Jorgensen Adjustable Clamp Co Chicago Vises

[Matt Roth]

I was in the right place at right time and wound up with a nice stash of vises being wheeled to a dumpster.. These are stamped “Jorgensen” 7x04, Adjustable Clamp Co Chicago. It appears Jorgensen closed a few years back, sold to Arrow, and now manufactures some similar stuff overseas. It also appears the new company is producing a vice very similar to this model, but not the same.

I’m curious to learn more about these things, incurring their age and looking into sourcing a few missing parts.

Other than the Chinese made look-a-like on Amazon, I can’t find much on a Google search.

Any chance someone knows anything interesting about these things?

[Mike Kees]

Man you scored. Those are real nice vices. With nine you should be able to make a bunch of complete vices using a couple for parts. What pieces are missing ? Handles can easily be turned on a lathe. They have the screw where you reverse the handle to release the nut so you can pull the jaws apart. All I can say is I wish I could be in the "right place at the right time" just once.

[Mike Kees]

If you want to sell some of those, please PM me .

[Matt Roth]

Man you scored. Those are real nice vices. With nine you should be able to make a bunch of complete vices using a couple for parts. What pieces are missing ? Handles can easily be turned on a lathe. They have the screw where you reverse the handle to release the nut so you can pull the jaws apart. All I can say is I wish I could be in the "right place at the right time" just once.

Swapping a few parts around, I have six that are complete, minus the handle. I have reason to believe these were middle/high school industrial arts equipment from a sadly bygone era. They don't look like they have a lot of miles, but a few of them have been a bit abused. The front jaws on three have some cosmetic damage secondary to errant hammer blows.

I did plan to turn some nice hickory handles for these. You mentioned the "screw where you reverse the handle". I don't think these vises have that quick release. It's possibly user error, but I'm pretty sure these don't have that feature.

The brass nut that spins through the acme thread (spindle nut?) and the spindle handle are missing on three. If these had some value and were quality vises, I'd consider machining replacement parts. No matter, even six in perfect shape seems like a great score.

[Ryan W Taylor]

Ditto for if you feel like selling one....

[Matt Roth]

Ditto for if you feel like selling one....

Regarding selling any of these, several are spoken for, but a few will likely be sold. I honestly have no idea what a fair price would look like for these vises, but would be open to hearing thoughts on the matter. Shipping would also pose a challenge, as they’re pretty heavy.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Check eBay, but used vises go for $50-150, except rare pattern makers vises which can fetch $600.

[Matt Roth]

Check eBay, but used vises go for $50-150, except rare pattern makers vises which can fetch $600.

I looked around and didn’t see anything at first. When I changed search to completed items, I found one that sold for $80ish w $50ish in shipping. Thats very helpful. Thanks!

[Jon Endres]

Not much help with your question, but they look like a pretty standard high school shop class vise. There were a lot of manufacturers of those. I rescued a Brodhead-Garrett 500Y a few years ago, and just grabbed a Record 53-1/2 a few weeks back. I can't imagine how many of those decent shop vises were sent to dumpsters and scrap yards over the past 25-30 years. Wish I had been in the right place at the right time myself, more than once.

Jorgensen has some good history written up on their current website, I'm pretty impressed with how the new owners have reinvented the company and are doing very well. Notwithstanding where the products are made, quality seems to be on par with the vintage stuff.

[Jim Matthews]

These are still being made.

https://www.amazon.com/Jorgensen-407...45358257&psc=1

[Matt Roth]

These are still being made.

https://www.amazon.com/Jorgensen-407...45358257&psc=1

They are very similar, but not the same.