OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

266015 Erik Levin 2018‑06‑16 I have seen this before, but I can't identify it
I know (or think I do) that I have seen this before, but I can find nothing
after a number of hours searching on line.


I picked the tool up at a yard sale (no, I can not drive by one without
stopping). At first glance, in a box of junk, I thought it was a saw wrest, as
all I saw peeking out was a handle and slots on the end. When I picked it up,
the deja vu hit. It, in some ways, reminds me of a clamp used when drawing
skins, but for the slots and holes. They are reminiscent of horology  tools, or
maybe jewelers tools. But I just can't find it.


End to end is about 130mm. Width of the jaws is 42mm. Thickness of each jaw is
3mm. The holes are 1.49mm, 1.62mm, 1.83mm, 2.13mm, 2.34mm, 2.56mm, 2.81mm,
3.04mm,  and 3.21mm. They are not measurably tapered, and line up moderately
well between the jaws, but the axes are not quite parallel.

The slots are 0.65mm, 0.85mm, 0.85mm (two of these),  1.05mm, and 1.45mm. The
slots are about 1.7mm deep.


The notch in the inside of the handle is in the form of a tapered dovetail,
though it may not have been originally, and is 3.9mm wide at the narrow end at
the surface, 4.5 at the wide end, 1.5mm deep, and I can't get a reasonable
measure of the widths at the bottom.


When closed, the jaw faces fit neatly with no perceptible gap. When I grab a
0.2mm thick feeler in them, there is clear contact near the pivot and I can fit
another 0.15mm feeler in at the wide end. It would appear that the faces are
quite parallel when the jaws are closed.


The ring over the handles clamps the tool well when drawn out. 


The touchmark is a bird (dove?) about 2.75mm tall and 3.5mm wide. It was made in
france.

Images: 

https://s25.postimg.cc/p5uw6tyof/mystery_tool_showing_jaws.png
https://s25.postimg.cc/ydn4niy0v/mystery_tool_touchmark_side_closed.png
https://s25.postimg.cc/o4z8vqhfz/mystery_tool_touchmark_side_open.png
https://s25.postimg.cc/duwtwhjun/mystery_tool_oblique.png
https://s25.postimg.cc/vjjza28pb/touchmark_logo_1_2.75mm_X3.5mm.png
https://s25.postimg.cc/ydn4niilb/touchmark_logo_2_2.75mm_X3.5mm.png
https://s25.postimg.cc/yqeitp8kv/touchmark_france_impression_9mm_X1.75mm.png

Watch or clock tool? Clamp for drawing skins? Something else completely? 


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266016 Peter McBride <peter_mcbride@b...> 2018‑06‑16 Re: I have seen this before, but I can't identify it
Eric,
They are are hand vice for broaching (reaming) the hole in watch hands to size. 
I’ve a couple in a draw next to my bench. I use them to hold long, say 40mm
plus, pieces of gold or platinum as I saw or file.
Cheers,
Peter
In Main Ridge, Vic
Australia
266017 Erik Levin 2018‑06‑17 Re: I have seen this before, but I can't identify it
On Saturday, June 16, 2018, 7:43:32 PM EDT, Peter McBride
 wrote:
 
 > They are are hand vice for broaching (reaming) the hole in watch hands to
size.
> I’ve a couple in a draw next to my bench. I use them to hold long, say 40mm
plus, pieces of gold or platinum as I saw or file.
> Cheers,
> Peter


Ah! Thank you. Now I know why they look so familiar, as well. I have never used
one, but have probably spent hundreds (thousands?) of hours with one in view. I
added broaching to my search for hand vise, and a good number of matches. Funny
how you can find things more easily if you already know what they are.
266023 <ecoyle@t...> 2018‑06‑18 Re: I have seen this before, but I can't identify it
It has been suggested that this apparatus was for broaching clock hands, and
well they may be used for that by some, it seems Peter does.

But to me they are  jewellers draw pliers =quite similar to those illustrated in

https://www.google.com/search?q=jewellers+draw+pliers&client=firefox-b&
sa=X&biw=1344&bih=728&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=8OGEBvLUEouVuM%253A
%252CuJeQH-QogqlPCM%252C_&usg=__TNCCD_WU2ZE0JaeCkFUVe2H6yZE%3D&ved=0ahUKEwib_uSE
htzbAhXMHzQIHdMRBtIQ9QEIOjAD#imgrc=8OGEBvLUEouVuM:">https://www.google.com/searc
h?q=jewellers+draw+pliers&client=firefox-b&sa=X&biw=1344&bih=728&tbm=isch&source
=iu&ictx=1&fir=8OGEBvLUEouVuM%253A%252CuJeQH-QogqlPCM%252C_&usg=__TNCCD_WU2ZE0Ja
eCkFUVe2H6yZE%3D&ved=0ahUKEwib_uSEhtzbAhXMHzQIHdMRBtIQ9QEIOjAD#imgrc=8OGEBvLUEou
VuM:

So that is my vote.If I had to broach clock hands, I’d be using a much  lighter
tool

They were used in my limited experience to draw wire through a “ draw plate” to
reduce it to size needed. To my mind, even though it could be used to hold clock
hands, it’s a little too cumbersome for that delicate task

You will notice that this one has the slide to allow it to get a good hold on
the wire when tapped by a mallet, but doesn’t have the hooked hand to allow a
more positive grip as shown in the google images.

