pincers

[skeetstar]

Folks pretty much every pair of pincers I have ever used have had a claw for nails at the end of one handle and a rounded knob at the end of the other handle. These usually get referred to as Carpenters Pincers. I understand the claw for small nails, but what if any, is the purpose of the rounded knob. I've searched the web and not found a satisfactory answer. You can see what I'm talking about in the image above.

On some models the rounded knob is slightly more pronounced.

 

[Jacob]

Folks pretty much every pair of pincers I have ever used have had a claw for nails at the end of one handle and a rounded knob at the end of the other handle. These usually get referred to as Carpenters Pincers. I understand the claw for small nails, but what if any, is the purpose of the rounded knob. I've searched the web and not found a satisfactory answer. You can see what I'm talking about in the image above. View attachment 144803

On some models the rounded knob is slightly more pronounced.

I've always called them nail pullers, or nail puller pincers.
Just a guess - the round knob tells you by feel where the end of the handle is?

 

[rogxwhit]

Dear enquirer, if it ended in a spike it would dig into the palm of your hand.

 

[MARK.B.]

I have several old pincers some have the nail puller and ball ends and some have neither just rounded off at the end's.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Dear enquirer, if it ended in a spike it would dig into the palm of your hand.

So why don't two spikes do it?

 

[Jacob]

So why don't two spikes do it?

cos yer can't press both ends of the handles into your palm at the same time or you'd hurt yourself on the spikes

 

[skeetstar]

OK, so probably no function other than comfort whilst using.. good enough reason I guess.
Thanks all.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

It might just be that both arms of the pincer are made on the same tooling (efficiency and cost drivers), and one of them then pressed to create the claw.

 

[Thingybob]

So why don't two spikes do it?

Double the damage

 

[Thingybob]

The guy who worked for us in the maintenance department who was an old plumber he also did any glazzing work needed used his pincers to nibble the glass edges and the ball end was used when he had scored the glass with a cutter he would tap the glass underneath and the glass would fracture along the score fantastic to watch

 

[HamsterJam]

It might just be that both arms of the pincer are made on the same tooling (efficiency and cost drivers), and one of them then pressed to create the claw.

That was exactly my thinking too.

 

[skeetstar]

It might just be that both arms of the pincer are made on the same tooling (efficiency and cost drivers), and one of them then pressed to create the claw.

Yep that sounds credible... so I now have a couple of possible answers to my original question. Happy with that. Thanks all.

 

[Stuart Moffat]

I was given a pair of these at Christmas 61 years ago when I was 7. Still got them and never wondered about that question to this day! Often wondered why they often cause me pain though when using them.

 

[Limey Lurker]

I was taught that the ball was used when a nail broke as it was pulled, to place on the broken end and use a hammer to drive it below the surface.

 

[Argus]

.........A bit like the 'nib' on an old saw.

Find a use for it or a reason for it being there.