When we first released our Classic Leg Vise we promised a few that we'd eventually offer it without the black Parkerized finish. Here's your chance to pick one up.
We only have a limited number of these, since this isn't a stock item. First come, first served.
The vise will arrive unfinished, sporting the freshly-machined steel surfaces right off our mills and lathes. The parts will have a light coating of oil. We recommend that you treat these like raw steel (since they are) and either keep them lightly oiled, or give them a good coat of paste wax to keep the rust at bay. You could also just let them get a nice old bronzey patina, if you have a few years worth of patience. A rub down with steel wool, followed by cold bluing would give them a steel-blue sort of look. Baked flax is also an option.
The handle is the only part that doesn't get fully machined. Since we start with cold rolled steel, the main shaft of the handle shows the mill finish, with only the threaded ends, and the V-groove midway being machined. This makes the main shaft look less shiny than the rest of the vise. The solution to unify the look of the handle (if you care) is to polish it with a maroon or gray Scotch-Brite pad, followed by fine steel wool (which is what we did to the assembled handle in the background.) You can do this to the rest of the vise as well, if you like the brushed, satiny-look.
If you're building a complete bench, this would pair nicely with a Tail Vise M, with its fully-machined handwheel.
The price of the unfinished Classic is the same as the standard Classic. See our store page for more info and options. If you would like a Benchmaker's Package with a Tail Vise M, make sure you request this specifically when ordering.
To order: Send an email to us, let us know exactly what you want, and include your full name and shipping address. We'll send you an invoice with the total, including shipping.
These are only available by sending us an email, they are NOT available through the website.
We're packaging the vises up this week, and they should ship within 2-3 weeks.