If any of you other tool junkies need to find another  slippery slope, find yer
local Jewelers supply shop, but I’d stronglys advise leaving yer wallet at home
for the first visit! DAMHIK, and if swmbo goes with you they typically have lots
of gems on display, but that might be OK as It would be a reason to buy MORE
TOOLS!

Sorry for the post but do  completely grok  the ‘nuther slipppery slope” warning

Eric in Calgary
266026 Peter McBride <peter_mcbride@b...> 2018‑06‑19 Re: I have seen this before, but I can't identify it
What would be the value in a wide jaw plier for drawing wire? It is 
counter to all that is right in the world of levers and pivots.
If you try and clamp a wire in the far end of those, you would have a 
useless grip on the wire. Like trying to clamp a block of wood in the 
far end of a vice, as far from the center as you can put it ... for 
absolutely no good reason. Much the same as lifting a heavy object with 
you arms out stretched .. for no good reason.
Wide jaw, locking type hand clamps have their uses .... and you could 
use them as a hammer if thought it was appropriate BUT...
These are two different animals.
The person selling the ones you linked too on epay, redrooster tools, 
doesn't know his backside from his elbow.
BTW if you scroll down the page you linked, you will find a couple of 
pictures of my draw tongs from my webpage!

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petermcbride.com%
2Fjewellery_tools%2Fdraw%2520bench001.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petermcbrid
e.com%2Fjewellery_tools%2F&docid=ct0WJHlofm9i_M&tbnid=2F3QnYVd3wVTmM%3A&vet=10ah
UKEwi3wpzYvd7bAhXLJZQKHaylDfYQMwhhKB8wHw..i&w=640&h=480&client=firefox-b&bih=700
&biw=1536&q=jewellers%20draw%20pliers&ved=0ahUKEwi3wpzYvd7bAhXLJZQKHaylDfYQMwhhK
B8wHw&iact=mrc&uact=8">https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pet
ermcbride.com%2Fjewellery_tools%2Fdraw%2520bench001.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fw
ww.petermcbride.com%2Fjewellery_tools%2F&docid=ct0WJHlofm9i_M&tbnid=2F3QnYVd3wVT
mM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwi3wpzYvd7bAhXLJZQKHaylDfYQMwhhKB8wHw..i&w=640&h=480&client=fir
efox-b&bih=700&biw=1536&q=jewellers%20draw%20pliers&ved=0ahUKEwi3wpzYvd7bAhXLJZQ
KHaylDfYQMwhhKB8wHw&iact=mrc&uact=8

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petermcbride.com%
2Fjewellery_tools%2Fdraw%2520tongs01.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petermcbride
.com%2Fjewellery_tools%2F&docid=ct0WJHlofm9i_M&tbnid=TdnjL-kz0EqWjM%3A&vet=12ahU
KEwjE8bPlv97bAhWOEqYKHS4pCsc4ZBAzKAgwCHoECAEQCQ..i&w=640&h=480&client=firefox-b&
bih=700&biw=1536&q=jewellers%20draw%20pliers&ved=2ahUKEwjE8bPlv97bAhWOEqYKHS4pCs
c4ZBAzKAgwCHoECAEQCQ&iact=mrc&uact=8">https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%
3A%2F%2Fwww.petermcbride.com%2Fjewellery_tools%2Fdraw%2520tongs01.jpg&imgrefurl=
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petermcbride.com%2Fjewellery_tools%2F&docid=ct0WJHlofm9i_M&tbni
d=TdnjL-kz0EqWjM%3A&vet=12ahUKEwjE8bPlv97bAhWOEqYKHS4pCsc4ZBAzKAgwCHoECAEQCQ..i&
w=640&h=480&client=firefox-b&bih=700&biw=1536&q=jewellers%20draw%20pliers&ved=2a
hUKEwjE8bPlv97bAhWOEqYKHS4pCsc4ZBAzKAgwCHoECAEQCQ&iact=mrc&uact=8

In my pictures below, the right angle bent set are for hand drawing wire 
(and polished by 45 years of use and maybe drawing in excess of 1000 
miles of wire), and the 3 hooked handle type for use in a machine.
The small box jointed ones ARE made for broaching watch hands, and for 
holding other small items, and the large ones ARE for drawing wire.

http://www.petermcbride.com/temp/images1/draw_tongs.jpg
http://www.petermcbride.com/temp/images1/broach.JPG

Peter

Recent Bios FAQ