Tool ID

[vtfireman85]

Found in grandpas garage. I know what it is, do you? 

[Sledgehammer]

Wire stretcher for gripping and pulling wire. 

[yellowrosefarm]

What he said

[vtfireman85]

You guys are no fun. 

[Sledgehammer]

14 minutes ago, vtfireman85 said:

You guys are no fun. 

🤷🏻‍♂️ You asked

[vtfireman85]

I was pretty excited to find it. Going to be handy. 

[highcotton]

If it makes you feel better vt I had no clue. 

[Ian Beale]

In this era of fast retreat to the primitive remember this for straining fences -

You cut yourself a suitable sized tree fork with the stem about 3 inches diameter and trim the stem to about a foot long and the handles to suit,  Then bore a hole through the stem. 

To strain a wire insert the wire through a hole through the post, then through the hole in the fork and twist tight with the fork.

Then hammer a round tapered punch of suitable size into the hole in the fence post so it locks the tensioned wire.  Unwind from fork and tie off.  Then hammer the punch out of the hole and tackle the next wire.

Makes a chain strainer seem high technology.

Later

And remember you'll be boring those holes with a man-powered brace and auger bit, so brush up on sharpening too

Edited November 4, 2022 by Ian Beale
extra

[iowaboy1965]

VT I too was a bit stumped. Never seen one like that. I thought at first that it was some kind of sheet metal lifting gripper but looking closer of course that wasn't right.

[Owen Aaland]

Found this on the net

Crescent Tool Co No 384-2 Cable Wire Grip Puller 1/4-7/16, 7,500LB USA

[1256pickett]

I think I got one of them kicking around from the previous owner of my farm. Set it aside not sure what it was. Now I’m curious, might have to go find it and figure out how it works. Maybe find a YouTube video? They say everything is on YouTube. 

[Lazy WP]

I have 4 of them. Use a come-a-long and you can get fiddle string tight barbwire fences, as long as you have good corners. 

[Art From Coleman]

37 minutes ago, 1256pickett said:

I think I got one of them kicking around from the previous owner of my farm. Set it aside not sure what it was. Now I’m curious, might have to go find it and figure out how it works. Maybe find a YouTube video? They say everything is on YouTube. 

Video, YOU don't need no stinking video.  it is as self explanatory as things come, in fact, it will probably fall open as you are handling it, insert the wire between the jaws, pull on the "eye', to make it grip, and the harder you pull, the tighter it grips.

The "eye" allows you to use it with a come-a-long to make a fence stretcher out of it.

Kinda like a Chinese finger puzzle.

[1256pickett]

1 hour ago, Art From Coleman said:

Video, YOU don't need no stinking video.  it is as self explanatory as things come, in fact, it will probably fall open as you are handling it, insert the wire between the jaws, pull on the "eye', to make it grip, and the harder you pull, the tighter it grips.

The "eye" allows you to use it with a come-a-long to make a fence stretcher out of it.

Kinda like a Chinese finger puzzle.

Yea I had a moment there. It is pretty simple. 

[Art From Coleman]

16 minutes ago, 1256pickett said:

Yea I had a moment there. It is pretty simple. 

One of the 'joys' of becoming old, that NO ONE every told us about.

[12_Guy]

Knowing that Seth, his dad and presumably his granddad are/were electricians, and looking at the info Owen posted, this grip was likely used to string up overhead wire. Even no.9 wire would not measure 1/4”. With a range of 1/4” - 7/16” it would fit a common range of ACSR wire sizes. 

[Ihfan4life]

7 hours ago, Lazy WP said:

I have 4 of them. Use a come-a-long and you can get fiddle string tight barbwire fences, as long as you have good corners. 

I have one that belonged to my grandfather (I presume), given to me by my uncle, with a small block and tackle and braided rope. Very handy and easier than fighting a come-a-long. 

[yellowrosefarm]

Same thing, different brand. I used to use it for fence wire, but found those "blacksmith" grippers with the taper and ring easier.

 

[IHC5488]

Use those everyday,  from #6 solid copper to 795 aluminum.   You have to understand that the aluminum grips will not work on copper and the copper grips will work on the aluminum wire but also may cut it in 2 pieces. There is also a special grip we have for guy wire since it is wound the opposite way from wire used for conductors.

Copper grip with teeth.

 

[Ian Beale]

8 hours ago, Art From Coleman said:

and the harder you pull, the tighter it grips.

Or, as an immigrant from Eastern Europe described the proper tying of a fish hook, 

"The tighter she pull she pulla de tight"

[sandhiller]

I only know bout fixing fence 

And it is common knowledge cowboys a not as mechanically advantaged as farmers (or electricians) 

So ours is simpler🤠

[yellowrosefarm]

52 minutes ago, sandhiller said:

I only know bout fixing fence 

And it is common knowledge cowboys a not as mechanically advantaged as farmers (or electricians) 

So ours is simpler🤠

That's what I was calling the blacksmith gripper. I painted mine orange so I can find them when they fall into the leaves, when I'm patching "bob" wire in the woods.

[just Dave]

1 hour ago, sandhiller said:

So ours is simpler🤠

That looks like a great design, the simpler the better.

 

16 hours ago, IHC5488 said:

Use those everyday,  from #6 solid copper to 795 aluminum.   You have to understand that the aluminum grips will not work on copper and the copper grips will work on the aluminum wire but also may cut it in 2 pieces. There is also a special grip we have for guy wire since it is wound the opposite way from wire used for conductors.

I always enjoy hearing about a tool from a person that understands the nuances of the tool as well as the basics.

[IHC5488]

1 hour ago, just Dave said:

That looks like a great design, the simpler the better.

 

I always enjoy hearing about a tool from a person that understands the nuances of the tool as well as the basics.

I am a lineman for the power company.   Almost 20 years in

[IHC5488]

Guy grip with plastic insert