Steel vise jaws are hardened and cut with teeth so the part does not slip. That is great for rough stock and bad for anything finished: tighten once and you have two rows of dents in a surface you spent an hour on. Soft jaws fix that. Here is how to choose the right pair.
What magnetic soft jaws are
Rubber-faced pads on an aluminum backing, held to your vise jaws by magnets. They go on in a second and come off in a second, so you can switch between gripping hard and gripping gently without tools.
Flat or V-groove?
- Flat – for flat stock: sheet, bar, and any finished face you do not want marked.
- V-groove – for anything round: rod, tube, pins. A round part in flat jaws touches on two lines and rolls under load. A V-groove holds it on four lines, so it sits on the axis and stays there. If you are drilling across a rod, this is the difference between a hole through the center and a hole that wanders off the side.
If you work with both, get one pair of each.
How to pick the size
Measure the width of your vise jaws, not the size printed on the vise. Soft jaws are sold by jaw width:
- 4 inch – flat $19.99, V-groove $19.99
- 5 inch – flat $19.99, V-groove $23.99
- 6 inch – flat $24.99, V-groove $25.99
See all sizes: Magnetic Soft Jaws for Bench Vise, Pair.
Using them well
- Seat the pads flat on the jaws before you tighten.
- Tighten firmly, not hard. Soft jaws grip by friction, and a crushed part is as ruined as a dented one.
- Keep heat and acetone away from the rubber.
FAQ
Will they work on an aluminum or brass vise?
The magnets need steel jaws to hold on. On a non-magnetic vise they will not stay in place.
Can I drill or file with soft jaws in?
Yes, for light work. For heavy cuts, go back to the steel jaws.
Do they work for small precision work?
For very small parts, a small precision vise is often a better fit than soft jaws on a big bench vise. See our Rotating Bench Vise with 1.2 inch jaws.
Free tracked shipping to the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, usually one to two weeks. 30-day returns from the day it arrives.
– Bob, ARVONELLE