Buck and Hickman

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Has anyone got a ’50s Buck & Hickman catalogue that they would do a search for these pliers bought from a shop closing down sale in Lowestoft along with some canvas stretching pliers.  These pliers are also in the topic (What are these called), however I have since seen printed on the pliers Buck&Hickman  which may be a lead ??

Cheers and best wishes for 2024 to all

Bob

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

There are two B&H catalogues at the Internet Archive. Maybe one of them will bear fruit:

https://archive.org/search?query=buck%20hickman

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

I’ve got their 1930’s catalogue, I’ll have a look

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

The 1930 catalogue has 1140 pages and the index shows this list of pliers, I could not find one like in your photo, your mention of canvas pliers made me check the given page number but it must be an error as it shows different tools

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I’ve had a look through my 1958 cat and can’t see a match.  A reverse image search hasn’t found anything either.  A poser.

Rod

[Andy_GParticipant @andy_g]

Spark plug boot puller?

 

Like these?

 

 

New ones here (various styles available)

https://www.sears.com/se-tools-s-e-tools-824a-45-degree-angled/p-SPM2408461414

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Having just closed up the ring that connects a bath plug to its chain with some pointed pliers which are less than ideal I wonder if they would be good for closing chain links. What about closing crown corks on bottles? What is the internal diameter of the jaws?

Martin C

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Hog ring pliers for car seat cover fixing (vinyl or leather), a bit last century now I suspect

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Flicked through my 1964 B&H catalogue and cannot find anything like those.

Ian P

[Dave Halford]

On Dave Halford Said:

Hog ring pliers for car seat cover fixing (vinyl or leather), a bit last century now I suspect

Looking again I see the necessary groove to hold the ring located is missing.

Might they be boat building, trawler or similar?

[Martin Connelly]

On Martin Connelly Said:

Having just closed up the ring that connects a bath plug to its chain with some pointed pliers which are less than ideal I wonder if they would be good for closing chain links. What about closing crown corks on bottles? What is the internal diameter of the jaws?

Martin C

I’m not at all convinced by the ‘ring closer’ idea because the ring would always spring open by a small amount when released.  The usual way is to twist the ring sideways using two pairs of pliers (or whatever tool is appropriate), squeeze it until the ends are side-by-side, almost but not quite overlapping, then twist the ring back so that the ends slide over each other.  Easier to do than to describe.

George

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

George, the ring on the bath plug is more like a key ring with 2 complete turns, not a triangular one if that is what you are thinking of. Anyway what I was thinking about, when I asked the internal diameter of the jaws, was would it work as a rubber bung remover in a laboratory where a typical corkscrew would clearly not be the correct tool for the job.

Martin C

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Thanks for all the replies,  The jaw diameter is 1.25″. The “teeth” of the jaws are in axial alignment (Ie: longitudinal and not circular if that makes sense).

I am now thinking that they could be used to unscrew metal galon can screw tops – especially the thin aluminium ones we used to get on oil cans. – Perhaps used in the shop when they (perhaps ??) sold smaller quantities of liquid like linseed oil from a gallon can ???

BUT I don’t have an old gallon can to check the lid diameter.

On closer inspection, the circular jaws have been welded onto a pair of (sort of) standard Buck&Hickman “cheap” pliers, so they could be “specials”.

Certainly are a mystery!!

Bob

[george baker 1Participant @georgebaker1]

hi

Crucible holder?

George

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Yes, that had been suggested George, but the general opinion was that you would burn your fingers when pouring out.

[Speedy Builder5]

On Speedy Builder5 Said:

I am now thinking that they could be used to unscrew metal gallon can screw tops

 

On closer inspection, the circular jaws have been welded onto a pair of (sort of) standard Buck&Hickman “cheap” pliers

As an observation, with the jaws like they are, it would be quite an unnatural motion of the hand to use them for unscrewing, especially if the top being unscrewed was on the top surface of the container (i.e. hand and arm vertical). It would involve less muscle contortion if the cap being unscrewed were on the side (hand an arm more horizontal).

Maybe have another flick through the catalogues and see if you can identify the handle shape, ignoring the business end. Even without the welded-on jaws, the straight legs are quite far apart for a normal pair of pliers.

To me, they look like a miniature version of a blacksmith’s bolt tongs, but blacksmiths ones have curved legs to accommodate the head of the bolt between jaws and pivot. Is there anything you might hold in them and then work on the other end of it?

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, it could be for picking up small crcuibles like those that you’d find in a laboratory where chemicals etc. are tested, but in any case, even if it was for hot molten metal, you probably would lift it into a pouring ring, like those used in a foundry.

Regards Nick.

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

I posted the photo on another forum called the Machinist Museum and got lots of replies involving lifting molten metal which is of course crazy as your hand would be right above as the rings are vertical. Forge tools have long handles and holding a hot or cold bar of iron would not be very secure in those narrow jaws either.

A reply just came in where someone wrote –Valve spring retainer R/R pliers.

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