Restoring a Family Heirloom: 1954 Wilton Bullet Vise

Today in the shop I am restoring a Wilton Bullet vise from 1954. This vise belonged to my wife's grandfather George. He passed away last year, and my mother-in-law gifted it to me, knowing that I have always loved it, and that I would put it to good use.

I wanted to restore it back to its former glory, but also wanted to keep some of the evidence of its previous life. I disassembled it, removed all the rust and old paint, and cleaned all the parts. I then painted the main body with a Gloss Sage Green spray paint from Rustoleum, and Cold Blued the handle and swivel adjustment nobs. My wife wanted to add a bit to the restoration of her grandfathers vise, so she painted the detail of all the words in black, and the "USA" in red white and blue. I put it all back together, including the copper soft jaws, and installed it onto the bench, in place of my previous Yost vise. The final touch was adding the replica "5 Year Guarantee" sticker that I got from jimsenginedecals on Etsy.

I am really happy with how this Wilton Bullet vise restoration turned out, and I know that George is smiling down with pride, knowing that his beloved vise has a new life and a new home where it will be loved and used.

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