I've heard how moxon vises need to have thick and rigid jaws to prevent flexing and keep the work from moving. And then sometimes you're supposed to camber the face so it straightens as you tighten it. And sometimes put leather or cork on the face for extra grip.
Well I went the opposite direction. I made a moxon vise with a 1" thick jaw of mulberry. Mulberry is a very flexible wood. They used it for English longbows. And I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out.
With most vises, a thick and sturdy jaw makes sense. You have a single screw, so if the jaw flexes, it flexes the jaw away from your work. But with a double screw Moxon vise, a thin jaw flexes around your work, conforming to it instead of away from it. As a bonus, you don't have to worry about getting jaws parallel to the faces of your work, because they'll flex into position. So it's easier and faster to set up because you don't need to be exact. I don't even need to line the face of the jaws with leather or cork to get a secure hold. Worst case scenario, and it flexes too much, it puts the most pressure on the outside edges furthest away from each other, giving you more holding power. Plus it's lighter with a thinner jaw, which is nice in a mobile vise. I've yet to find a downside to it.
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Just an idea I thought I'd share.
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