Questions About Compound Leverage Hoof Nippers

[lebaron]

I have 2 pair of nippers. One made about 100 years ago (Champion DeArment 2025) The other made about 10 years ago (no markings) although they look just like Bud Draft Horse Model Nippers. My question is both have overlapping angle cutters, all the hoof nippers I've seen have straight cutters. Are these hoof nippers or something else? I emailed Bud and he's never seen the angle cutters. He does sell the straight cutters inserts. Each weigh about 3 lbs. I'm a city boy and only see horses on TV.

[WilliamSmith1957]

Very interesting tool. In my opinion these are hoof nippers, but I'm not entirely sure. Maybe give it a try? 

[wvtools]

If they are marked Champion DeArment, then they were made between 1927 when Champion Tool Co. changed it's name to include the owner's family name and 1960 when they changed their name again to their popular tool -- Channellock.

[lebaron]

Thanks for that info. But the real question is what the heck are they.

[wvtools]

I believe they are hoof paring nippers.  The Channellock catalog that I have shows two without the compound joint.  One has one beveled cut that overlaps a square cutter.  The other has replaceable jaws and it looks like the jaws overlap on it.  The first one they call Improved Hoof Parer and the second one Out Pride Hoof Shear.  The thing that most people at flea markets call hoof nippers, they call Heavy Duty Cutting Nippers designed for concrete form builders, carpenters, mechanics, famrets. etc. for easy cutting of large nails, small spikes, form wire ties, etc.

I think most farriers that I have met prefer the nippers (latter) to the parers (latter) because you can cut hooves and nails with the nippers.  The parers are just for hooves.  I have a much easier time selling the nippers and I find a lot more of them than the parers.

[lebaron]

Hey WV Thanks for the info. Sorry I've been sick and just getting back feeling better.

[four.cycle]

this is a patent for an earlier model of the "Champion" hoof shear (much earlier than the example in the first post)
patent 908969 Jan 5 1909 George B. DeArment - replaceable jaws, ball-bearing pivot
from the looks of early "Blacksmith & Wheelright" issues, this baby was apparently pretty popular: