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View Full Version : A seemingly worthless whatsit?


James Taglienti
10-25-2010, 5:10 PM
OK, got this gadget at an auction and It's evident what it does, but I don't know why!

The small crank opens and closes the mouth of the pliers exponentially slower than the average individual could, and the pressure it exerts is about a third of what you could do by hand. It also makes the pliers much harder to hold. It came on these pliers in the auction flat but perhaps it does something else entirely?

The bronze castings are rough, the rivets are crooked, the knurling is poor, and the rest of the piece looks like a one time deal, except for the small "patent pending" stamp on one of the scissor arms. Maybe this fellow couldn't find any investors?

PS I already tried to use it to pick up a dead mouse + trap and it didn't work very well, so there goes my guess. I'm stumped. :confused:
geoff wood
10-25-2010, 5:22 PM
turn pliers into vice grips?
Jerome Hanby
10-25-2010, 5:56 PM
That was my first thought...


turn pliers into vice grips?
harry strasil
10-25-2010, 6:07 PM
It's real clear to me, "RC race car pit jack!"
or emergency fly tieing vise!
george wilson
10-25-2010, 6:14 PM
I actually made a special collet chuck just to hold a bunch of 18th.C. checkers in while I was turning their faces,without hurting their edges. Ugly little checkers they were,too. Looked real cheap to me. Mine was not to reason why. When I croak,no one will ever know what it was for! We had to make some special gifts to put some handmade spice into the Williamsburg Christmas catalog one year. they were for backgammon sets.

I carefully stamped my name,etc. on it and "Patent Refused". Showed it to the director!
Marv Werner
10-25-2010, 6:17 PM
My guess is that it's a fixture device that can clamp and hold something like a hand vise. It can be attached to other type pliers as well. Harry's idea would work but it is probably meant to be more versatile. Looks like a good idea.
Richard Verwoest
10-26-2010, 1:35 PM
It's a dental tool. It is used to pull teeth. The mechanism allows precise and controlled grip of a rotted tooth for removal.
Jim Rimmer
10-26-2010, 2:01 PM
It's a dental tool. It is used to pull teeth. The mechanism allows precise and controlled grip of a rotted tooth for removal.
LOL. I hope not.

It has a Ford logo on it. Some special automotive tool?
Jeff Wittrock
10-26-2010, 6:27 PM
It's a dental tool. It is used to pull teeth. The mechanism allows precise and controlled grip of a rotted tooth for removal.

Yikes.... and I was going to suggest they were some sort of precision nut cracker.

-Jeff
Clarence Miller
10-26-2010, 6:43 PM
I am going to take these pics to the antique farm machinery club I am a member of. It may very well have a home in the tractor line of Ford.
James Taglienti
10-27-2010, 8:18 AM
The attachment comes off the pliers quite easily and doesn't fit them very well to begin with, I'm not sure It's associated with ford. the slip joint kinda makes them go cockeyed.

I think the previous owner realized what the thing did, and stuck it on the first pair of pliers he found!
Derby Matthews
10-27-2010, 10:57 AM
James,

It's a very Rare Popiel's (or is it Ronco?) "Are You Awake Honey?" Fidelity Tester!




It appears to be a type 1, not the more common Lorena Bobbit edition....