# Flea Market Vice Find (kurt Clone)



## Whyemier (Dec 5, 2016)

So the wife says, "You want to go with me to the 'Webster Flea market' today?'.  I hadn't even finished my first cupa coffee but didn't think twice.  I do like a good flea market!

So, walking around I see various tools. Did pick up a small set of unused (from the look of them) carbide drills.  Then looked at some other tools, most with new prices that told me their owners did not want to let go of them really. Hey! They're old & I don't care what you paid for them when you bought them.  But they are your's and you can charge what you want but not to me.

Was almost through and my feet were getting tired when I saw this:













Vice 2



__ Whyemier
__ Dec 5, 2016


















Vice 1



__ Whyemier
__ Dec 5, 2016






l'd been looking for a larger good milling vice and would have paid a couple hundred for one in very good condition but this looked good for my budget today. Some kinda Kurt Clone but no name on it or other markings I can see or identify except for the '150' cast into the side and a stamped mark of '197'. It had a slight movement laterally (not side to side) when open 1/2" to 3" of about 1/32"- less than 1/16".  After opening 3 1/2" to 5" I couldn't get any movement laterally at all. Probably more wear on the feed screw in the "upper" area of the vice. Everything else seemed tight. 

Asked what he wanted and was told $75.  We dickered down to $65 which I was satisfied with.  Still need to disassemble and clean but think I got a good deal.  What says you guys?

O yea! I also got a possible machining job.  The guy asked me what I was using the vice for and when he found out I had the shop/shed out back asked if I could make some pieces for him he can't seem to get anywhere.


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## ddickey (Dec 5, 2016)

Looks like a Yuasa.


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## chips&more (Dec 5, 2016)

Good find! But, because the feed screw goes into the movable jaw at the top and not buried in the base of the vise. I don’t think it has the Kurt pull down feature/design. You will just need to give more attention to the clamped parts staying down is all…Dave


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## Whyemier (Dec 5, 2016)

ddickey said:


> Looks like a Yuasa.



It could be but I couldn't find an image of the Yuasa that matches this configuration. I'll look some more since I'd like to know.



chips&more said:


> ...because the feed screw goes into the movable jaw at the top and not buried in the base of the vise. I don’t think it has the Kurt pull down feature/design. You will just need to give more attention to the clamped parts staying down is all…Dave



I'll watch for that it would never have occurred to me.
Thank You,


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## Bob Korves (Dec 5, 2016)

(snip)





Whyemier said:


> It had a slight movement laterally (not side to side) when open 1/2" to 3" of about 1/32"- less than 1/16".


(snip)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lateral
Webster thinks otherwise...  So, what kind of movement was it?


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## wrat (Dec 5, 2016)

Inny-outy; backy-forthy; who cares?
He likes it.  Sounds like a good deal.
It's less than a 1/16th, I'm assuming when loose and just sitting there.  Sounds like a good vise to me, too.

Wrat


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## Whyemier (Dec 5, 2016)

Bob Korves said:


> (snip)(snip)
> https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lateral
> Webster thinks otherwise...  So, what kind of movement was it?



must have my lateral and longitudinal mixed up


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## Whyemier (Dec 5, 2016)

'Whilst' ('nuther word for the word smiths )  cleaning it up and oiling (and filing burrs and scraping gunk) I found 'Japan' stamped on it.  So it might be a Yuasa. The only other marks were on the 'holding' bars that keep the movable jaw from falling out. They were stamped 6 F.

Just wish I had the swivel that goes under this vise.  (Never satisfied!)


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## kd4gij (Dec 5, 2016)

This looks like your vise.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-5-Milling...828039?hash=item41b93f9c87:g:dTQAAOSw-CpX9EBh


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## Bob Korves (Dec 5, 2016)

Whyemier said:


> must have my lateral and longitudinal mixed up


That's good.  Lateral movement would have been worse than longitudinal, which is probably just play in the screw or in the anchor end of it.  I think you have a good vise there and at a great price!


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## Bob Korves (Dec 5, 2016)

kd4gij said:


> This looks like your vise.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-5-Milling...828039?hash=item41b93f9c87:g:dTQAAOSw-CpX9EBh


His said 150 on it, which probably means 150 mm or 6", rather than the 4.5" one on eBay which has 100 on it, which is about 4".

And he got a handle with it.


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## Whyemier (Dec 5, 2016)

kd4gij said:


> This looks like your vise.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-5-Milling...828039?hash=item41b93f9c87:g:dTQAAOSw-CpX9EBh
> 
> View attachment 140894



Very much like it more than likely the size difference may account for cosmetic differences. Bottom is different, made to swivel with the proper base.



Bob Korves said:


> His said 150 on it, which probably means 150 mm or 6", rather than the 4.5" one on eBay which has 100 on it, which is about 4".
> 
> And he got a handle with it.



Yes, I had thought the 150 (150mm) meant 6" but the vise only opens to 5".  Does the 6" measurement mean width? I never checked.


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## Bob Korves (Dec 5, 2016)

Whyemier said:


> Yes, I had thought the 150 (150mm) meant 6" but the vise only opens to 5". Does the 6" measurement mean width? I never checked.


Usually the size  listed is the width of the jaws. or thereabouts.


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## 4GSR (Dec 10, 2016)

That vise looks a knock off of a old Brown & Sharpe mill vise.  Probable either made in Japan or Taiwan back in the 1970's maybe 1980's.  I remember seeing those advertised in the old Big Joe catalog.   It is definitely not a Kurt clone, not even close.


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## Subwayrocket (Dec 10, 2016)

I found one just like that a while back. It was on a SuperMill , big old machine that was dropped at my buddies scrap yard . I never did figure out what kind of vise it was. It has "Japan" stamped in it in two places. I cleaned it up and it seems to work pretty well. Never did anything else with it .
Looks like the name is intact on the one on ebay but his pics dont show it well .
------------------------------------------------------


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## Whyemier (Dec 10, 2016)

Yes, that looks like it.  Just mine is a 150 that one a 125 but all else looks identical.

Thank You,


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## Whyemier (Dec 10, 2016)

4gsr said:


> That vise looks a knock off of a old Brown & Sharpe mill vise.  Probable either made in Japan or Taiwan back in the 1970's maybe 1980's.  I remember seeing those advertised in the old Big Joe catalog.   It is definitely not a Kurt clone, not even close.



Yes, it is not a Kurt Clone, that has become obvious from the photos I've seen.  Think of it as just terminology or nomenclature to signify it's a knock off of something. But, I'm happy to have it as its bigger than what I already have (biggest is about 3 1/2") and will be a great addition to my little shop.


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## Whyemier (Dec 10, 2016)

Subwayrocket said:


> I found one just like that a while back. It was on a SuperMill , big old machine that was dropped at my buddies scrap yard . I never did figure out what kind of vise it was. It has "Japan" stamped in it in two places. I cleaned it up and it seems to work pretty well. Never did anything else with it .
> Looks like the name is intact on the one on ebay but his pics dont show it well .
> ------------------------------------------------------
> View attachment 141131
> ...



I like the jaws on that.  May have to add another project for my mill.


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## Subwayrocket (Dec 10, 2016)

I welded a few oops in those soft jaws, then I refaced them in the mill .-----------------------------


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