Looking for bench vice jaws

[Tony Zona]

I have this Craftsman 5 1/2-inch bench vice, product numbered 51871. One of the jaws is broken. It came to me that way, and I’m guessing it has been around for decades and decades.

One place online said jaws are available for that number vice, but the company lists its jaws as 4 1/2-inch.

Where can I find jaws for it? I have no idea who made it for Sears.

411351

[Jim Koepke]

One source says most Craftsman vises were made by Wilton and the ones that weren't were made by Columbian.

jtk

[Tony Zona]

Thanks, Jim, I will go searching there.

I just sent a note off to Wilton.

[Bill Dufour]

Zoro has "replacement vise jaws". Worst case you will have to drill one new mounting hole and cut any extra length off. They are considered a consumable item. You can also buy soft jaws.
Bil lD

[Dean S Walker]

Tony that looks like an older columbian.

[Tony Zona]

Thanks, Dean

[Jim Matthews]

Failing a direct replacement, consider Brass?

[Tony Zona]

[Double post]

[Tony Zona]

Nice idea.

Would brass jaws hold a metal workpiece as tightly as steel jaws would hold it?

[Jim Matthews]

Good question. Brass is soft (so you can drill your own holes) and will deform under pressure against harder metals.

I lined my vise dedicated for metal with heavy leather.
It leaves no mark and has some "grip".

Cheapo rubber jar opener sheets or drawer liner work just as well if metal rotates in soft jaws.

I recommend brass because you should find it locally.

[freiler thompson]

If you do a search for replacement vise jaws in the garagejournal forms then you should be able to find some good sources. They will also be able to tell you who made the vise and when.

[Barney Markunas]

It might be worth an inquiry at the nearest Sears or Craftsman outlet. Hand tool replacement has always be pretty painless... not sure if a vise qualifies as a hand tool... i doubt they have replacement parts but you might get lucky and have them replace the vise for you. You surely don't have much downside in asking. I worked with a driller who managed to snap the handle on a 36" pipe wrench (yes that takes some real effort) and the nearest Sears replaced it on the spot. I don't think he bothered to tell them he had put a 10' cheater on it.

[Jim Koepke]

It might be worth an inquiry at the nearest Sears or Craftsman outlet.

Didn't Sears sell the rights to the Craftsman name?

https://money.cnn.com/2017/01/05/investing/sears-sells-craftsman-stanley-black-decker/index.html

jtk

[Eric Danstrom]

I bought that exact model of vise brand new back in the early 90s iirc. Still have it, it's served me very well. I would make a set of jaws if/when my jaws fail. Even if you get it replaced the new vise won't be as nice as what you have.

I understood the Craftsman lifetime warranty ended with the sale of Craftsman. That's what happened with Schwinn's lifetime warranty when it was sold in the 90s.

[John K Jordan]

I would make a set of jaws if/when my jaws fail.


That was my thought too. Know anyone with metal working capability? - would be a quick and easy project. Starting with the right size of bar stock jaws could even be made with hand tools and a drill press.

[Tony Zona]

I’ve been pondering that.

What kind of steel or bar stock?

[Eric Danstrom]

Hack saw/fresh blades, file, drill press and a couple beers are all I need (and my collection of drill bits).

For material I've got a bin with steel scraps, I have something in there that would work.

Ebay sellers have all sorts of metal in all sorts shapes. I found good candidates in the Metal Sheets & Flat Stock section of Raw Materials under Business and Industrial catagory. For example I found 4140 Alloy Steel Rectangle Bar, Unpolished Mill Finish, 3/8" x 1" x 12" for $16 shipped. I didn't post a link but there literally tons of product in that category (And I literally used "literally" correctly!)

[John K Jordan]

I’ve been pondering that.

What kind of steel or bar stock?

I checked a couple of my vises. The jaws on one is cast iron and the other looks like mild steel. You can test your old jaws to see if they are hardened - use a triangular file or the corner of a flat file and try filing on the metal. If the jaws are cast iron or unhardened steel, you will be able to cut into the metal. If the jaws are hardened the file will not bite but just skate.

Cast iron can be soft and brittle and can break with too much force. Mild steel is moderately soft and may bend or deform with force but won't break. Hardened steel can be brittle if improperly annealed but it is very hard and won't dent or wear easily.

A quick google search shows there is controversy over whether to use soft or hardened jaws. Depend on what you are doing with the vise. Here is one opinion: https://wiltonviseparts.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/vise-jaw-steel-and-heat-treating-why-it-matters/

From the fact that yours are broken makes me suspect they are either hardened and not annealed or made from cast iron.

The choice between mild steel and hardened steel is a tradeoff. Hardened and annealed tool steel jaws would grip well and last a long time but would be more likely to mar things held tight in the jaws. But you can't easily saw or machine hardened steel. You have to buy it unhardened, shape and drill, then heat treat, not necessarily easy. Oil-hardening tool steel (O1) is fairly straightforward to heat treat - heat until a magnet won't stick to it and quench in oil, then anneal in a toaster oven for several hours (at 400F if my memory hasn't failed). You can find youtube videos of how to do this with a little propane torch forge/kiln home-made from a couple of fire bricks - knife makers build them to harden their blades, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifTIuNt3aNY

Mild steel is easy to work, less likely to mar the work, but perhaps won't grip as well and would wear more quickly with extreme use. But no heat treating required. Given the choice, I'd use mild steel. BTW, I have a lot of steel stock on hand but if I don't have the sizes I need I usually buy from Online Metals. Short pieces of cold-rolled mild steel are pretty cheap.

Either way, to make a jaw just cut the stock to size, mark and drill the holes for mounting, countersinking as needed, then file a pattern in he jaw face for gripping if desired. A thin abrasive metal-cutting disk might be good for that.

JKJ

[Tony Zona]

Is mild steel 1018 cold finish ok?

[John K Jordan]

Is mild steel 1018 cold finish ok?

This page has good descriptions of the various types of cold-rolled steel:
https://www.onlinemetals.com/en/product-guide
First select the type of metal, "Cold Roll" in this case, find 1018, and click on "Learn More..."

I find this a useful way to decide what alloys to buy, especially with aluminum and brass. For example, if I want brass for machining it explains why 360 is good.

JKJ

[Rob Luter]

Is mild steel 1018 cold finish ok?

It will be fine. It will have a rolled surface finish free of scale. It will be relatively soft and easy to work with.

[Eric Danstrom]

I just checked my original jaws and they are not hardened. I don't know if hardened jaws are better but if/when my jaws fail I won't worry about hardening the ones I make to replace the originals.

[Tony Zona]

I always assumed these jaws were special steel, but after all you people have said, I looked closer. A triangle file hacked right into the broken one. Thanks Mr. Jordan.

Right now I have a project going, but next i will take a stab at making jaws. I went looking through scrap and I think I have steel to use.

Thanks everybody. . . . And I always thought vice jaws were some special magic.