no clue, fellas found at rummage sale,  tightening the screw, pulls jaws together.  one jaw is loose from screw about 8 inches long made of machined steel

Hello, Brad. The tips look like ones on a chain pliers, but those are usually used for opening a chain link. Pretty neat looking tool!! Regards, Lou

Perhaps simply a general-use hand vise?

I can maybe see it being used to pull together roller chain to get a master link in place.
Cool item, I would have grabbed it for sure.

Nut cracker, for sure....

Something like this??       


http://thermoformerparts.com/index.php/roller-chain-holder-35-60-chain.html

I was sorely tempted to post nutcracker.  Is there a chain somewhere nearby you can test it on?  It looks like it could work as a chain holder, however the ones I've used are like the link Lou posted; they have a "hook" to the end of the holder jaws.
Al

for very heavy snap rings?

For an armorer making chain mail?  Or a detail vise for the jeweler to the Hell's Angels?

Quote from: skipskip on April 14, 2019, 09:15:44 PM
for very heavy snap rings?

x2

When making certain types of chains, say for a necklace, you use round nose pliers that open when squeezed to make an oval from a ring.

This looks like it would work for that.

Chilly

My son makes chain mail and uses simple pliers of two types. Openers and closers.
He says that tool would not be easy to work with, especially when he is making hundreds of chain loops and such.