Parker Bench Vises

[ahfoxman]

Hello Bill,

Yup, here is a photo of the mark which is in the anvil's throat. I have been told that there is one that is about 1/3 larger, but haven't seen one.

Before the lousy weather hits, I ran over and got some photos of the massive, deep throated, Parker swivel based vise, that is hiding over in my son's barn. It is about 18" high, and the jaws are about 7" wide, and from the beam looks like it will open to about 12" to 14". I used to use it to set up rear ends. I remember it takes a couple of us to move it about and an engine lift to get it up on the bench. Unfortunately, I can't easily move it where it is, so I can't see the model number, but the body's cast 'THE CHAS PARKER' marking clearly shows in the photograph, as well as on the drive screw's lynch block. Like you, I used to buy them if fairly priced. I have an original box around here somewhere for one of the bigger bench vises. About 35 years ago the company where I worked bought new ones from an industrial supply house. They were only marked 'PARKER' as I remember. Ticker meds done, so time to hit the sack.

[Bill Murphy]

Thanks, Tom. I've never seen that vise nor have I seen a Parker marked miniature anvil.

[Jeff K.]

It is interesting that it is marked Parker Bros. I would guess it came out of the gun factory.
Here is a vise you don't see very often. It is a # 429.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Thanks, Tom. I've never seen that vise nor have I seen a Parker marked miniature anvil.

I'd bet a buck it was actually made by Bradley & Hubbard for Parker. Parker did not pour non-ferrous in their foundry.

[edgarspencer]

These are Bradley & Hubbard. The bronze ones are 3 1/4" Horn to heel, and the iron one is 10 1/4".
( It's actually steel. I Borrowed one from my sister, who has a lot of the B&H patterns, and used it for a pattern to cast in my foundry.) Oddly, Old Sturbridge Village brought an antique one to us to have a repro made, as they didn't think they should be using the original. After I told them I thought was stupid, I took a drilling from the bottom of it, and ran it through our lab. It was a high carbon as I'd expect from CI, but also high in Mg, Cr and NI, so it made me wonder if steel may be older than we thought. None the less, it rang like the original and their hippy dippy blacksmith thought it was great.

[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.