Mystery (to me) tool

[Modern Garage]

A friend showed up with this recently so now two of us are scratching our heads.
The jaws overlap closely as on a paper punch but if a punch it would only notch as the jaws are both semicircles.
No patent number that I can find and the patent date isn't even fully legible, and no brand name or maker mark on either side or either handle.
Our guess is for crimping as in sheet metal, or perhaps it's a notcher or nibbler of some kind.
Any thoughts?
Joe

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

"hog ring pliers" for the metal loops that hold upholstry together.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

the patent date isn't even fully legible

Hard to tell from here, but if that reads, "PAT'D JAN. 16-94", it is very likely a reference to January 16, 1894. Patents have always been issued on a Tuesday, and that is a Tuesday. I just looked up that date on DATAMP, and they have about a dozen or so patents in their database on that date, but nothing like your mystery tool. It's painfully slow, but there are gazettes to look through to find patents by date.

 

[woody 73]

"hog ring pliers" for the metal loops that hold upholstry together.

If I was a betting man, (don't tell the wife) I would also say you are right on the money.

 

[Modern Garage]

It doesn't look like other hog ring pliers I have because of the overlapping nose, but I guess it could work for that. I'll have to go grab it and see if there's enough groove in the jaws to hold a ring.
Joe

 

[Zrxrunner]

Not sure, but looks fairly similar to a dental tool I came across for tooth pulling. If I remember correctly, it had a patent date and no real good mfg marking also

 

[disston]

I also don't think they are hog ring pliers. They should have groves on both jaws. You show the grove on one jaw but could you do a pic of the other jaw? It may have a notch in it but can't see from the angle. And the jaw that is groved doesn't have the correct shape anyway.

It looks like pliers for pulling teeth to me. I'm not a dentist but have seen lots of funny pliers for pulling teeth in collections for such.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

How about for making holes in an animal ear for ID tags.

 

[twertsy]

The only patent that comes close for that date is "Dental Forceps" https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89048454326;view=1up;seq=452

The description however doesn't sound correct.

 

[Modern Garage]

Yikes!!
I don't even want to think about this being a dental tool of some sort. It would have to be in a horror movie...

Both jaws have the same amount of shallow groove ( or perhaps " relief" might be the better term) in them. Doesn't really seem like enough for a hog ring pliers, but I believe it could be made to work. I think I'm leaning towards a piercing tool of some kind?
Still searching.
Joe

 

[SilverDeck]

Look like dental or veterinary dental pliers to me too.

 

[RCornell]

Dental pliers is the correct answer. I have a couple that came with a "barber" chair I bought 30 years ago.

 

[Modern Garage]

Okay I think we're going to settle on "dental tool".
BUT, due to my squeamishness I'm going to insist on "veterinary" dental tool.
Thanks all.
Joe

 

[gnpenning]

Looks very similar to what I've seen veterinarians use for pulling wolf teeth.

Never seen hogs done but this could possibly work.