksmiths vice. These have one long leg down to the ground with fixed jaw, the other jaw is pivoted from this. This cannot be called a precision tool, but it will take some hammer, ideal for bending, burning etc..Just the opposite to Ians' . 

Edited By Gordon W on 22/06/2015 15:25:33

[paul 1950Participant @paul1950]

this is a nice vice i might sell

[Mark Reyes 1Participant @markreyes1]

If you need more squeeze pressue between the jaws you get that by adding torque to the handle, You add length by putting a pipe over the handle but on a cheap vise the handle will very often bend and if not the gears in the screw drive may crack and/or break. I found a little one here.

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

Here's my Record No.74 AutoVice which was given to me about 55 years ago. It's on a swivel base (that comes in very handy sometimes) and has seen lots of action.

The jaw clamps used to have fibre pads, which wore out so I replaced them with nylon. I can't hold hot things though.

[Mike E.Participant @mikee-85511]

Have a look here…….

Google Swindens Vice.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Beware of using a cast iron vice as a small press. They have a nasty habit of breaking, especially if the "Scaffold tube over handle" method is used.

Cast steel is much better, even if it does cost more.

Howard

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Any well designed vise would fail safe – the handle should bend before destroying the vise by over-tightening.

I would say get an old one, of good quality, and replace the jaws if necessary. There are loads out there at good prices (I know a man who buys most of the decent vises at a regular auction I attend, cleans them up, paints if necessary and sells them on at a good profit).

If you don't like it, or prefer another that you come across, just swap it out and sell it for about the same as it cost you. Shiny new vises are money pit (if you make the wrong choice).

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