Leg Vise

Date1750-1770

MediumIron and steel

DimensionsHeight: 41 1/4" Width: 17" Jaws: 6 7/8"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number2013-88

DescriptionLarge leg vise of conventional form, mounted by two straps with pad ends (to the workbench).
Label TextCalled a “leg” vice for the long post which secured it to the floor of the shop, these were indispensable for clamping or securing whatever piece the smith was working on. This vice is larger than normal and would have been perfect for heavy duty use in an industrial complex like the Armoury. Complicated, difficult to make, and expensive, these essential tools were purchased by early American metal workers from Britain.