Record Irwin PEV1 Pro Entry Mechanics Vice

Great quality vice which is ideal for smaller tasks and home diy - just what I needed

I was aiming for a 6 inch vice as that was about the sized that we used at school decades ago; that was before I discovered the high prices for a good one.Didn't want the risk of an unknown brand breaking and dropping onto my feet..... Read through couple of hundred of reviews to unknown brands and you may be forgiven that all vices break during in service use. Thus decided it had to be a Record (Irwin bought out or merged with Record since my school days) or an Eclipse brand (a brand I am familiar with when after school I worked at a DIY store) (decades ago).Finally decided on this 4 inch as being reasonable price v. quality and which would tackle many small DIY mechanic tasks. For most of my tasks this would be too small as they are carpentry jobs for which I have several B&D Workmates and long bar clamps to hold the wooden pieces.Although already oil and greased when it arrived, it felt clunky; so I added more copper grease to the mechanism.Although I suspect this is also "Made In China" product, I am hoping the Irwin Record brand means there is more stringent Quality Assurances in the production processes that went onto make this vice. So far so good; only time will tell if it breaks.

Good quality product sturdy good grip would recommend

After spending a lot of time researching and trying to find an inexpensive workshop vice I finally decided on this one for £30 delivered. The options boiled down to this reputable brand, or a couple of hundred quid for a full on professional 6” version or £20 for a generic Chinese job. I’m very pleased I didn’t go cheap!This 4” vice is quite small but extremely well made with very little slogger on the screw and good jaw alignment. The casting is flat and true and secures extremely level on a flat bench top. This is NOT a mechanics vice or a professional work shop tool, but for small diy work it is perfect and very good value. The jaw faces are very heavily serrated, so soft jaws are need for delicate work pieces. Record have been the leading name in vice manufacturing for scores of years and this model is true to the heritage. Bolt it down firmly onto a FLAT bench top and don’t hammer it, and it should serve you well for many years.

Great tool at a reasonable price, i would recommend

It seems sturdy enough to be used as I need. Arrived in an Amazon paper bag and inside this was the branded Irwin thin box that was damaged. See attached images.The handle of the vice should be straight but as you can see it was bent so it has sustained a significant impact to bend a steel bar.It also does not have the little plate with Irwin on it on the front of the vice as seen in the picture advertised on Amazon.Time will tell if the damage it has sustained will cause the vice to malfunction or break.

OPERATES GREAT

If you are reading this, it's probably because you have been looking at the cheaper models and have concerns about the quality of their construction.This is very well put together, and for my money is the most useful size of vice for a small workshop. I've been using mine for a few weeks now and the difference between this and my older detachable vice is obvious. The action is smooth and there is very little play in the mechanism. The jaws certainly clamp tightly and the patterned edges grip the workpiece very well. The anvil area is small, but I've still used it a couple of times when I had to dislodge damaged bolts from an extractor socket.It's more expensive than other brands, but in my opinion the quality speaks for itself. Buy cheap and pay twice, or buy this with confidence.