shoulder vise
Noun: A shoulder vise is a type of vise (a mechanical tool used to hold an object firmly in place) characterized by having padded jaws. This padding is specifically designed to grip materials like lumber or wood securely without causing dents, marks, or damage to the surface.
A shoulder vise is used primarily in woodworking and carpentry. Its key function is to hold pieces of wood firmly while they are being worked on—such as during planing, sanding, drilling, or gluing—without marring the wood's finish.
- Noun:
- The carpenter secured the oak plank in the shoulder vise before drilling the pilot holes.
- For delicate projects, using a shoulder vise prevents unsightly clamp marks on the finished wood.
- "to be held in a shoulder vise": describes an object being firmly and safely clamped.
- The fragile antique frame was carefully held in a shoulder vise for restoration.
- Woodworking vise: A general term for a vise designed for holding wood, which may or may not have padded jaws.
- Bench vise: A more general category of vise that is mounted to a workbench; a shoulder vise is a specific type of bench vise.
- Face vise: Another type of vise often used in woodworking, typically mounted on the front of a workbench.
- Wood vise
- Carpenter's vise (when referring to a vise with protective jaws)
Note: As a specific tool name, "shoulder vise" is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions. The word "vise" itself can be used metaphorically. - In a vise/vice grip: In a situation of extreme pressure or constraint. - The company was caught in a vise between rising costs and falling demand. (This uses the more common spelling "vice" for the metaphorical sense).
- a vise with jaws that are padded in order to hold lumber without denting it