Heph

The catalog I took the picture from is from the Bernard Tool catalog here: https://archive.org/details/BernardToolsCatalog29/page/n17/mode/2up Bernard Tools where acquired by Sargent Tools: [Commercial link removed] I guess you are talking about this catalog: https://archive.org/details/SargentToolBook1911Catalog/mode/2up My guess is that the cutter is made from Sargent after they acquired Bernard and kept the pattern in production with the new Trademark. Notice on the Bernard Picture "Patent pending" Lodi was one of the trademarks from Bernard (Trademarks are listed in BernardToolsCatalog29, page 4)

It is a wire cutter. Try it on some thicker, soft wire, like the one steel suppliers uses to package material. Its not made for thin wire.

The front of the pin has 2 flats for a wrench. The pinned pivot bolt is unusual, there should be a large rivet.

The fork at the washer is there to prevent rotation, you are missing a pin above the handle.