I didn't want to derail Mike's vice disaster thread so I didn't say at the time but I've been looking for a Record 52.5E locally for quite a while without success, I bought a new Faithful vice a few years ago when I needed one in a hurry and tbh there's nothing really wrong with it but somehow it doesn't feel as nice in use as the ancient Record I had to leave behind 40 years ago,
I was bemoaning this to a friend yesterday and he offered me this old Parkinson 15 which has been rusting in his shed for decades, rusted solid I collected it this morning and spent a couple of hours taking it apart but it looks in great condition and I'm hopeful it will be worth the effort. I'll need to give him some beer tokens but it could be just what I need. It's a nice lump of cast iron to my eyes and I already have a little Parkinsons 14 on the end of the bench which works well.
As an aside I've been collecting a few old planes and chisels to renovate and sell on to raise funds for cancer research and he's promised to find some for me and put the word around as well so it's a win win situation.