What kind of tongs are these?

[sstreckfuss]

I picked these up at an auction some time ago and cannot figure out what they are called/used for. Any suggestions?

[easilyconfused]

They look to be a pair of universal tongs for holding flat, square and tapered square from the angle you've shown.

[sstreckfuss]

Ive just thought that the extra joint on the jaws opposite a sharp tooth was for something special...they dont seem to hold any stock I have very firmly at all mostly due to the tooth on top.

Heres a better picture

[steveh]

they are sure weird looking,itll be interesting to find out what they were used for.my guess was similar to easilyconfuseds.but it doesnt seem right from what you said.hmm....

[habu68]

These may be some type of adjustable spanner for wagon wheel nuts or heavy equipment with the pivot jaw acting as a ratchet and may fit into a hole in the nut. There is also a similar tool for attaching fellows to a wooden wagon spoke.

not an answer just a guess.

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

Got any pics with the jaws closed?? Have you tried them on lighter gauge material, like maybe 1/16 sheet or thinner? Those do have a beautiful pivot joint on them though, I always liked the pass-through type joint.
-Aaron @ the SCF

[Ice Czar]

Originally Posted by sstreckfuss

Ive just thought that the extra joint on the jaws opposite a sharp tooth was for something special...they dont seem to hold any stock I have very firmly at all mostly due to the tooth on top.

Heres a better picture

tried picking up something like a chain?

that joint wouldnt seem to hold anything if it was flipped out, but if it had a loop of metal in it was flipped back and the tooth holding the joint in place....

[sstreckfuss]

I don't have any big chain, it might hold it well, it won't clamp onto anything very small.

Your chain idea got me thinking that it might hold a horseshoe pretty tight if the shoe was deeper than the tooth and the tooth would keep it from slipping out. I'll have to get ahold of a horseshoe and give it a try.

Heres a pic of it holding some sheet metal I had lying about, it actually holds it fairly tight though It doesn't feel "right".

[Ice Czar]

the other thing I noted was the impacts near the front of the tooth, misses by the hammer? for something small being worked close to the tong, which is what led me to think of a chain loop. Course they might also be forging imperfections not impacts

[sstreckfuss]

Yeah czar the tooth is a bit mangled, they were nearly rusted shut when I got them, I bead blasted them yesterday and thats when I noted their odd design. The damage may just be from rusting away, at least partly.

I bought these in a 5 gallon bucket of tongs at an auction put them in the corner and just got to cleaning them up and going through them.

I have another pair of tongs from the same bucket that I am pretty sure is wrought iron that I was going to post pics of for confirmation but hadn't got around to it.