More than half of the post vise's I see for sale are bent ,broke,needs parts,or just really expensive.Not ranty at all ,just good advise,Thanks.

Roy, I don't have a post leg vise but am currently looking at one. I have a large machinists vice that I use and just last week my nephew was over because he needed to use it, I saw him grab a 2lb hammer and walk over to the vise. I immediately knew what he was going to do and I stopped him, it's another common way people attempt to tighten the vise.....wack the arm with a hammer. I am glad I was there to stop him and teach him a little lesson.

I just found and bought an old restoration project vise yesterday and I'm really excited to start using it. Your information you shared on this video is really appreciated. Thanks very much.

I am a toolmaker and I run into this problem a lot, even on things other than vises. Some people will over tighten most things they work with in the misconception that tighter is better. Really most times if you prevent the initial movement, most things will simply not move. My rant is over. Great video Roy!

Honestly wouldn’t have thought about that; considering how the tightening mechanism works, that makes absolute sense. Really informative video and thank you for the heads-up!

Very good adVISE

Great information. I can say I have never done this, but it was helpful to hear better suggestions for locking in your work.

Great advice, thanks for the reminder not to mistreat your tools, especially older ones that are harder to replace. You can’t fix stupid. Thanks again

That's a good point. I'm always paranoid about breaking a vise overtightening it so I never go any tighter than I can get it by hand. Especially with how much it costs to get even a decent small machinists vise, let alone finding another leg vise.

Might be a few years old, but I love me a Roy Rant Video!! Awesome info, god bless to you, Jess and all!

I am glad that you told people about the misuse of the Vise, it might save a few in the future, and have a Merry Christmas

In our blacksmith club/guild we keep a ring of spacer plates to put in vises so if you crank on an item on one end it puts pressure on the vise trying to twist so we have the trainees put equal spacers on the other side of the jaws.

Excellent knowledge imparted to us! Thank you Roy! Too many people think it's like a hold fast and take the "if it doesn't hold, just give it a whack" mentality. They don't realize the mechanical physics involved. Being a pretty big guy myself, I had to learn at a young age that I have to know my own strength, because my tendency was to just want to horse on something to get it tight, but I often overtightened things in doing so. And as you said, it can be a very costly lesson! Merry Christmas to you and Jess and the family from Bekki and I out here in California! God bless y'all!

Thank you Roy! Appreciate what you do immensely!❤

Thank you for the info Roy God bless

Great information as usual. Thank you!

My first visit. Absolutely the best information you could pass on about vise use!

Great video as always. Hope you are feeling better!

Thanks for helping to educate what public are open-minded enough to be able to stop and think. Always great content! I don't think I ever thought about the "bucking block" something to put under my work to stop it from slipping down. Genius, that's why you get the big bucks, clever inventor guy! :D

My everyday use leg vise has the brazen on threads. I figured that out when I took it apart to clean it up. It is a very big leg vise, must be very old too!

Thank you. I tend to crank on vice handles sometimes even though that little voice in my head is saying "this can't be right". Good to have some clarification of why. Now I will just go ahead and make that hydraulic vice I have been thinking about....

Thank you for this. I was unsure if this was a good idea or not.

Well said, great advise! Nice rant!! Thank you

Thank you brother, much appreciation.

One of my 4" vises I picked up years ago had a bar bent like a C. I straightened it out and reworked the vise but luckily the threads were okay. I didn't think about the threads when I got it. I got lucky. :)

Especially on old wrought vices, you can actually bend the arms too with too much force. I have one that's that bent like that, and seen it before as well.

Oohhh boy am i glad to see you put out this video i have looked so long to get a good leg vise and finally i got a beautiful one from mark aspery. Please yell louder so the awsome tools wont be destroyed. Great video!!!!!

I used to have a large vintage benchtop vise that was a gift from my shipbuilder/neighbor/C.O.'s friend. My methed-up brother decided to use it and the next morning at work,he showed me my vise....snapped in two. Yesterday at an auction,I got an antique leg post vise from a deceased railroader for $7.00,with a slightly bent handle and chrome-in-a-can paint job. Can't wait to get that paint off and give it a good oiling.

6:12 😂😂😂 Thank you Mr. Roy for the laugh. When I bough my vise, the bar was bent😢 didn't know why till now. Thank you this was very helpful.🙌

Thanks for the advice! My vise is a lil bent and the screw has some cracks in it. I guess my great granddad did this mistake. Its1 working good tho

Hello, very good video! Remember in the mecanic in general, there is no (force over) for this the bare on the screw is not 5 feets lengs... I open an old vise and the internal screw is used but no crack or demmage on it..... Everytings ned to go alone (free with no force on it) that will gives to you more happynes on mecanic approache.....😎👍👍☺ Small mecanic guy from Switzerland

Preach it brother, preach it!

