Utica Button Pliers

[funditor]

Bought both of these the other day. 10.5 inches long.

Utica, NY, USA. One is stamped, the other is laser engraved. The laser one is in better condition. The stamped one is probably just older and harder used (some chip marks are present). Otherwise, they seem the same. Could be that they changed alloys or heat treat at some point though.

These look awesome for getting a strong grip in hard to reach places, cutting and bending wire, or as impromptu blacksmithing tongs.

They've got some real mass.

What are they actually meant for though? How were they used? Laying wire fencing?

There are two (identical?) cutters on either side of the pliers. Chops coat hanger like nothing. There are also channels that lead to the mouth of the jaws. They will cut wire too. Is that their purpose?

Curious how these were meant to be used.

 

[woody 73]

Op can you find any numbers on either pair of pliers?
They go like this:

No. 180-10" Button Pliers for wire and steel mills.

No. 1000 Giant Buttons Pliers/ 1000-8" and 1000-10" models.

Hope that helps you out some.

 

[funditor]

Great idea, Woody. They're both marked 1000-10.

This website:

alloy-artifacts.org/utica-tool.html#utica-1000-early

has this to say about the angled slot I was curious about:

"The patent pending status is refers to patent #942,504, filed by H.F. Kellemen in 1909 and issued later that year. The patent notes that the angled slot opening into the jaws was intended to allow the pliers to grasp the piece of wire after cutting it."

I'm not sure why that matters. I wonder if there was some common task where it was handy to cut and grasp the wire in a single move.

patents.google.com/patent/US942504

The patent states "When the wire is severed, the one portion is at once grasped between the jaws, which is often of importance."


I'm thinking of taking one of the pair and rounding the nose like this:

shop.toolguy.com/10-Round-Nose-UTICA-Fence-Pliers-TOP-SELLER-USA-HT-PFR10U.htm

Would be good for putting a radius onto heavy wire.

So those are very similar new "Utica" pliers still being sold today....