[TheForge] Re (kl) Stabilization- More on Linseed Oil

[Barking Crow]

Today I was working on a 4 3/8" post vise, fixing it up thinking I'd take it
to Madison to sell.  It has heavy beveling on the vertical jaws and some
lines turned (?) into the cast bell making me think its an old English vise.
Also near the top of the moveable jaw in sort of fancy print it says 47 with
1/2 immediately below the 47.  Don't know what that signifies.  But, anyway
the handle which is 9/16 round had a couple of bends in it so I laid it
across the cold bender (two sections of 3" across the top rail with the
bottoms welded together) and started whaling on it with a good sized hammer.
On about the 5 hit it broke clean with a very grainy surface, such that my
first thought was %#$**&@ it's cast, then that seemed stupid so I thought it
must be tool steel that had gotten hardened, but as far as I can tell (and I
ain't much at spark testing) it sparks mild steel which is what I'd have
thought they'd have made the handle of.

So, What do ya'll think they'd have made the handle of, and what rod do you
suggest for welding it back together.  I could start with another piece of
rod and make a handle, but I'm mystified as to why it would have broken.  I
straighten similar pieces of steel all the time and have never seen one
break.  A friend was over this evening and he agreed that the spark test was
mild steel.  Unless you've got a better idea I guess I'll use 6013 or maybe
7018.  The swellings on the end of the handle are very uniform which makes
me think they were cast steel?  But I'm pretty ignorant of the whole
situation.  What do you think?

Jeff who's vise repair is going in reverse again.