All you say is TRUE -- Thanks! Sadly, in my case it is too late because the last 2 inches or so of my spindle (whatever the threaded part is called) is gone missing. Looking for a replacement of that part or even a nice long piece of acme threaded bar has been unsuccessful so far.

Very good information Roy. I did not feel like you were yelling at me and I will change the way I tighten up my leg vise from now on

I bought a leg vice last night. The guy said "Ya, the handle was bent so I straightened it out." I immediately thought of this video. Anyhow, It looks good, but when I told the guy about the tread damage that could result he cut his price in half, cause he felt I would take good care of his granpa's vice and I will....

Thanks for this I have to say I thought adding pressure you’ll have mad it tighter going to work on stopping that habit.

Go ahead and rant Roy, you are 100% correct, to many antique tools are being destroyed with bad use, sad to see but it happens!

Very informative video! One thing I learned the hard way, is that I used to own a harbor freight vice, and I had a peice in there sideways and I sheered the jaws off because they were just mounted with some shitty screws. I finnaily made an upgrade and bought a the ridge tool co. 42 opn. Not the best vice but it is so much better than any harbor freight vice out there

Everybody must see this video!!! Bravo!

great video i almost did that this weekend thanks again

As always another good informative video!

I would like to see something on the power hammer in the back ground of this video

Yes! Using the right tool for the job can alleviate most tool abuse. Each tool does something well, and other things it isn't meant to do.

Good info. Never heard how much cranking was good/bad. (how tight is tight?)

Merry Christmas, Roy, love your videos. I just found one from a long time ago. You were talking about making a forge using cement and perlite. How did it turnout? I can't find anything else on your channel about it? Please answer. I have koa wool but would rather not use it if your mix will work. Thanks for what you do!

Very true, a guy that I used to work with almost killed a great wilton vise (the shop's) by putting a huge cheater bar and hanging on it

I never thought about this but i do this kind of thing alot. Ill hammer the bar bell a tap or two... Yup thats gonna stop. Cuz i want a lag vice some day.

Thanks for the good advice

You are correct I’ve been saying this for years!! the best one is where guys hit the lead screw with a hammer I hate that!

I have quite a few vises out in my shop that have no threaded vise parts. I have to figure out how to make the parts.

Someone welded the bushing the tightening arm rides in to the vice. When it opens up the piece pull apart. Wondering what you think.

Sound advice but to be honest I have never seen a vice with striped thread's. It's always splits in the eye or Jaws that seem to be mashed. But I haven't seen all that many leg vice I guess. Nice video dude keep it up.

Guilty of using pipe & Hammer thank you learnt a lot

Great video. Thanks

I received your christmas card...you have a great looking family. thank you for the card and the videos. merry christmas to you and yours

Very educational ps saw your mechanical hammer in the background could you show it as I wish to make one please ??😀

Great advice.

Great advice Roy!

About to buy a vice, thanks!

Thank you I'm guilty of all those things thank you for the video taught me a lot

I got this post vice at a yard sale. Being new I am not sure if I should cut the welds off the bushing or just leave it??

Ok, good point. But how about suggestions for how to handle something slipping without trying to crank down the vise more.

i recently got to borrow an old vice from a friend with that i try to repair it, i was optimistic, now i find the arm is bent out of heck and its stuck in placewith a bunch of weald spots on it. no spring... its a big one but ill try for the sake of it possibly living on. Cheers

And advise on straightening a slightly bent handle? Got my first vise tonight and the handles just slightly bent, so little I didn't notice till I slid the handle to the other side and still barely noticed.

Just snaggged up an old post vice threads look great, no spring or mounting bracket....would love a tutorial on how to repair such a scinario.

Great video Roy I build junk yard sculptures So I'm always in junk yards and scrap yards And I see alot of vices where someone ruined vices like this I pick them up Some times It's an easy fix It's just a bent handle I cut it off and put a large bolt on it Some times I have to dress up the screw Some are just gone Really enjoy your videos I have a question for you I aquired a post vice Can you make video on the proper way to set one up Thanks Rich

Hey Roy i just bought me an old pole leg vice buy it's a 6'' and all i'm missing is that Spring and a part on the mount You wouldn't happen to no where i can find me the spring would you I think can forge the mount part i need Thanks bud

What if the jaws are not square facing one another? Is that a sign of wear or bad threads? Would it be okay to just flap disk them square/flat?

Another thought. Another no no is to rest your work piece in the nut casting when upsetting the end. It is a nut casting not an anvil. It is just a casting and it will shatter. Thanks for the rant, Roy. I too do not like to see tools mistreated.

