I really like the suggestion of the kurust passivated finish then oil or maybe varnish, I have just the job in mind for it, if only I could remember what it is 🙁 seriously not long ago I was looking for that sort of finish, a light bulb lit up in my mind when you mentioned it but I have no idea what it was! I actually have no need for the No3 other than keeping me busy, so I'll probably try and give it away to friends or family when I'm done with it, or keep it till one of my sons grows up and starts tinkering. It'll make a good door stop until then! Presently, on my personal benches, I have three Woden vises on the two benches at my home workshop and at the Penrhyn Castle workshop, have two personal benches there, I have two Record vises and a Woden vise. I’m not sure if anyone is interested in ways to clean up rusty old vices but I’ve done quite a few so I hope the following helps someone:

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! I also have 1x Parkinsons Perfect, 1x Paramo 52 and 1x Woden 189B which unfortunately require some real attention and are beyond my knowledge of repair. This leads me to my request: On the lookout for a tail vice now. Then i’ll start on my bench, drawing inspiration from your bench, Paul.

RECORD T52ED VICE HALF NUT & GUIDE IN STOCK

Did you ever consider adding a deadman to your design? For support of long lengths whilst held in the vice? I’m thinking of incorporating one whilst i’m going about building a bench – i’ve always managed without in the past, on my current ‘bench’, but I can see it’s value.

The No 1 vice was reassembled and a new roll pin was installed to hold the opening spring. We initially tried using a split pin but had clearance issues when turning the vice handle. The paint I'm using is hammerite smooth blue, which is less than half the price of the roundel blue I could find online. Thankfully this isn't a Record vice, so feel absolutely no obligation towards what colour I'm painting it. I wasn’t too popular with the wife for stealing her hairdryer but it was worth it, the vices are completely rust free. It’s in good condition really, everything works as it should, clean, jaws close tight – can’t complain at all. No idea how old it is – 50s/60s I would have thought. 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.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. I did a bit of reading and Hampton were the originators of the Record name, they eventually merged with William Ridgeway Ltd to become Ridgeway-Record Tools, later renamed Record Tools and eventually sold off to Irwin Tools.