Old Vice

[blurk99]

evening all - we've just moved house and left in the shed was a workbench with a woden metal working vice and another woodworking vice attached

the Woden is easy enough to identify (186B/2) but the woodworking vice remains something of a mystery

it's got 9 inch wide jaws, 7 inch deep and the screw is about 2 foot long (huge opening distance...) and the front cast face simply states..

"The Twentieth Century"
"British Made"
"Patent Nos (then it gets illegible)"

does anyone know the maker?

i've googled it but there's nowt i can find on a maker going with that brand

cheers

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Have a look at this fascinating and highly recommended blog: http://hackneytools.com/ and the photo slide show about London violin makers Bridgewood & Neitzert Ltd, image no 16.

It's a goodun!

 

[blurk99]

That's exactly the one i've found - and an interesting read thanks

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Just one of those coincidences - your question was well-timed!

 

[bugbear]

Have a look at this fascinating and highly recommended blog: http://hackneytools.com/ and the photo slide show about London violin makers Bridgewood & Neitzert Ltd, image no 18.


It's a goodun!

How (in heck) did you find that?

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Have a look at this fascinating and highly recommended blog: http://hackneytools.com/ and the photo slide show about London violin makers Bridgewood & Neitzert Ltd, image no 18.


It's a goodun!

How (in heck) did you find that?

BugBear

I follow updates to the blog and had read the piece about the violin shop only a few days ago - recent enough to remember the image and where to find it. Ask me again in a year's time and I might not get the answer so easily!

Btw don't miss his photos of WH Clark - highly recommended.

 

[bugbear]

I think I've decoded the second patent date;

http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicat ... 8095A&KC=A

But it doesn't give a company name, merely a "Abraham Chris" of 128, Brick Lane, London.

(googly)
http://london1912.co.uk/streets/BrickLaneEast1.shtml

.. here is Hanbury Street ...

128 Chris Abraham, tool dealer

Who, as "Abraham Chris" came from Russia, and took the Oath of Allegiance on 20 Apr, 1911

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/ ... 1/page.pdf

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Wow!

A masterclass demonstration of how to find things out.


Just googling "twentieth century vice" finds all sorts of irrelevant stuff! ;-)

 

[blurk99]

Excellent - thank you both very much for the info

Jim

 

[Hackney Tools]

Hello UK Workshop

I've been prompted to join after seeing 64 links views of the Hackney Tools website!

Thanks to you all for taking an interest, I'll try to post some more photo stories of London
businesses specialising in traditional woodworking technique. All ideas welcomed.

All the best
Gary

 

[markturner]

Hi Gary, that's cool, never knew you were there....I am just around the corner. We should meet up, I am very much a collector of old stuff. You may want to pop by my place and look at some of my stuff and I can reciprocate with a look around your shop.......

 

[Hackney Tools]

Hi Mark,

Nice to hear from you. Would be great to meet up. Your bench is very nice!

I don't have a shop I'm afraid, I deal in vintage tools from a room in my house, haha. Stuff that comes
in and will go soon stays in the room, stuff that I want to hang onto goes in the loft. The long term plan
was/is to get enough good tools together to kit out a workshop space for not much money, but workshop
spaces in my neck of the woods are now so expensive, I'm not sure that's going to happen soon.

So the tool dealing and blogging has become a sort of therapy for dealling with a 'no-outside-space-house'
and it keeps me connected with the woodworking community. Although what I really want to do is start
learning proper traditional casework from the old chaps who have been doing it for years.

best
Gary

 

[AndyT]

Hello and welcome Gary. As one who has followed your blog for a while I am sure you will find some like minded enthusiasts for old tools and ways of working on here. We could do with some threads that are not just further evidence that there are several different ways to sharpen!

 

[Hackney Tools]

Hi Andy

I'll do my best. Nice to know people are actually reading the blog. I thought of it as my own place to gather
bits of info to start with, but just recently there seems to have been a small rennaissance in working with
hand tools, instead of powered. Not that I've got anything against powered machines, but harder to collect
3-phase morticers!

 

[Dangermouse]

Hello Gary and welcome,
While looking at your blog I came across " On Workbenches, London, and space being relative…" Certainly looks like those benches will be great, but being made of oak I would have thought that the tannin in the Oak would stain the tools black and indeed the wood itself when being in use. What do you think ????

 

[bugbear]

We could do with some threads that are not just further evidence that there are several different ways to sharpen!

:lol:

BugBear

 

[Racers]

Is that Jacob?

Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Can't see whether the sword's got a rounded bevel or not.

 

[Hackney Tools]

Hello Dangermouse,

I'm sorry, I don't know. I've come across a lot of black metal tools, but that has usually come
about through the older guys wiping them over with oil before putting them away.

 

[markturner]

Hi Mark,

Nice to hear from you. Would be great to meet up. Your bench is very nice!

I don't have a shop I'm afraid, I deal in vintage tools from a room in my house, haha. Stuff that comes
in and will go soon stays in the room, stuff that I want to hang onto goes in the loft. The long term plan
was/is to get enough good tools together to kit out a workshop space for not much money, but workshop
spaces in my neck of the woods are now so expensive, I'm not sure that's going to happen soon.

So the tool dealing and blogging has become a sort of therapy for dealling with a 'no-outside-space-house'
and it keeps me connected with the woodworking community. Although what I really want to do is start
learning proper traditional casework from the old chaps who have been doing it for years.

best
Gary

Hi Gary, just drop me an email or call, contact details are on our website, link in the sig......I have my grandfathers old toolchest with most of his old patternmakers tools....I am sure you would love a look. Let me know what you have currently for sale, cheers, Mark