device consisting of two parallel jaws for holding a workpiece; one of the jaws is fixed and the other movable by a screw, a lever, or a cam. When used for holding a workpiece during hand operations, such as filing, hammering, or sawing, the vise may be permanently bolted to a bench. In vises designed to hold metallic workpieces, the active faces of the jaws are hardened steel plates, often removable, with serrations that grip the workpiece; to prevent damage to soft parts, the permanent jaws can be covered with temporary jaws made from sheet copper or leather. Pipe vises have double V-shaped jaws that grip in four places instead of only two. Woodworking vises have smooth jaws, often of wood, and rely on friction alone rather than on serrations.

For holding workpieces on the tables of machine tools, vises with smooth hardened-steel jaws and flat bases are used. These machine vises are portable but may be clamped to the machine table when in use; means may also be provided for swivelling the active part of the vise so that the workpiece can be held in a variety of positions relative to the base. For holding parts that cannot be clamped with flat jaws, special jaws can be provided.