Hand Tool - What Is It

Picked one of these up the other day, because it was only $1, and I couldn't figure out what it was for. After playing with it at home, and researching it, I still can't figure out what it's for.

The closest I've been able to guess is that it might be a spring lock release tool. As in something like a spring wire cotter pin or hair clip that stays open normally, but can be squeezed closed with this tool. If I make one with a piece of wire, it brings the two ends together perfectly with the loop around the nearest post.

This isn't mine, but one exactly like mine. Any thoughts or recognition?

http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=639.0

Now I am curious too......

It's not a wire bender? Think of a teeny tiy tubing bender, if you're manufacturing your own springs, carburetor size; this would curl the end to a 180 or loop.

I think .....

Looks like some sort of safety wire or something like that tool.

Going to say it is a wire bender for fencing. Put a length of wire where the middle lines up with the central moving wheel, and it will form what looks ot be about 1.75 wide "U" shape. Use this to hold fence to post.

Try it on an OEM spring type hose clamp?

I think it's a hammer. You know, "Any tool can be the right tool."

Spanner wrench?

Can we get some shots of it with the jaws opened up?

Dr. Hess wrote: I think it's a hammer. You know, "Any tool can be the right tool."

it's for removing the locking clips that hold a turbo encabulator together. very rare.

Looks like an old school can opener, so maybe its for gripping the rim of a can, or resealing the lid on a can.

novaderrik wrote: it's for removing the locking clips that hold a turbo encabulator together. very rare.

I thought it had to do with the manufacture of flux capacitors

I was all in with "tubing bender" until I saw the side shot... now I'm baffled. Maybe it has another part that goes to it?

My father in law swears it's an old, small tube bender. He's been an industrial mechanic for 40+ years. FWIW

NOHOME wrote: Going to say it is a wire bender for fencing. Put a length of wire where the middle lines up with the central moving wheel, and it will form what looks ot be about 1.75 wide "U" shape. Use this to hold fence to post.

Hrmmmm. Plausible. If we were voting I'd cast one in favor.

foxtrapper wrote: This isn't mine, but one exactly like mine. Any thoughts or recognition? http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=639.0

In the third picture it looks like there is a slot for a screw driver that could adjust how far out those pieces are from the body of the tool. If that is correct it could be adjustable for different wire gages or tubing diameters.

GCooper wrote: My father in law swears it's an old, small tube bender. He's been an industrial mechanic for 40+ years. FWIW

I would bet that he is correct. My gut says wire bender, but with finesse I could see how you could do small diameter tubing too.

novaderrik wrote: it's for removing the locking clips that hold a turbo encabulator together. very rare.

The dirdle spring locking clips? Always wondered...

EastCoastMojo wrote: I would bet that he is correct. My gut says wire bender.

Or straightener? I was thinking maybe a nail straightener because people were more frugal and resourceful way back when. That's my silly guess.

Garage Gazette and some brief googling says spring steel hose clamp pliers. They'd have to be some pretty big hose clamps though.

http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=515.30

I cheated and used a reverse image search though. A smaller pair of those would have been nice for when I was installing the catch can in the MS3 the other day. Might have saved my hands.

akamcfly wrote:

EastCoastMojo wrote: I would bet that he is correct. My gut says wire bender.

Or straightener? I was thinking maybe a nail straightener because people were more frugal and resourceful way back when. That's my silly guess.

how many nails would you have to straighten to recover the cost of what looks like a well engineered set of pliers?

akamcfly wrote:

EastCoastMojo wrote: I would bet that he is correct. My gut says wire bender.

Or straightener? I was thinking maybe a nail straightener because people were more frugal and resourceful way back when. That's my silly guess.

If you're going to straighten a nail you have to bend it, right? Ergo: bender.

It's a spring bender, for working with these:

My upholstery guy has one similar.