​

Vice, also spelled Vise, 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.