http://www.ebay.com/itm/old-antique-nutcracker-ornate-J-S-PALMER-patd-1886-wrench-tool-good-condition-/300743533573?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4605b62405

Palmer must be the manufacturer, as it doesn't seem to be the inventor....

Cool! And over 125 years old too.

Somebody buy it for me.

I thought it was fun, since unidentifiable tools always bring out "It's a nutcracker!"   

Quote from: Branson on July 18, 2012, 09:22:22 AM
I thought it was fun, since unidentifiable tools always bring out "It's a nutcracker!"

I hear ya!

So anyhow, it seems like I've seen that same type of jaw set-up used on old pipe wrenches from that era...?

>seems like I've seen that same type of jaw set-up used on old pipe wrenches

There was a kind of fad fascination with the properties of spirals that spun off several odd looking wrench designs, some with just wedging jaws, some with a wedge jaw and a roller, some fixed, some hinged...
all work to various degrees, but some of the designs develop so much dogging force they crush the pipe unstead of unscrewing it...

All tend to be kewl to look at :)

Quote from: rusty on July 19, 2012, 05:05:12 PM
>seems like I've seen that same type of jaw set-up used on old pipe wrenches

There was a kind of fad fascination with the properties of spirals that spun off several odd looking wrench designs, some with just wedging jaws, some with a wedge jaw and a roller, some fixed, some hinged...
all work to various degrees, but some of the designs develop so much dogging force they crush the pipe unstead of unscrewing it...

All tend to be kewl to look at :)

But could they be used as nut crackers?

Only this one: http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=4129.0

I wouldn't be much surprised if the nutcracker was inspired by an existing wrench design, but I'd have to look at the patents a bit more....

A new use for an existing machine was allowed for patents back then, it still is today , somewhat, but is much much harder to do.