Thread: Clever pair of plyers.

I got a similar pair made be Boker out of the specials bin at my local hardware for $2 Matge of mine reckons they're glazier's pliers, you know for gripping the bit you want to snap off. Jaws remain parallel so you grip the glass without chipping it.

Mick

Fellow I used to work with used a pair for carrying hot steel plates

Glazing plyers is probably right. But I can see myself using them like wheelin mentioned. holding flat stuff like blades under a flame. etc.

My dad had a set of them with a wire cutter on the side, my brother has them now, must be 50+ years old and still good. They had a brand name of sergeant stamped into them.

I did see a pair of them for sale about 20 years ago at a small hardware someplace. I couldn't afford them then.

specialist

Bernard make handpieces/conduits for GMAW machines, so they may have been built for a metalwork/welding application. Specific pliers are made for cutting off welding wire, removing contact tips and cleaning spatter from the shroud, but they look nothing like this.

Here is a page with a little bit of info on the history of Bernard parallel action pliers. They still make them. Here are the ones like apricotripper's and here are the ones with the side cutter.

Thanks Ian. You found it all. In the first link there I read that it was used a lot for typewriter repair.

The pair I've got have a really nice action. Despite their age there's no loose parts. They new how to make stuff back then eh.

I've also got a pair with the wire cutter on the side, brand name is Maui or similar, made in England.
They look like they are not well made but in reality are pretty rugged, I use mine to cut 5mm fencing wire (white sight wire) as they fit in my pocket and I don't need to lug bolt cutters around.

They were/are used in the optical industry for adjusting spectacle frames. I first used a pair nearly 50 years ago and wouldn't be without them. They were called, amazingly enough, parallel pliers!
Cheers
Graeme

I have a pair just like that Jake. Don't know how old they are - they used to belong to my Dad when he was alive. Mine were made in England by a firm called Maun Industries, a well-known firm over here which makes all sorts of pliers and other similar tools. Mine look just like yours - they even have the groove running down the centre of one of the jaws. I find them very useful and find that the parallel action holds things much more firmly than the action of normal pliers.

Cheers

Paul

I have/had a pair also, complete with the wire cutters on the side.
I thought they were a heap of shyte, the cutters never closed perfectly meaning the wire had to be a reasonable size before they would cut far enought through the wire. They were stiff as all getout to open and close due to the linkages/lever action to get the parallel thing happening.

So there ya go, one lone voice of dissent in the wilderness amongst a sea of supporters.

Originally Posted by outback

So there ya go, one lone voice of dissent in the wilderness amongst a sea of supporters.

We are surprised !!!!!!

I also have a pair of Maun ones with the groove in the jaws. Wouldn't be without them. They came with the business we bought about 25 years ago, but they didn't go when we sold it.

Originally Posted by echnidna

We are surprised !!!!!!

Pffft!