Freshening up an old vise

[Eyerelief]

Stopped by a tool makers shop I used to moonlight at during my desperate days (new wife new kid plenty of debt). He was closing up so he let me sneak out with an old Kurt and a 10” Moore rotary table. I had history with them so I thought they’d be worth fixing up. Some before and after pics

 

[brino]

Welcome to the group!

That's more than a "freshening".......... Beautiful restorations!

By the way, if you can "sneak out" with those then you're a better man than I am.......I'd be groaning, creeking and panting (and possibly swearing) all the way!

-brino

 

[Doug Gray]

Beautiful job!

 

[NC Rick]

Nice work and thank you for rescuing those poor tools. That someone could treat tools with such good pedigrees Is hard to imagine and sad. The m ill vise is a kurt? What paint did you use or did you just take them to the tool groomer?

 

[Eyerelief]

Thanks all for the kind words. Brino is correct, they certainly aren’t something you would want to swim with.
As for the paint and process NC let me first say that the original owner worked all the way up to the point where he could no longer stand up. I even helped him with a few jobs during my visit. The equipment was pristine forever and neither vise nor table ever met a wayward cutter. He couldn’t keep up with maintaining them but always thought he “would feel stronger” tomorrow”.
I disassembled both and soaked in my parts washer, then in evaporust. Finished with a fine wire brush on a hand drill. I can still see the original flaking on the rotary table. Painted with Hammerite. After 15 minutes dry time on 3rd coat I applied rustoleum clear which reacted and gave the paint the “lava” look. Paint dried quickly and appears to be hardening nicely.

 

[Charles scozzari]

Beautifully done

 

[jcp]

Excellent refresh!!

 

[Eyerelief]

Thanks guys. At what Kurt vises go for these days, it was definitely worth the time investment. A few parts from Kurt and the old vise works great.