Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: Mitch on July 28, 2013, 03:03:16 PM

Title: A new what's it for you...
Post by: Mitch on July 28, 2013, 03:03:16 PM
Came across these and have no idea what they are. No marking on it at all. They are a little over 5 inches long. They are cast, not stamped with a single rivet holding it together.

http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y392/amg42866/WHATISIT001_zps43dbb721.jpg

 http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y392/amg42866/WHATISIT002_zpsc72a4962.jpg

Thanks!
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: mikeswrenches on July 29, 2013, 06:59:38 AM
Interesting looking design...unfortunately I don't have a clue what they were for.

Mike
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: oldtools on July 29, 2013, 02:29:46 PM
any photos of it closed? does the jaw protrusions contact or side by side? 
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: Mitch on July 30, 2013, 03:23:31 AM
I'll put more pics of it later today. They don't touch when closed, though. Weird....
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: john k on July 30, 2013, 07:08:47 AM
They look old, with the heavy casting, possibly pre WWII.  But they strongly resemble the tool used in a band style piston ring compressor. 
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: BruceS on July 30, 2013, 09:44:34 AM
Seen a similar pair.   I believe that different types of jaws can be slipped on them for different types of applications.
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: oldtools on July 30, 2013, 07:42:11 PM
maybe a spring clamp tool?
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: mvwcnews on July 31, 2013, 08:10:41 PM
They look old, with the heavy casting, possibly pre WWII.  But they strongly resemble the tool used in a band style piston ring compressor.
The different size bands were for the different sizes of canning jar lids then in use.   I wish I had a stock catalog photo or advert in my files to illustrate these as they looked  in a complete set.   Somewhere some time I've   seen a set of these handles with  one of the bands that came with them -- the spring steel bands eventually got brittle around the holes & broke -- then the handles were worthless curiosities. Nevertheless,  the handles turn up fairly often.

Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: RWalters on July 31, 2013, 10:38:32 PM
This is what it looked like with the spring/band in place.

Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: Plyerman on August 01, 2013, 10:32:09 PM
Ah, that makes sense now.
Title: Re: A new what's it for you...
Post by: mvwcnews on August 17, 2013, 02:45:59 PM
Quote from: RWalters link=ic=8873.msg55413#msg55413 date=1375328312
This is what it looked like with the spring/band in place.
I finally stumbled across where the set with three bands turned up -- 2010 Doug Busch collection auction   Box lot #58-1 ( http://s222.photobucket.com/user/buswrench/media/busch-2010/busch-CB-058-59.jpg.html ).  I'd taken a picture of part of Doug's collection my first year as MVWC Newsletter editor & the "three bands" show up on pg. 18 of the December 2000 MVWC newsletter as well.