Irwin Record No.3 Mechanics Vice 4in

Product Information

The two coats of enamel paint were applied using a small brush as we do not have access to spaying equipment and were left to dry for 24 hours between each layer. It was left for several days to fully harden before assembly. Using a spray system would have given a smoother overall finish but as they are being used in our workshop the brushed finish was good enough. Final Assembly Before the vices could be primed and painted any remaining dust and dirt had to be removed using isopropyl alcohol and clean rags. The areas which did not need to be painted were covered in masking tape and then sprayed using Red Oxide primer and left for two days to fully dry. I bought the impact driver for the first vice I did up, a record no.4 with screws in a similar sort of state. Much to my surprise they came out really easily, unlike today! You have got them out now but the way to do it is use the impact driver bit in the screw slot but with the jaws clamped on it then release the screw 1/4 of a turn with a spanner on the flats of the bit. Submerge in the acid bath for a further 12-24 hours then remove, scrub/power wash and also submerge in clean water for a few mins (do this while scrubbing to save time)

It’s in good condition really, everything works as it should, clean, jaws close tight – can’t complain at all. No idea how old it is – 50s/60s I would have thought. I'm intrigued by the 1917 marking, could it really be that old ? maybe a date of patent/design or something ? For over 40 years we have had a No 1 Record vice in our shed/workshop and it has been well used and abused over the years with the clamping handle being very bent and twisted from using extension bars to increase the clamping force. The plan with the newer vices is to restore them and use the larger No 2 vice to replace our old No 1 model.I’m not sure if anyone is interested in ways to clean up rusty old vices but I’ve done quite a few so I hope the following helps someone: Mix the paint well before you start, especially if it's not a new can, poor mixing/shaking will give spatters. Both vices were very dirty and rusty where they had been kept outside for some time and on the threaded parts and undersides were years of grease and grime. I really like the suggestion of the kurust passivated finish then oil or maybe varnish, I have just the job in mind for it, if only I could remember what it is 🙁 seriously not long ago I was looking for that sort of finish, a light bulb lit up in my mind when you mentioned it but I have no idea what it was!

On the lookout for a tail vice now. Then i’ll start on my bench, drawing inspiration from your bench, Paul. How heavy is it? I hear the steel ones tend to weigh less than their cast iron counterparts due to the additional strength, but can still take a good beating. I wasn’t too popular with the wife for stealing her hairdryer but it was worth it, the vices are completely rust free. I don't bother with masking it up, I'll sand any paint off the machined surfaces when I'm done and tidying it up. That would have looked stunning just lacquered, that way it would have shown traces of all its colourful life (see what i did there).Presently, on my personal benches, I have three Woden vises on the two benches at my home workshop and at the Penrhyn Castle workshop, have two personal benches there, I have two Record vises and a Woden vise. I did a bit of reading and Hampton were the originators of the Record name, they eventually merged with William Ridgeway Ltd to become Ridgeway-Record Tools, later renamed Record Tools and eventually sold off to Irwin Tools.

I found a business called Paragon Enamel Paints which sells a very wide range of paints in modern and vintage colours. They sell a blue paint which is the same as the original Record vice paint called “BS381C 110 Roundel Blue - Record Vice Blue” https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/BS381C-110-Roundel-Blue-Record-Vice-Blue.html Such a satisfying job, and cost about the same as an import vice of about the same size. This thing will outlast me, my son and probably his son! I’ve wanted to learn the skills for a long time (it’s in my blood from growing up around it), and your videos have really given me a firm direction in which to begin building them – so thank you for the videos you make and the time you sacrifice to impart your wisdom. You’ve got a love and passion that’s clearly apparent and is completely infectious.The vice was in the house (well, garage) when I bought it. I recently had a good tidy up and re-arrange which included re-locating the bench and vice. The larger Record No 2 vice was missing the spring and washer which opens the jaw when unscrewed on the clamping screw and the roll-pin which was supposed to hold the spring and washer in place was sheared off in the shaft and needed to be drilled out. A new spring, washer and pin would be needed for the reassembly.

Two weeks ago I found a woodworking vise in a thriftstore, no brand on it, usual blue paint, in a very good condition. Price was good too – equal to that of a Big Mac. All it said on the front jaw was ‘No. 57’ and ‘Made in England’. A small model maker's vice I machined out of aluminium when I was an apprentice, which has come in surprisingly useful over the years!I do have two metalworking vises, so I expected the #57 to be used only for the occasional woodworking I do. However, it turns out that it has now become the vise I use the most, due to its location on the bench and height. Incidentally, the wooden-liner mounting holes in the rear jaw weren’t threaded, so I cut M6 thread in it myself. Not sure if the factory forgot to cut threads or whether doing so was normally left as ‘an exercise for the new owner’. The No 1 vice was reassembled and a new roll pin was installed to hold the opening spring. We initially tried using a split pin but had clearance issues when turning the vice handle.