Eyelet Pliers

[Paul Aslanides]

Found these today at the local Trash and Treasure market, in a rusty, good condition but cleaned up nicely. Don't know if they're British or American, stamped ' A B S.G. Barnsley ' as best I can read it. A good size, bigger and more solid than the current flimsy ones. * Also there's a 2 stamped on one leg, which might imply that there were other sizes available. * The two form tools are screwed into the jaws with a strange thread: ( 6.5 - 6.6 m/m approx ) 17/64 x 26 TPI, perhaps there were other pairs of form tools optional. * Also, and this has got me flummoxed - one of the two arms, or legs, is fitted through the centre of the other, yet they the ends of the one arm, or leg, are too big to pass through, so how did they do it ?

 

[Mintgrun]

I had to scroll down the page a bit, after using your first image in a google-lens search, to find a pair that looked similar and they're identified as British machine gun belt repair tools (which is cool).






That type of pivot is usually called a box-joint. Most of the ones I find were made in Germany. I always buy them, assuming they're inexpensive.

Tom

 

[Farmer J.]

Could be made by George Barnsley and Sons, Sheffield, England.

The story of George Barnsley & Sons

George Barnsley & Sons was founded as a tool manufacturing business in 1836, mainly specialising in the making of rasps and files used in the shoe making industry before diversifying into knife blades and shoe making tools in the early 1950'sGeorge Barnsley was born into a Sheffield cutlery...

www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk

Pincers, Plyers and Scissors | George Barnsley and Sons

Browse our collection of George Barnsley and Sons pincers and plyers.

www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk

Eyelet Closing Plier | George Barnsley and Sons

For closing eyelets in a previously punched holeComes complete with punch and bedAvailable in sizes 0, 1, 2, 3 & 4 Size 0 - 2.8mmSize 1 - 3mmSize 2 - 3.4mmSize 3 - 4.2mmSize 4 - 4.8mm Replacement punch and bed sets available for all sizes, beds have a 24tpi thread

www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk

 

[Paul Aslanides]

Tom - Many thanks, most interesting, remarkable. Maybe World War 1. Half inch ammo. So one soldier operated the machine to load the cartridges into the belts. I would have thought that the belts came from the factory pre-loaded. It must have been busy work just trying to keep up with the demands of the machine guns during the course of a battle. Paul.

 

[Paul Aslanides]

Farmer J. Many thanks, very interesting. It's great to read industrial history. Thank you.
Paul.

 

[Beerhippie]

Tom - Many thanks, most interesting, remarkable. Maybe World War 1. Half inch ammo. So one soldier operated the machine to load the cartridges into the belts. I would have thought that the belts came from the factory pre-loaded. It must have been busy work just trying to keep up with the demands of the machine guns during the course of a battle. Paul.

The belts were reused, when possible/practical.