hmmm, not sure what title to use

[rustcollector]

I'm sure somebody will know, but I sure don't . What have I got here?

[Lostmind]

Something to pull really large teeth? Looks like it's to clamp onto round stock and maybe roll it while it's being worked?
Maybe a later black smith tool. All a guess. Neat tool.

[rustcollector]

You might be right Lostmind, I thought for sure it would be an easy one for some of the people on here.  But 50 views and no absolute answer yet. Wish there was some marking on it to research it.

[rusty]

Not a clue...But I bet if your thumb was in there you would talk....

[turnnut]

what are the measurements of the jaws open & closed ?

about 1 1/2"  to 3 "   ?

Frank

[rustcollector]

Jaws go from about 1/2" to 2 1/2"

[skipskip]

I have a similar one without the locking part, I assumed for  smithing round stock

[Chillylulu]

Looks like a #10 gangley wrench to me.

Chilly

P.S. - They are worth about Threvin dollars out here...

[john k]

I would say it is for smithing round stock, rod items.  The locking handle just assures you don't have to grip as tightly, which can be very tiring to the hand.   if it were in a pile, I'd grab it for sure. 

[Plyerman]

It's neat, but I have no better ideas than the ones already stated.

[johnsironsanctuary]

I wonder if it might be a well drillers tool for grabbing the water pipe with a small chain through the locking handles?

[Billman49]

I have this type of locking device on a small blacksmith's tongs - it is also often found on steel 'twitches' used to grip the upper lip of a horse to calm them down - it has the effect of anaesthetising the horse....

Below images of French twitches (morailles), bull leaders and smith's tongs... typo error on the last one when saving the image - should read 'query tongs'.....

[Charles Garrett]

Twitches cause some pain and the horse is so busy paying attention to that that it is oblivious to what you are doing to him.

[keykeeper]

Twitches work. I used to hold a buddy's horse while he shoed it with a homemade one.

I doubt the original pictured tool is for working large round stock, as a piece of stock that large would radiate so much heat at forging temp. Those short of reins on the tool wouldn't allow for the user to be far enough from the heat. But what do I know, I'm just a half-ass blacksmith anyway.