Most rigging vises that I have encountered were for ships rigging and very
large. Generally set up on a dedicated bench in the rigging shop..

I don't ever remember seeing a rigging vise for small wire (1/4")..

The rigging vise is intended, primarily, to help form the wire around the
thimble, or form it into an eye in a 'soft eye'. The two side screws force
the wire into a loop while the lower forces the wire up into the thimble..

I have done spliced with 3 pair of vise grips.. Place the first pair in a
bench vise, clamping onto the body. Place the thimble and wire into this
vise grip (only enough pressure to hold them, don't allow it to scar the
wire). Bent the wire around the thimble on either side and secure with small
vise grips on either side.

To avoid wire damage from the vise grips, I wrap the jaws with duct tape..
If I were doing this frequently, I would grind the jaws down to remove the
shape teeth or put 'soft jaws' in them..


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions