Mystery Vise ID?

[Don Orr]

This clamping device was on CL with the saw vise I just posted. It has a cam locking system similar to many saw vises, but the jaws are thin and long. There are 2 feet at either ends of the jaws. The jaws also piviot in 1 direction as shown in 1 of the photos but stop at 90 degrees. The inner face of one jaw is lined with a softer material like felt or leather. There is only a single screw hole at the bottom which I imagine would secure it to a work table of some sort. The words on the jaw look to be possibly "GUNN & HANNAK P G W, PA and PAT"D JULY 16,95 & NOV 24,96". I found nothing on Google search. I only gave $15 for it with the real saw vise (total $30) so no big loss.

Any ideas on actual function of this device from the extensive braintrust here? Thanks for any input.

[Jim Matthews]

Did this come from the Adirondacks?

I'm thinking larger than your average shop saw,
and employed in the position you have displayed.

I think the back "legs" are designed to keep a portion of a logging saw (or bandsaw)
up off the bench high enough to pass a file.

[Jim Koepke]

I found nothing on Google search.

You didn't search > patent july 16, 1895 gunn <

http://www.datamp.org/patents/advance.php?id=13260&set=1

Which leads to this:

http://www.google.com/patents/US571742

It is listed as a saw clamp of some kind.

Read the information down the page at the second link. My eyes are trying to close on me right now.

jtk

[Don Orr]

Wow-Thanks Jim K. I did not google enough. Great info. Still seems a little light weight for filing saws to me. But what do I know ?

Jim M.-not sure of origin-I got it near Albany, NY. Jim K. forund some interesting patent info.

[Jim Matthews]

I've got a modern variant of this, and it's about 1/2 this size.

I still think this was intended to be carried to the site, and used to sharpen logging saws.
It appears from the patent description that the rear tines were driven into a bench top to hold everything in place.

If you were carrying it to a remote logging camp, weight would be a consideration.

Cool tool, it's an excellent find.