Leather for workbench vise jaws?

[kh0456]

Tons of ideas above. But to answer your first question… Hobby Lobby does sell leather in small amounts. But you pay way more for it.

 

[The Appalachian]

I buy my leather from Amish shops.

Amazon has more choices than you probably want to look at......

 

[Black Powder Guy]

Brownells has leather vise jaw pads for $7.00.

 

[Undertow]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Lot's of good ideas. I'm going to swing into home depot this weekend and get a set of the Bussey Vice Jaws that x_count recommended. They'll work for a couple other things I mess around with. While cleaning up my workbench today in prep of working on the rifle this weekend I realized I have a Hoppes gun cleaning vise that will probably work for the majority of the assembly and finishing. I may go that route as the vice on my bench is a cheap little one that doesn't have the best location on the bench for such a long project.

 

[SPQR70AD]

I use vinyl base moulding 4" wide comes in a roll but I just took cutoffs from a job

 

[ZUG]

Automotive parts stores sell gasket material what has cork and neoprene mixed in it. It is "grippy" and will hold a stock secure. It does come in different thicknesses. Glue it to some wood or hardboard and attach it to your vise jaws.

 

[GriscomRun]

Muzzleloader enthusiast's,
I've got a Kibler out for delivery today and I've been watching a bunch of YT videos in preparation for my first build. In some of the videos the builders use a piece of leather to protect the stock from metal jaws of the vise. Any idea where I can purchase a piece of leather like that? Does Jo Ann Fabrics or like a Hobby Lobby sell something like that? Or any other store for that matter as I have basically every big box store you can think of within a few minute drive from my house.
Thanks,
Undertow

deer and elk skin pieces - - - try the Bay. Also, excellent source for tanned hides and skins is Moscow Hide & Fur. Lots of pieces avail. as well as antler and such.

you can try thrift stores too - used leather handbags.

 

[Abarnes]

The vice jaws can also be guarded with wood, I use 1/4” plywood but adding a leather face to that is better. A few pieces of 2x4 cut to random length then nailed together form a stair case to rest the other end of your rifle on.

I like the cheep soft pine/spruce, be careful to use a piece without knots as they will be harder and may dent your stock.

 

[French Colonial]

I used a piece of conveyor belt but you could do the same with leather, by making it out of one piece it keeps them together and if the wood stock drops down when opening the jaws it is padded on the bottom.

I also have basically the same thing out of brass and have strips of leather, wood etc. whatever the situation dictates.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Here is what I make for vice pads, easy on and off, I find 3/4" plywood holds up the best. These fit vices with a square drive the best.

Installed, I copied the pad in the picture that is on my smaller multi position vise.

These pads won't mar wood.

 

[Eric Krewson]

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[MSW]

I cut pieces of 1-1/2" by 1/8" thick aluminum angle stock to fit my vise jaws and put on pieces of 8-10 oz vegetable tanned leather scraps as pads:

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Cut the leather slightly oversize and attach it with contact cement. Once you have the leather stuck on, squeeze them in your vise with the leather surfaces facing each other to really optimize the bond. Once the contact cement has had time to cure, take them out of the vise and trim the edges flush with a razor knife (box-cutter). These work well for me.

As for sourcing the leather, you've gotten good advice above. One caveat is that if you order scrap leather online, don't order it from Tandy! Scrap is exactly what you'll get! Crazy Crow, on the other hand, puts usable pieces in their scrap bundles.

If you just want a couple of pieces like mine, give me your address by private message and I'll mail you enough for a pair of vise jaws. It doesn't take much.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

thanks for the post, Notchy Bob - -you're much smarter than i ... but then again, sometimes my stock dog can pull that off...