What is this tool?

[BINA Wood]

Found in a box of old hand planes from a barn. Have no idea what it is. It looks like a nut cracker, has "gripper" texture inside the arms, the arms rotate 180 degrees to hold something small (1/8") or the other way to hold something larger (3/8"). Any ideas?

 

[Zeke]

Nutcracker. If it wasn't made for that it sure will work.

 

[rockettgpw]

Seeing as it was found with planes, I'm thinking it is a reeding tool. Reeding is the fine carved lines on furniture. the tool gives you two profiles by flipping the handle. Check out some furniture made in the early 1900's http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32679&cat=1,41182 something like this one.

 

[TalonFE]

Looks like a band crimper maybe..

 

[ssdave]

Could also be used as a western union wire splicer if you had two of them. Not as well as if it had grooves to hold the wire.