Parker Bench Vises

[ahfoxman]

Hello Edgar, The Parker anvil measures exactly 3 1/2" from the tip to the heel and appears to have a slightly different shape??? I can post more photos if interested.

[edgarspencer]

I forgot I had one like yours. Mine may not be as tall. It's a number 88. I guess I've had it quite awhile, because I don't remember having the energy to get it up to the 2nd floor of the barn. Somebody trade me something for it.
Also, I never hear anyone mention one of Parkers woodworking vises. Here's a no.26. They mounted to the underside of the bench, and are very useful, though not as versatile as a true pattern makers vise (3 axis angle adjustment)

[Bill Murphy]

Tom, I have a 3 1/2" anvil like yours, but unmarked. I guess it is iron or steel because a magnet sticks to it. I may have been wrong about never having seen a Parker marked anvil, because I bought this one because it was identical to a marked one I had seen (I think). There sure are a lot of bears out there. I wonder if Edgar was ever approached to cast those?

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I wonder if Edgar was ever approached to cast those?

If he was, he doesn't remember. Anything small, like replacement parts for my steam engines, I would do on my own, making the mold in the core room and pouring it myself. Our ladles were 20,000#, suspended from 50 ton bridge cranes. It made hitting a 1" pouring cup tricky, especially since the stream was about 2 1/2" diameter, and at about 30#/second.
These little anvils were more likely jewelers tools. Mine were salesman's handouts as paperweights. Same with the Parker Bears and itty bitty vises.

[ahfoxman]

Hello Edgar and Bill, My small vise is finely finished like a jeweler's tool would have been. It also shows quite a bit of honest table (top working surface) wear, but no signs of abuse. Just a Neat small Parker piece. I just checked it is indeed non magnetic, so is most likely brass as it appears. Bill, you are correct, there were a boat load of Bears, but I only have the one left, traded the rest away. These vises are like coffee grinders, a LOT of different models have and are turning up. Before ebay, I sure paid too much for a few of them(coffee grinders), Oh Well, ebay is what it is, a world wide flea market. Sometimes I miss the good old simplier days. Thanks Edgar for mentioning the 'itty bitty vises', I forgot about them and went into a panic mode looking for mine, finally found it downstairs in the safe, bent handles and all.