Crimper?????????????

[toolmiser]

I found this tool in with some others I purchased at a garage sale.  There are no names, numbers, or manufacturer marks that I can tell.  The jaws are only about 3/16" thick. It is about 8 1/2" long. 
I suspect it is some kind of electrical crimper, but probably wrong. 

Like usual, all comments are appreciated and encouraged!





Please excuse the "borrowing" of my dog's rug for this shot.

[Bill Houghton]

Looks like it was designed by an earwig.  No idea what it's used for, but it's a really good example of its type.

[wvtools]

I believe they are lead cable pliers.  I think there are two types, and that is the cutting type.  The ones that just crimp have rounded jaws.  I think Aunt Phil and Amertrac both may be able to provide some insight on how those are used.

[amertrac]

I have never seen ones like that but they certainly could  be used to strip the insulation off 3/0 aluminum cable.  bob w.

[wvtools]

OK, I found my references.  It was not someone on here, but someone on Ebay. 

These are lead cable cutting pliers.  They are listed in a 1966 Boker Industrial tools catalog that I have as No. 5615-8 1/2".

The ones I had looked very similar to these, but the jaws were rounded.  I was told that they were lead cable restricting pliers, which are used to ring restrict lead telephone cable on each side of a poured or injected epoxy air dam that blocks the flow of air through the cable.

[rusty]

So....the chances I will actully ever use my pair are.......zero ;P

[Aunt Phil]

With some pondering, and a wee bit of knowledge gained looking over the shoulders of men who could solder a splice case onto lead shield, it could be either a cutter or a shrinker depending on the ability of the splicer using it.  Unfortunately by the 60s lead was being phased out of overhead, and those pliers look a bit small for subway.

Best I can think, (sit back down Rusty) they might have been used to seperate a rotted case from the cable more or less in the manner of a tubing cutter.  Knowing Ma Bell there might well have been a bucket of money invested in crating them to prevent a splicer from damaging the paper insulation with his saw and splitting knife.  That combination probably created a lot of LONG splice cases.

I can also see it being employed on a new splice, where 2 cables join rather than a midspan to squeeze down the end of the bell into contact with the cable.  After all, solder will only span a gap of about 15 thousandths of an inch. 

All in all I don't see much of a production run on that tool.  Nobody was going to haul it up to a platform when a hose clamp worked better. 

[rusty]

Perhaps lead streetlight cable?

Nasty stuff...