Irwin Record No.3 Mechanics Vice 4in

Product Information

Record vices were made by The Record Tools Factory, Sheffield in the UK and manufactured vices between 1909 to 2000. The business was then taken over by Irwin Tools. I wasn’t too popular with the wife for stealing her hairdryer but it was worth it, the vices are completely rust free. I found a business called Paragon Enamel Paints which sells a very wide range of paints in modern and vintage colours. They sell a blue paint which is the same as the original Record vice paint called “BS381C 110 Roundel Blue - Record Vice Blue” https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/BS381C-110-Roundel-Blue-Record-Vice-Blue.html You have got them out now but the way to do it is use the impact driver bit in the screw slot but with the jaws clamped on it then release the screw 1/4 of a turn with a spanner on the flats of the bit.

The vice was in the house (well, garage) when I bought it. I recently had a good tidy up and re-arrange which included re-locating the bench and vice. Before the vices could be primed and painted any remaining dust and dirt had to be removed using isopropyl alcohol and clean rags. The areas which did not need to be painted were covered in masking tape and then sprayed using Red Oxide primer and left for two days to fully dry.

On the lookout for a tail vice now. Then i’ll start on my bench, drawing inspiration from your bench, Paul.

The larger Record No 2 vice was missing the spring and washer which opens the jaw when unscrewed on the clamping screw and the roll-pin which was supposed to hold the spring and washer in place was sheared off in the shaft and needed to be drilled out. A new spring, washer and pin would be needed for the reassembly. How heavy is it? I hear the steel ones tend to weigh less than their cast iron counterparts due to the additional strength, but can still take a good beating.

RECORD Mainscrew & Handle/Half Nut/Pin/Washer for No.T112 record vice

I bought the impact driver for the first vice I did up, a record no.4 with screws in a similar sort of state. Much to my surprise they came out really easily, unlike today! A small model maker's vice I machined out of aluminium when I was an apprentice, which has come in surprisingly useful over the years!