Name that tool: What the heck is this?

Motorapido

Hmm. Fixed jaws. One jaw smooth. The other jaw has teeth. My guess is this is used to remove bolts with a stripped head. You push the jaw onto the bolt head and then bash the end with a hammer to bite into the bolt head. Then, after it has broken loose, you can turn the wrench, pull it back a bit, rotate the wrench, push it back to bite into the bolt head, etc. Anybody know definitively what this is? It comes from tools I inherited from my wife's great grandfather. I'll guess it dates back to the 1920s or so.

WMno57

You have a Whitman and Barnes Bull Dog alligator wrench. They are collectable, so no bashing with the hammer.

When these were made, there were more square nuts than hex nuts. The head is designed to work on various size square nuts. Very cool, especially with the family history.

Tool collectors like patina, so don't get too aggressive with cleaning

http://alloy-artifacts.org/other-makers-p3.html#whitman

DanHolohan

Answered within minutes! Quite a place, this place.

Jackmartin

This tool design is still used by Hydro linemen. Their version has serrated teeth on both sides of the jaw. The way you are supposed to use it is very simple lyou push the tool as far as you can on the nut ( usually on the cross member on the pole) and ratchet the nut tight. They have a another name the linemen use for them “ teeth chippers” if you do not push the tool firmly on the nut and keep pressure bearing down they tend to slip and clip you in the front of your teeth hence tooth chippers. A friend of mine —- now retired —- tells tales of all the dental work Manitoba Hydro had to pay for over the years, we have the best smiles of any hydro guys in Canada

residentialheating

I haven't seen a Bull Dog alligator wrench in years! Thank you for sharing!

jumper

Didn't nuts get rounded?

EBEBRATT-Ed

I have seen those years ago. Never knew what they were. Now I do. I am sure the ones I saw ended up in the scrap pile

Larry Weingarten

Hi, I like tools! Here is a photo of some. The bottom is an adjustable alligator wrench that I carry in my toolbag. It does things other tools can't, like grab rounded bolt heads and such. It's fun to see good old tools!!




Yours, Larry