HNT Gordon Non-Racking Front Vice Reviews

5 Rating 2 Reviews

Conceived, designed and manufactured in Australia by Terry Gordon, the HNT Gordon front vice employs the elegantly simple principle that two well fitting concentric cylinders cannot rack. Because the jaw surface squeezes evenly on the work, without pinching one side more than the other, you can therefore hold it more securely with less pressure.
Attached to the bench from below by four bolts (not included), the vice sits parallel to the front edge of the bench and will hold parallel work with great ease and solidity. For work in the rough or very slightly out of parallel we recommend using a bench leather or lining one of the jaw faces. For holding work that is significantly out of parallel a tilting face is available that locates into a shallow dog hole bored into the edge of the bench.
The durability and reliability of the HNT Gordon front vice has been extensively proven through five years of daily use in Terry's own workshop, making his extensive range of world class wooden handplanes, spokeshaves, mallets and other tools. The vice has stood up beautifully to the daily workload and the small time savings accruing from absence of racking and improved workholding have been found to add up considerably over time.
Jaw: 160mm x 230mm
For bench tops made, packed out or morticed to 74mm thickness
Opening Capacity: 150mm
Hidden Thread: 6 tpi ACME for fast smooth action
Complete and ready for installation - with just 4 bolts
Supplied with installation guide
Manufactured in Australia
Simply gorgeous!
Images © HNT Gordon & Co.

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“This is an amazing vice in a class of its own. But since purchasing it 15 months ago, I confess I have had mixed emotions about it. For a start, it's a big investment. Initially, I installed it on an elderly bench, and not perfectly. Then I dinged it with a rip saw, and felt terrible being reminded of my carelessness every time I used the vice. But recently I demounted it and reinstalled it on a newly made bench with a 95mm top. I sourced some quality carriage screws and washers, and tried hard to ensure that the bench underside was perfectly perpendicular to the bench face. I also dressed the vice with cork-rubber, and shined the whole thing up with fine wire wool. This improved my feelings towards the vice no end. It looks and works fantastically. You realise you've forgotten what racking even was. But then, just recently, I had a mini crisis, because I had obviously exerted too much pressure on the handle, and the locking nut, located just behind it, had come free and tightened itself on the brass bush, meaning that the screw mechanism had seized up. In a panic, I emailed Terry Gordon, and he patiently and clearly explained how I could fix the problem. In the end the repair took all of 2 minutes. My respect for the vice's design and workmanship has grown considerably. To invest in this vice is also an investment in a tool maker at the top of the game, and I'm looking forward to using this vice with pride for many decades to come.”

3 Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

“Bought this and the Gordon tail vice for a substantial new bench I had built. The vice is superbly manufactured and is without doubt the best vice of any type that I have ever used. The level of grip is phenomenal without having to over tighten and there is absolutely no racking even at the extreme edge on maximum opening. It is great to find a product these days that actually meets the claims made for it by the manufacturer. Indeed I would even say it exceeds them. The tail vice is equally good and both vices operate extremely smoothly. Expensive yes, but certainly worth every penny.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago