Blacksmith's Leg Vise, Forged, with a Leg to the Floor

The heavy vise of the forge has a leg that runs from the bench to the floor, so hammering on it drives the shock into the ground. A moving jaw hinges low on the leg, a leaf spring pushes the jaws apart, and a coarse screw through a nut box closes them. Forge the jaws and leg from wrought iron, face the jaws with steel, and cut the screw on the lathe. The picture: a smith's leg vise in Austria, its leg running down beside the bench.