# Why Does My Vise Bend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Vises\ **Created:** [September 18, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/why-does-my-vise-bend/3954 "2025-09-18T00:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fireball-Tool](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/fireball-tool/32/4077_2.png) [@Fireball-Tool](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Fireball-Tool)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/why-does-my-vise-bend/3954/1 "2025-09-18T00:08:39Z")
A lot of people online say the Record No. 6 is the best vise ever made. However, I would argue that the Fireball Hardtail vise is. To evaluate that statement, we’ll focus on a different aspect of engineering and design compared to the Fireball hardtail 510 vise. Today, we look at the dynamic jaw design! ![Record No. 6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/e/e413e7096e49c4b98c4ec72e992998fc1e5794a5.jpeg) ![Fireball Tool 510 Hardtail Vise Close Up](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/c/cceae69146ca5d8c0d42df8d534fff7b44fd4d21.jpeg) Disassembly & Design Differences: ![Record No. 6 Vise Dynamic Jaw Being Seperated](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/a/a60e87f850cef1d2d70f5ac91198c170d778690a.jpeg) Record No. 6: Pulled the pin and slid out the Record’s dynamic jaw. Right away, you can see it’s a C-shape design. The problem is, it’s wide open. Dirt, metal chips, and grime get in there, and the screw just wipes it deeper. That’s why these old Records can feel gritty and rough after some use. ![Tapping Pin #1 Out Of The Record No.6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/5/5ae71760e63f729207b725f4fa8c589fc18aa5c2.jpeg) ![Pin #1 Is Now Out Of The Record No.6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/2/2dbb2fcba96249abe3b10bb48f64c1012396a28a.jpeg) ![Pin #2 Being Pulled Out Of The Record No. 6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/0/0f7282f03dca62f03d764903d71ccb959c4d7219.jpeg) ![Record No. 6 Parts Seperate](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/3/3ddf50eb00118170b7d08114fe560b03b298f8c4.jpeg) ![C-Shape Dynamic jaw From The Record No. 6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/d/d6e5d3cd174606cc921f188ee21679bc46374734.jpeg) ![Grease And Metal Shavings Inside The Dynamic Jaw Of The Record No. 6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/1/1a83e5dff76bce8254c313465728fd1608d981c7.jpeg) ![Threads From The Record No.6 Vise Mixed With Grease and Metal Shavings](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/3/328b5b9caff87df56d16c6e67d4151d0d59ce1b4.jpeg) Fireball 510: The Fireball 510 is built completely different: a box tube design, sealed on all four sides. The only places debris could even try to get in are two tiny openings, but the slide itself stays protected. ![Opening The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/0/0329ba91d9e0162c9b908237626ce760900478b4.jpeg) ![Seperating The Dynamic Jaw From The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/9/98b7450e799114b2d2bcf01eaafca0dd5de59c90.jpeg) ![Dynamic Jaw Seperated From The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/8/8ece6e1a1856381a1ec17a0c328de511aa9fd83d.jpeg) ![Boxed Dynamic Jaw Shape For The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/0/0878c8e22bcd871c8eaac3fd9d29f6cd9afb64c8.jpeg) ![Other Opening For the Dynamic Jaw For The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/e/ed1bdd87595c734b6cbd5dfd37c5b1d860deac3a.jpeg) Measurements: Wall Thickness Record: ~0.5 in (12.7 mm). ![Measuring The Wall Thickness Of The Record No. 6 Vise To 1:2"](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/0/0115c3a4b68ced555e6095ab74cc1cad54bc8861.jpeg) ![Measuring The Wall Thickness Of The Record No. 6 Vise To 12.73MM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/1/16b9a838040f7d68897c903e1c07bbadea193826.jpeg) Fireball: ~0.9 in (22–23 mm) top and bottom, with nearly an inch of material where it matters most. ![Measuring The Wall Thickness Of The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/e/ecec0b8cdac3988d9beffa27bcdcfcb04d996411.jpeg) ![Measuring The Wall Thickness Of The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise 13MM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/3/33fdb03086be965bcd5759a9bf3cb255601f3dde.jpeg) ![Measuring The Wall Thickness Of The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise Top Side 23MM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/5/5bc4802e0375e794ad0635f1b53873a1fa34c1bf.jpeg) ![Measuring The Wall Thickness Of The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise Top Side 0.9"](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/1/13e4599d214b3dc8e00b577828a118e56d65fa87.jpeg) Overall Side Height: Record: just over 3 in. ![Measuring The Side Of The Dynamic Jaw Of The Record No. 6 - 3 1:16"](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/a/a923c315b014dd3e3153687839697966d046a26b.jpeg) Fireball: just under 4 in. ![Measuring The Side Of The Dynamic Jaw Of The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise 3 7:8"](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/6/6b023d1991e19793201078267d8de257bee4d62a.jpeg) Jaw Height (throat): Both measure at 3.5 in. ![Measuring The Jaw Height Of The Dynamic Jaw Of The Record No. 6 - 3.5"](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/7/747d9cf8fa5600e39c900edb5595da92a833824f.jpeg) ![Measuring The Jaw Height Of The Dynamic Jaw Of The Fireball 510 Hardtail Vise- 3.5"](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/d/d857e887c459e22157b4e80e0b0e662b919097ea.jpeg) Engineering Takeaway: The Record’s C-shape means the top is in tension when loaded, the bottom in compression, but with only three sides, it’s inherently weaker. ![C-Shape. Dynamic Jaw Of The Record No. 6 Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/b/b9dfc5d274c9fdfef677a1549c6ca1228ce7a695.jpeg) ![C-Shape Straight Forward View - 3 Points](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/3/3a364cb53ae605459c75eb4ea3536eb6bb2f12f3.jpeg) ![C-Shape Very Flimsy](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/7/7a41f5f954aa70ac9205114bd9c4d2fd5833947f.jpeg) The Fireball’s box-tube structure distributes load evenly — top in tension, bottom in compression, with full enclosure to resist bending. ![Boxed Shape For The Fireball Hard Tail Vise](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/3/320dee5c97bb70a1e7206a37283d97a5fe98b8f3.jpeg) ![Closed Boxed Tube - 4 Points](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/2/26e75d9cb6557a65815620c8c19963b100e2672d.jpeg) ![Tube String Not To Bend](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/7/706dfbf8e6da5cb96b51a0fea4e2e66386c9af4d.jpeg) Which one would you want on your workbench or service truck? ![Fireball Tool 510 Hardtail Vise Opening Up](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fireball/original/2X/6/6339ceccbc8e6e03e096ab1c018c02e1ceca9a3c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Fireball-Tool](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/fireball-tool/32/4077_2.png) [@Fireball-Tool](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Fireball-Tool)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/why-does-my-vise-bend/3954/2 "2025-09-18T00:08:42Z")
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**Author:** ![Fireball-Tool](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/fireball.discourse.group/fireball-tool/32/4077_2.png) [@Fireball-Tool](https://fireball.discourse.group/u/Fireball-Tool)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://fireball.discourse.group/t/why-does-my-vise-bend/3954/3 "2025-09-18T16:42:20Z")