Browsing a junkyard as one does, I picked up a dirt encrusted pliersy-looking thing and the owner, watching, said "You can have that if you like, I dunno what it is".
Well, not being one to turn down *anything* free, even if I don't know what it is, I took it with thanks.
Brought it home, gave it a gentle caress with wire wool and WD40 and here it is.
Stamped "F C Parsons & Co Ltd" around one side of the hinge pin, "Made in England - Ketchum" around the other side. "Regd des 871074" on the back of one jaw, with "Tamperproof" stamped on the side of the same jaw. "Ketchum" stamped on both handles.
Information on FC Parsons online appears to be limited to their financial matters - they finally went into liquidation in 2015 - but I can't find any hint of what they actually manufactured.
The pic with the hand showing has the "pliers" fully closed - it is spring loaded but closes only down to a gap of about 8mm and it is clearly designed to stop there.
The design number appears to be pre-1974 but I can't get further than that.
My guess is that it is used for applying some kind of seal - like those lead seals used on electricity meters - something of that kind.
There's a small depression near the top of the jaw with the "Tamperproof" marking, as if a nub fits into there.
Anyone got any idea what this is? I'd love to go back to that junkyard and tell him....
Well, not being one to turn down *anything* free, even if I don't know what it is, I took it with thanks.
Brought it home, gave it a gentle caress with wire wool and WD40 and here it is.
Stamped "F C Parsons & Co Ltd" around one side of the hinge pin, "Made in England - Ketchum" around the other side. "Regd des 871074" on the back of one jaw, with "Tamperproof" stamped on the side of the same jaw. "Ketchum" stamped on both handles.
Information on FC Parsons online appears to be limited to their financial matters - they finally went into liquidation in 2015 - but I can't find any hint of what they actually manufactured.
The pic with the hand showing has the "pliers" fully closed - it is spring loaded but closes only down to a gap of about 8mm and it is clearly designed to stop there.
The design number appears to be pre-1974 but I can't get further than that.
My guess is that it is used for applying some kind of seal - like those lead seals used on electricity meters - something of that kind.
There's a small depression near the top of the jaw with the "Tamperproof" marking, as if a nub fits into there.
Anyone got any idea what this is? I'd love to go back to that junkyard and tell him....
