Tom
Like you I fell hard for the look of the ball n socket saw vises long ago.
I determined to get one. I finally saved up enough, and bought one from 
Sandy Moss.
(How I miss Sandy's sale lists!)
  I had to pay postage from Maine.

  Well, sorry for this but,........ they vibrate.
     With the saw so far from the bench its clamped to, up on the tall 
single post, its just an invitation to shimmy. No way to firm it up enough.
     When the work vibrates your files don't last for crap.

   It used to be you could get Nicholson saw files at every corner 
hardware. No problem.
  The rise of warehouse hardware killed that off. No matter what I say, 
anywhere, and try as I might,
the general public is enthralled with being treated like lemmings.
  Park in Kentucky, greet 16 year old minimum wage clerks, and then wait 
in line 20 minutes to get them to take your money.  ugh
  Warehouse stores often dump their new Pakistani files, the few they 
sell, loose into bins.
Clanging together, the quickest way to ruin any file.

   So now we have to guard our expensive mail order saw files under pain 
of death.

   Anyway, low, solid, and as heavy a saw vise as you can find, is self 
defense in this climate. Its not as comfortable to use but its 
--possible--.

   Unless you really want to try it for yourself.
If you do, I have that same Disston #1 saw vise, in very good condition, 
I would happily trade off, if you find something I need.
  Except you would have to pay partial postage. They really are bulky to 
ship and heavy.
         yours Scott

-- 
*******************************
    Scott Grandstaff
    Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca  96039
    scottg@s...
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/
    http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html