Ful-Use vice?

[Gavlar]

hi all

I came across a little 6" vice for sale, stamped 'Ful-Use', British made. I'm just curious about the semi-circular cutouts on the jaw tops. What are those for, do we know? I can't find anything online other than many more example photos.
thanks for your wisdom

 

[Cabinetman]

Interesting, I haven’t seen one of those before and consequently I don’t actually know but I would guess it’s for locating a pair of drop on face protectors, but why you would want to take them off again? To use the vice for metalwork? Maybe that’s why it’s called a full use vice, metal and wood. Ian

 

[Gavlar]

If you were cutting a bar or pipe you could drop it into the slots for support rather than grip, but it's an inconvenient way round and only good for diameters of a bit less than the slot size.

 

[JohnPW]

It says "patents pending" on the front, maybe details are online somewhere.

 

[Gavlar]

Good idea John, but no luck with the online databases so far. Maybe an owner will come forward to enlighten us at some point.

 

[Stevekane]

Is it shown upside down in your photo,,?
Steve.

 

[Gavlar]

no that's right way up, it appears to mount on the bench surface rather than underneath

here's another one:

 

[Stevekane]

Isnt it a strange arrangement,,with it all bolted on the surface and the rails and screw in your way and getting covered in crap,,and the two round notches,,its very difficult to even guess at the idea behind it,,,I dont suppose its a special type tool with a particular application,,and because it looks a bit woodworky were assuming its another woodwork vice?
Steve.

 

[Bale]

Found a catalogue of tools from Cooper and Sons (Sheffield) Ltd.

https://archive.org/details/CooperAndSonsSheffieldCatalogue/page/n7/mode/2up
The vice appears on page 8.

Pete

 

[TheUnicorn]

A close up from Bale's link...

 

[TheUnicorn]

The placement of those cutouts seem odd, across the vice, would be very easy to snag your saw on the vice when cutting, also a 'v' shape groove would fit a wider range of rods.

Can't help but feel there is a reason these vices are not more common / popular

 

[Stevekane]

So the flat part bolted down to the bench is perhaps an anvil? And jaws have both been beefed up but I cannot visualise the cut outs making it any easier to cut anything,,, maybe it would, but it has provision for wooden jaw plates which wouldn't take too kindly to bolts and the like? But its an interesting bit of kit though and like Betamax it didnt quite catch on,,,(is that a contentious statement!)
Steve.

 

[JohnPW]

I don't think you put the rod/bolt into the slots across the vice, it wouldn't be gripped if you did.

I think you put the rod in the vice in the usual way (gripped near the top of the jaws), the slots will expose the rod ie the rod won't be completely covered by the jaws, then you cut the rod at where the slot is. Also works with square bars.

 

[Gavlar]

I think you've cracked it. Well done and thanks for the interesting discussion. I didn't buy it in the end anyway!

 

[Jonm]

Very impressed with the comments. There is one for sale on eBay at the moment
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175111425784?hash=item28c5744ef8:g:gPUAAOSwouhh2GdV&LH_ItemCondition=4

 

[dannyr]

There were plenty made --- DIY market, I guess.

I'd say there were some times when one doesn't need to clamp up round stock to cut or file, and these slots may not be perfect, but do work as a rest for the work -- a relative had one I used to use.

I believe it's also meant to be 'full use' because the centre section is beefed up so a kind of metalwork bench vice along with the basic small amateur wood vice.

Typical compromise, but if space and funds are limited for 1950s DIY ......