Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: Plyerman on June 22, 2017, 08:03:11 PM

Title: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: Plyerman on June 22, 2017, 08:03:11 PM
This must be what they used before Vise Grips came along? It's a set of pliers - or call them tongs maybe - with two different pivot holes available. And at the end of one handle is a plate with eleven holes, which the opposite handle can fit into. So I think in practice you were supposed to pinch down on whatever it was you wanted to clamp, and then poke the free handle into whichever hole was closest so as to maintain tension on the jaws. It works, kinda clumsily though, but would suffice if there were no vise grips around.

Any ideas about when it was made? By whom? And if it was intended for a specific trade, or just general usage? Thanks!

Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: Yadda on June 22, 2017, 09:21:43 PM
Hmmmm.... I've seen similar somewhere......

Also reminds me of the Plierench Clamp.
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: turnnut on June 22, 2017, 09:38:05 PM
 if you moved the bolt/nut to the other 2 holes, would the jaws open wider ?  and how wide will they open ?
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: Plyerman on June 22, 2017, 09:43:15 PM
if you moved the bolt/nut to the other 2 holes, would the jaws open wider ?  and how wide will they open ?

With the bolt/nut in the "front" hole as pictured, the jaws open to about 2-1/2" wide. Using the "rear" pivot holes, the jaws open to slightly more than 4 inches.
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: john k on June 23, 2017, 10:43:11 PM
I'm calling this as to be for a special trade.  To lock the pliers to something,  be for dipping in hot water?    Hold two items together while it cooled?   Is too light to hold something while grinding I am thinking.  Sure are a lot of combinations with that lock plate.    It would be tempting to use that lock plate to lift, but wouldn't be enough tension to hold more than a couple of pounds.   Those jaws are so non standard, had to be a very specific use.  Probably find it if you had time to peruse some old catalogs. 
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: Plyerman on June 24, 2017, 08:32:10 PM
Okay, that makes good sense, thanks! So the lock plate is pretty common then? It's the first time I've seen one, but I really haven't been looking at tools like this before.
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: skipskip on June 24, 2017, 09:40:19 PM
Medical?
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: john k on June 24, 2017, 10:02:10 PM
Was in an ACEhardware today,  while searching for something entirely separate from this, I spotted  a pair of new Vise Grips with exactly these shape of jaws.  Pipe holder wrench.    To clamp to a well pipe to prevent it from slipping back down the well.   New I'd seen it but had brain lock, a lot of that recently.   Sorry I did not record the number on the Vise Grips.  It was new because it did not have the DeWitt Nebraska stamp. 
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: p_toad on June 27, 2017, 06:08:58 PM
you mean like these? 
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: john k on June 28, 2017, 12:50:13 PM
yup,,, and the multi hole plate would lock the handles for any size pipe, yep?
Title: Re: Unmarked locking pliers
Post by: Yadda on June 28, 2017, 07:15:16 PM
yup,,, and the multi hole plate would lock the handles for any size pipe, yep?

I can envision that usage.