I have to partially disagree; I recently straightened a bent handle of an old vise (vise #1) by putting it in the jaws of another vise (vise #2) across the length of the jaw and repeatedly hammering the handle of vise #2 until the handle of vise #1 was straight, essentially squeezing it straight. So it did indeed squeeze tighter beyond its normal limits. By the way, vise #2 was a Chinese beater vise and vise #1 was American. After beating on vise #2, nothing happened, the handle didn't even bend. But otherwise, I understand and agree with what you're saying and you make some good points.

I'd never do the push with my foot thing. I'm too old and inflexible. I just smack the handle with my hammer! (It's a cheap cast vice)

Great Advice.

I think the crooked handles come from people hammering them to tighten it more.

Had a friend who routinely set the handle with a big dead blow hammer every time he mounted anything. Whether he needed to or not. All of his vices were always super sloppy.

Another big no no that a lot of people get away with for a time is beating on a cast machinist's bench vice. A good one is horrendously expensive to buy brand new.

God bless my brother. What kind of vice is that?

I have the exact same vise at home. It was my great grandads along with his Peter wright anvil. He was the local blacksmith. I am however unable to find out who made the vise. Would you have any info how to find this out. The only thing I see on mine is a star.

Ah man.... I could have used this rant 6 months ago, I had to learn my lesson the hard way. Thankfully it at least was not an antique vice.

How do you inspect vintage vices to make sure it isn't stripped?

Mine doesn't have a barbell, so I can't hurt it. Instead it has a wedge that tightens the jaws closed as I pound on it with a hammer. It is made by Ponderosa Forge in Sisters, Oregon.

I always worked as a welder I really have spent many hours working with a vice Not a antique post vice, A modern vice. I would tighten it by hand then if not tight enough I would give the handle a lick with my maul. That vice has but one purpose in life That to hold what I need to be held Make my life easier. I have never busted a vice I may have created a bit of wear Nevertheless ! Though I do not condone being a vice destruction A vice is just a tool There a reason why old antique tools most often have battle scars Of course you could have a sort of museum only polish and never really use your tools in the pursuit of making money

Thanks for the tip

I dug a 5" vise out of a junkheap that someone had used a cheater bar on and apparently didnt use common sense, and the thing was so badly bent i had to just cut it off and make a new one for it. by some miracle the threads on both the rod and the nut are ok and it just needs a new handle (and a spring but a few minutes and a piece of leaf spring fixed that issue).

OH! Isn't that why it's called a leg vise?! (Sorry had to)

Thank you! Just got my first leg vise from a good friend. My bar bell isn't bent but when I get home I'm gonna look at the threads and check them. And I make sure to use the tool responsibly as to preserve the history

Good info.....

What is the vise in the thumbnail? Got one with an identical screwbox that's unmarked, and have yet to determine manufacturer. Mounting plate looks to be an Indian Chief, but date on the moving jaw predates Columbus Forge & Iron Co.'s founding.

Nice.... You give verry comen but informative thing.....

one other note the nut in most vises are made of brass not steal.. hop this helps.

My family shop vise is a 1940s bench top type that has been hammered on and cranked on with 3 foot cheaters and hung on with all the weight of 200lb gorillas. then a few years ago i just used my normal strength to tighten it and it snapped the end of the thread where the screw has a hole drilled through for a pin. Had an old school welder fix it up though

I'd never put a cheater bar on it and I don't have the balance to lift my foot that high... admittedly, I have to watch my strength.. I do have a tendency to crank past the max...

How did they do the corresponding female threads? Also brazed some how?

how do you find out the identification of the vises of that era

On behalf of my vice I thank you

I have a question Roy i just purchased a vise that looks like a twin to your's. I saw a small crack under the handle side jaw can i mig weld this or what would you recommend? I really appreciate your time and opinion Takecare and i hope you n yours are keeping healthy.

Man I must have a nice built leg vise! The bar is bent and the threads are perfect! Btw I didn’t bend the bar the previous owner did.

I agrea that this will eventually ruin the threads but saying that it doesnt get any tighter is wrong. Of course it gets tighter. I would not do that to somthing very old anyway y would risk ruining a piece of history

Good info on vise use. Only issue I have is at 4:11 where you say "a piece of 200 year old plus history". Seen a lot of folks say similar things about old stuff so this is not a jab at you, Roy. "History" implies a known story. An old piece of equipment, without a known story, is just an old piece of equipment. It has no history. An antique has value soly due to its age regardless of it functionality. It might even have even more value if it has a history, i.e a known story. A functional tool has greater value, IMO, regardless of its age than an antique. If this functional tool has history, i.e. a known story, this might increase its sentimental value. The fact that it is simply old does not increase its functional value at all. Sorry for my long spin off rant and no offense intended to anyone. I just get tired of people referring to old stuff as pieces of history when they have no idea of the story behind the item.

Dang... This video is half a year late. Well. Now I know. Thanks.

Well done, thank you we need more of this info passed on, and as far as being loud ? Ya need to put your point across ya need to yell sometimes. Its ok !