Giant Grip Wrenches

[Yadda]

On the popular auction website I often see "Giant Grip" wrenches for sale.  The wrenches are often described as "Caulk" wrenches, "horseshoe" wrenches describing the shape or "hammer" wrenches which also describes the fact that one side of the wrench appears to have a flat side which might be a hammer poll or could be used to hammer items. 

My questions:

How were/are these wrenches used? 

[Papaw]

This type?


This one is for sale on Ebay by our own wvtools.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Giant-Grip-No-2-Horseshoe-Caulk-Wrench-Tool-1-2-7-16-/400650688969

Made to be used by a farrier or horse owner to work on calks (caulks ) on horseshoes. Cleats for horses.

[mvwcnews]

The GIANT GRIP calks had tapered shanks that were a drive fit into tapered holes in the horseshoes.  If you stuck a cold calk in a hot shoe, you'd get a nice tight fit for sure.   Needed a wedge that straddled the shank & would slip between the shoe & calk to knock them loose.  Looks like a wrench, but no twisting motion involved in loosening that brand.

[keykeeper]

I disagree, somewhat. If the hole is tapered, it would be a friction fit, just like some chucks fit a tapered arbor on the smaller drill presses.

Using these wrenches, the tapered shank of the calk would be turned to pop it out of the tapered hole, particularly when they wear down.

Ever accidently bind up one of the taper fit chucks on a drill press, and have it pop off? I have. They pop right off.

Hot shoes wouldn't be on the horse. These calks were made to be applied when needed, for traction. Or removed easily, by popping them off the shoe while still on the horse, easily done with a quick twist of the wrench. The hammer face looking side would be used to tap them into place.

Also, looking at issues of the Blacksmith and Wheelwright magazine, you will find many companies made the shoes ready to accept the calks, with the holes made into the shoe. Different companies claimed they had the best calks, "guaranteed not to fall out".

[Yadda]

That's it!  Thanks for the information and the history lesson!