Name the tool

[Cherryville Chuck]

I bought a bunch of tools I saw advertised on FB marketplace the other day. I recognized two of the tools a Great Neck 770 saw tooth setter, good for 4 to 12 points, and the picture frame brad installer at the top of the picture. It probably came from Lee Valley. The tools all looked like good quality so I figured the lot was a pretty good deal at $35. The woman I bought them from was roughly around my age and they were her father's and a few possibly his father's. The other saw set turned out to be a Galt #10 for setting crosscut saw teeth. So I'm guessing one or two of these tools are at least 70 years old.

She said he had served in the air force and served during the Korean War and two of the tools have a military background. One is the wire twister in the center of the picture. It was and I think still is used to string safety wire through bolt heads that have a hole drilled through them on assemblies that can't vibrate loose in use (like a propeller). The tool that really surprised me is the one in pictures 2 and 3. I'm curious to see if anyone here knows what it is and possibly used one. It was used in WW2, the Korean War, and Viet Nam. It came in a holster so that it could be worn on the users belt.

[Stick486]

they are M2 demolition plies...
anti static..
the awl point is for making a hole in sticks/blocks of TNT and plastic explosives to insert a blasting cap..
cap crimpers for time fuse and DET cord...
cutters for time fuse and DET cord...
wire cutters..
strippers for electric systems..
screw driver for opening crates of explosives, working on and setting up mines, accessing their fusing ports and anti-handling devices...

[Bushwhacker]

You go Stick.

Bushwhacker

[Cherryville Chuck]

I figure the screwdriver end might have also been intended to attach wires to a detonator. The smaller hole I believe was for cutting fuse to length. I was quite surprised when I found out what they were and got back in contact with the woman I bought them from and that's when she told me about her dad serving in Korea. She was quite surprised too. Any idea what made them anti static? I did a little blasting when I worked construction just out of high school and I was taught that you use a wooden dowel.

One of the other tools was interesting too. The small pliers at the bottom are V & B Vaughn and Bushnell combination pliers, nut pliers, and wire cutters. I wonder if that's any relation to Bushnell Scopes? The jaws don't close and I would say that they are for nut sizes from 7/16" to 9/16".

Here's the link to a good written description of the M2 plier. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -516290021

[Stick486]

Any idea what made them anti static?

the metal alloy...

[Herb Stoops]

My Dad used a sharpened dowel to open the dynamite stick and crimped the cap with his teeth. Then after he had his teeth pulled ,he never wore his false teeth, he used a pocket knife to crimp the cap on the fuse.
I wonder what those 2 tools that look like dividers with ball points on the legs, just to the right of the hammers.? Nice haul.
Herb

[Stick486]

I wonder what those 2 tools that look like dividers with ball points on the legs

adjustable pin spanner wrenches...
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pin wrench.jpg

[HandyDan]

I see a pair of these pliers in the picture. I have two pair of them and often wondered if they were designed for something special. They have parallel jaws but really shine as a wire cutter. They really worked well cutting the stems of artificial flowers that my best side cutter struggled with.

006_14.jpg

[Biagio]

The parallel jaws work better than other types when working with wire (eg tensioning, bending, straightening). The grip along the whole length, rather than at the point where the closing jaws match the wire diameter.
I had one (British made) until it was swiped 30-odd years ago. Used to use it breaking scored glass in stained-glass work - I found it more reliable than the standard glass pliers.
I understand that non-marring models are available with brass jaws, for jewelry work.

[Stick486]

They are a 3M-UR splicing connector tool for these types of connectors and variations there of......
.

C1.jpg

C2.jpg

C3.jpg

[DaninVan]

Pretty eclectic tool assortment. Sounds like her dad had an interesting life.

[Stick486]

I figure the screwdriver end might have also been intended to attach wires to a detonator.

We used Western Union Splices, plug and play or terminal binding posts that look like these...
.

Western Union Splices...

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Western_Union_splice.jpg

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Terminal Binding Posts...

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binding posts.jpg

[DaninVan]

"Name the tool"
I was going to guess 'Justin' or 'Brandon', but I clearly misunderstood the question...

[Stick486]

Pretty eclectic tool assortment

and plumbing...

[Stick486]

I was going to guess 'Justin' or 'Brandon',

Winston would be a god one...
'''It's up front that counts'''....

[Cherryville Chuck]

I see a pair of these pliers in the picture. I have two pair of them and often wondered if they were designed for something special. They have parallel jaws but really shine as a wire cutter. They really worked well cutting the stems of artificial flowers that my best side cutter struggled with.


006_14.jpg

I'm not sure if they were designed with a task in mind either. You would tend to think they were. The one in this collection was made by Main Industries in the UK. The safety wire twist plier is also from a UK company. The lady I bought them from said he served in the air force. She didn't specify if it was RAF or RCAF. Her last name is McRae so either is possible and I think quite a few Canadians did serve with the Brits. I suspect he might have been a mechanic considering the tools he had so maybe this also had a military application. He did some pretty heavy cutting with it as the knife side of the cutter has some deformations in it.

Stick might be right too as he also worked for Weyerhauser up here. The J H Williams spanner for collar type fittings has Weyco scratched into it. I'm not asking if they want it back.

[Cherryville Chuck]

Pretty eclectic tool assortment. Sounds like her dad had an interesting life.

My thoughts too. I wish I'd had a chance to meet him. The lady said there was a chance that one or two of the tools might have been her grandfathers. Like maybe the crosscut saw tooth setter. The Great Neck setter was probably the dad's so he may have been a saw filer? The Williams brand spanner (between the flaring tool and the wire twister) could have been to remove or replace a saw collar?

These were all top of the line tools in their day, with the exception of the picture frame brad setter which is from Taiwan. The pin spanners are Proto 2" and 3". The flaring tool and tube cutter are Imperial Eastman and I think maybe a little better quality than the one I've had for nearly 50 years. The plier in the middle at the bottom is a piston ring installation plier made by Sealed Power. They started making piston rings back in 1912 and would up making most of the engines rings for Detroit auto makers in a few years. The snap ring plier is made by Tru Arc and is the only one I've ever seen with a limiter screw to keep you from opening the ring too far and taking the spring out of it. All in all an interesting bunch of tools and a bit of history too.

I'm waiting to see if my brother is interested in the cap crimper. If not I'll see if someone who is into military memorabilia is interested and gift it to them.

[Herb Stoops]

My Dad used powder fuse.
HErb

[Stick486]

My Dad used powder fuse.
HErb

aka time fuse...

[DaninVan]

Pretty eclectic tool assortment

and plumbing...

Heh...good one!

[Stick486]

Heh...good one!

thanks...
''eclectic''...
ahhh... typonese is alive and well....

[Herb Stoops]

My Dad used powder fuse.
HErb

aka time fuse...

I can't remember how many inches/ft per minute.

HErb

[Stick486]

I can't remember how many inches/ft per minute.

36 to 44 seconds per foot....

[Stick486]

I can't remember how many inches/ft per minute.

FWIW...
The fuse consists of a black powder core, tightly wrapped and enclosed by an inner cover of jute yarn and then counter-wound with cotton yarn... That was covered with bitumen (tar) and a plastic water proof sheath...