Review on Yost FSV-4 Heavy Duty Forged Swivel 360° by Chris Bradford

I have used cheap Chinese made cast iron vices for decades which were weak, sloppy and prone to breakage. I actually never had a single tear, but you know what, I wanted some quality. This is made in Taiwan from durable forged steel. Yost is an old respected name. These are the real machinist's vices. I paid a little too much for mine, I've only seen them for a hundred, but I'm still very satisfied. For a 4 inch vise, the strength of this vise is incredible. I mounted mine over the edge of my workbench so I can clamp large items. So when the vise is closed, it hangs over the edge of the table. Don't quote me but I think the clamping force of this Yost vise is about 8000 lbs main screw under. I then lubricated the screw and all sliding surfaces with Magnalube G, which I think is the best lube there is. All moving or sliding parts were lubricated and I also gave the top surface of the anvil a light coat of paint to protect it from corrosion. I've had the vise for six months now and it's the centerpiece of my workbench. I'm seriously considering ordering a second vise for the 41" Kobalt 8 Drawer Tool Cart I just bought which is actually a mobile workbench. I cannot say enough about the quality of these vises that I use every day. For example, I flip a portable belt sander and clamp it in a vise and turn it into a stationary belt sander. Lately I've been altering some of my favorite shoes that I would have done otherwise, this is great for clipping them in after attaching the sole to the shoe. Also, the built-in pipe clamp set underneath is great for cutting pipes. There is no play or backlash with this mechanism and this combined with the literal one finger operation makes this vise a pleasure to use. You'll need a 5" vise, at least a smaller brand, but still not as useful as this Yost vise. This is an industrial grade 4 inch vise. Surprisingly compact for its power, but make no mistake, it's still a big vise. One last note, maybe the quality of the paint is different on them, but mine looks fine. I'm not looking for a show car livery, that's a vice. As long as the paint doesn't crack, don't have unpainted spots or big drops of paint, I'm happy. The color there is smooth, not perfect, but more than enough for the job. The nice looking BRIGHT red color is much lighter than the Revain photo. Highly recommended.