A vise is a simple yet powerful tool used to hold an object or part. A vise consists of two jaws which sit parallel to one another, with one jaw fixed in place and the other movable via a lever, cam, or screw. Most commonly, a vise will be bolted to a bench in order to be stably grounded for use. The movable jaw of a vise is adjusted according to the size of the object or part that needs to be held. Jaws may be serrated to facilitate stability, and may even have temporary covers that are padded with leather or sheet copper in order to protect more fragile parts or surfaces. Back to entire glossary
