SwissRex SuperVise

I was shocked to read what the other reviewer posted and the one-star rating. Perhaps it's the competition trolling!The truth is this is a 100% perfectly anal, over-thought, over-engineered mechanical vise - as good as you will find. On top of that, it truly deserves the "Made in Switzerland" designation. It is made from some the finest machined steel rods and aluminum castings I've seen, especially for a paltry $500. All of us who's ever bought anything marked "Made In Switzerland" knows the good stuff from the home of Heidi usually cost 3 times more than anything else, so this is a REAL bargain. Even the packaging is robust, thought-through and intended for repeated use as in opening, unpacking, repacking and transporting - you just have to get over the wacky bearded guy whose face is all over the box and the owner's manual.As to the vise itself, it's easy to discount it as "just like" the other Swiss made vise, the long-since-discontinued Zyliss. But that would be a hasty observation as this thing is on steroids. There is simply no comparison between them in strength and robustness. The Zyliss is a toy compared to the Swissrex.The Swissrex kit comes with everything you need to do most of the incredible things listed in the owner's manual. Some tasks (like routing and 3D clamping) require optional accessories that are no longer available, even from the manufacturer in Switzerland. But for what it is intended - as a vise for woodworking and light metal work - it does simply great. In fact, a good summary is that the Swissrex is the opposite of the Workmate - it's much more robust and versatile than they tell you it is. Here are some lessons I learned to get the most out of it:1. The bench top it clamps onto MUST be robust. If the bench top flexes, it is easy to blame the Swissrex but that would be plain wrong. For securing onto my portable birch ply bench top, I sandwich 2 strips of rock maple 1x2's between the clamp jaws and the bench top. Even just finger tightened, it's rock solid.2. The Swissrex is designed for wood and light metal work. This is not a Wilton shop vise with a built-in anvil, even if Swissrex does include 1/4" thick zinc-plated jaws for the occasional hammering. Use it within sensible limits and its versatility will astound you. I use it routinely to work on exotic woods and delicate metal pieces, as well as a semi-precise drill stand.3. Watch the YouTube demo video that can easily be found with a search under "Swissrex". I did not believe the video until the vise was on my bench and I started to experiment with it. Following the video and the owner's manual on various setup's, I got the impression that the designers and engineers of this thing must have spent years refining this. A-ha after a-ha, I just kept grinning.With the right drill - one with a 43mm collar like many European toolmakers such as Metabo - it can become a vertical drill table, a grinder, a polisher and a wood turning lathe! I use a 1100W Metabo impact drill with it - it fits and works great for all these tasks.It's clever, well-engineered, well-made and it's really that cool.

I have the Original Swissrex Vise manufactured by the Swiss Company Rexmetall AG in Bern, Switzerland.It is a very sturdy and versatile vise.When i read the first comment i couldn't believe that this heavy vise should weight less than 10 pounds so i put it on my scale and it said 8,6 kg (19 pounds).Maybe the first review is about a cheap knockoff.I like the tool because it helped me in many situations and i recommend it to friends.