A new what's it for you...

Mitch · July 28, 2013, 03:03:16 PM

Came across these and have no idea what they are. No marking on it at all. They are a little over 5 inches long. They are cast, not stamped with a single rivet holding it together.

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y392/amg42866/WHATISIT001_zps43dbb721.jpg

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y392/amg42866/WHATISIT002_zpsc72a4962.jpg

Thanks!

mikeswrenches · July 29, 2013, 06:59:38 AM

Interesting looking design...unfortunately I don't have a clue what they were for.

Mike

oldtools · July 29, 2013, 02:29:46 PM

any photos of it closed? does the jaw protrusions contact or side by side?

Mitch · July 30, 2013, 03:23:31 AM

I'll put more pics of it later today. They don't touch when closed, though. Weird....

john k · July 30, 2013, 07:08:47 AM

They look old, with the heavy casting, possibly pre WWII. But they strongly resemble the tool used in a band style piston ring compressor.

BruceS · July 30, 2013, 09:44:34 AM

Seen a similar pair. I believe that different types of jaws can be slipped on them for different types of applications.

oldtools · July 30, 2013, 07:42:11 PM

maybe a spring clamp tool?

mvwcnews · July 31, 2013, 08:10:41 PM

Quote from: john k on July 30, 2013, 07:08:47 AM
They look old, with the heavy casting, possibly pre WWII. But they strongly resemble the tool used in a band style piston ring compressor.

The different size bands were for the different sizes of canning jar lids then in use. I wish I had a stock catalog photo or advert in my files to illustrate these as they looked in a complete set. Somewhere some time I've seen a set of these handles with one of the bands that came with them -- the spring steel bands eventually got brittle around the holes & broke -- then the handles were worthless curiosities. Nevertheless, the handles turn up fairly often.

RWalters · July 31, 2013, 10:38:32 PM

This is what it looked like with the spring/band in place.

Plyerman · August 01, 2013, 10:32:09 PM

Ah, that makes sense now.

mvwcnews · August 17, 2013, 02:45:59 PM

Quote from: RWalters link=ic=8873.msg55413#msg55413 date=1375328312
This is what it looked like with the spring/band in place.

I finally stumbled across where the set with three bands turned up -- 2010 Doug Busch collection auction Box lot #58-1 ( http://s222.photobucket.com/user/buswrench/media/busch-2010/busch-CB-058-59.jpg.html ). I'd taken a picture of part of Doug's collection my first year as MVWC Newsletter editor & the "three bands" show up on pg. 18 of the December 2000 MVWC newsletter as well.

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A new what's it for you...