The Heavy Vise

A cast-iron bench vise sat loose near the corner of the wooden tabletop, its swivel base knocked slightly askew. I stood still beside it, letting my head tilt to watch the dim lamplight catch the coarse grease along its threaded screw. Slowly, I placed one thick gloved hand flat against the cold body of the tool while my other hand gripped the steel guide bar. With deliberate, unwavering weight, I turned the sliding pin quarter by quarter. Metal ground against iron with a heavy, muted scrape until the clamp jaws closed tight over a scrap block of cedar, locking the base entirely still.