# Help Identify This Bench Vice



## wildo (Jan 13, 2016)

Either my grandpa gave this vice to me before he died, or I inherited it after he died. Either way- I've had it for over 20 years now and it came from my grandfather. It has served me exceptionally well! I can't find any maker's mark on it and for all I know it could be a cheap import. But if it is a brand name, I certainly wouldn't mind getting another one for my machine shop.

The vice jaws measure 3.5" and the vice opens to a bit over 4". A cheap bathroom scale puts it at 20 pounds even. The place on the body where I'd expect to see a maker's mark cast in is vacant. It does appear to have some scraping/scratching here- but I don't think it's deep enough to have ground off a cast-in name. Perhaps it was a sticker? The base of the vice does have a number stamped in: 8V5499, which yields nothing on a google search. The jaw part that moves does have a "2" stamped in on the right side. Otherwise, I can find no identification on it what-so-ever.

Any thoughts? Thanks for checking!


----------



## Wdnich (Jan 13, 2016)

Looks similar to the older powerkraft line from Montgomery Wards. I know they carried three lines at one time. A rebadged wilton line really hard to find, their mainline and a lower quality line.


----------



## wildo (Jan 13, 2016)

That's definitely interesting because the only thing I _could_ find was a Sears "Jr. Vice" model 5499 which might have something to do with the "8V5499" stamped on the bottom. Or it could just be coincidence.


----------



## dlane (Jan 13, 2016)

Nice pic's , don't recognize vice but it looks like it may of been over tightened once or twice


----------



## wildo (Jan 14, 2016)

dlane said:


> Nice pic's , don't recognize vice but it looks like it may of been over tightened once or twice


Certainly more than "once or twice!" Ha! I got this vice when I was 14 years old or so. I've used it (and abused it certainly) ever since. I guess you could say that's what kids do... This vice has put up with a lot, that's for sure. But I suppose in a way that's why I love it so much. It really did take a beating in my youth- and well, to be honest, probably in my adulthood too.


----------



## wildo (Jan 14, 2016)

I found it! Wdnich got me looking in the right direction. This appears to be a Craftsman 5242. Everything about that is correct: 3.5" jaws, 4.25" opening, 20 pounds exactly, and the looks are dead on- even down to the single sided pivot lock. This would be from the early '40s.





Now, it appears that Sears did come up with a cheaper version made by Dunlap and notice that the rectangle for the name doesn't have a "Craftsman" casting. However, also notice that the jaw shape isn't the same as mine; it's far more smooth. My vice pretty much perfectly matches the Craftsman 5242 in everything except for the "Craftsman" name casting. Maybe it was ground off (that would be an odd thing to do) or maybe Dunlap _did_ make a cheaper alternative with the same shape, painting their name on instead.



Cite: pictures from a garage journal thread.

Here's a random Craftsman 5242 picture I found in google images:


----------



## KBeitz (Jun 30, 2018)

From years of experience if you'r going to buy another vise I would stay away from vises with exposed screws.


----------



## markba633csi (Jun 30, 2018)

Look at the prices on those- 2.98!  My how things change
Mark


----------



## ddickey (Jun 30, 2018)

Looks just like a Littlsetown vise. I wonder if they made them for Craftsman.  ?


----------

