Can anyone tell me what this is?

[stever]

The handle is over 6 feet long the claws or tongs are probably 10 to 12 inches long each having 2 teeth.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

[=diving doc

I just don't trust the Ebay ID any more than SWR.
Doc
*******************

HI mi Buddy, I would suggest rewording this or adding a bit of punctuation, it sounds a bit odd. I personally "do" trust SWR on most things. hehheh.

Tropical Tramp

 

[Michelle]

Maybe it's for tightening telegraph lines .

Hey I already said that ......No one has left the other idea alone GOOD PIC....I couldnt find one!

 

[blurr]

Folks, I do not think anyone is denying fence installers may have used the huge device posted at the beginning of this thread. Or, that the modern low rent come along could have been fashioned after this beast.

I do not think the original purpose of this particular device has been disclosed, yet. Only probabilities and possibilities based on a smaller version.

I think you are probably right. However, carrying railroad ties as others have suggested isn't probable. I have been looking up timber tongs, and dogs for two days straight. Every example I have seen has pointed ends. These look like they are meant to accept a chain, or type of fence, or something else. Look at the claws, they are too curved to bite into something. More like fit something. My two cents.

John

 

[Angelo]

Rail Road Spike Puller.

Trying to track on that avenue. Just to go backwards and first find out what is not. And than go back and agree with Chagy's find.


Tony

 

[cheese]

Fence stretcher. Lots of cows, hogs, horses, and goats down here to fence in. Also suitable for other purposes, but mainly for fence. Take it from a good ol' boy from south Georgia. Or not.... Either way, I told ya what it is.

The other piece you'd use (like the bar Doc mentions) was often a couple of heavy boards...probably 2 or 3 inches thick, about 5 or 6 inches wide, 4 to 5 feet tall, with bolts going through it to catch the fence and fasten to another like board on the other side, clamping the fence between them. You think the stretcher is heavy at 16 lbs Must be a pansy (joking!). Try toting the fence clamp boards around. The stretcher can hook on your belt and drag behind you. Your pardner can carry the chain. Yep, partner. This part of putting up fence isn't a one man job. If I have my way about it, no part of putting up fence is a one man job, except maybe nailing staples.

Now, I'm not a licsenced, bonafide, certified, professional fence putter-upper with a PHD, so maybe I'm wrong, and it's a liscence plate holder for the space shuttle.

From the looks of this thread, I will probably be discredited, ignored, and/or refuted by some who are intent on arguing that this is what they want it to be, or not what they decided they don't want it to be. That's ok with me. I'm not interested in defending my position on this, just adding my $.02...which won't buy enough gas to blow your nose.

Take care, and carry on....

 

[gollum]

Thanks Cheese,

Just what I have been saying for a while now.

Doc,

Take Cheese's words to heart. As is in the pictures I posted, even a four foot tall dog run is a two man job with thyis thing. That is also what it is designed for.

Mike

 

[gollum]

Mike, you raised the objection about the protruding handle. I pointed out that without the spring between the pawls it's worse than impractical as a come-along for stretching fences and someone else has pointed out that you could use it on a logging truck where the length of the handle and great leverage made sense. Give up? When it makes sense.

Doc

Yes. Arguments for your side always seem to include "Could Have", "Might have", "maybe", and lots of other possibilities, but you can't argue with the facts! This was simply intended as a fence stretcher. Maybe the fact that it wasn't a great design is the reason why there aren't a lot of them still around. Adding a spring between the pawls made the design a little better. Whatever. The facts are that our side has shown with a preponderance of the evidence that it was designed as a fence stretcher, by virtue of the modern design which includes the EXACT SAME ELEMENTS! Your side can not show ONE picture of this being used in any fashion other than as a fence stretcher. All the might haves and maybes are bogus. My side has found two picture examples that work the same way that are Fence Stretchers. I think EVERYBODY has spent much time looking for RailRoad and Logging Tool Pictures that show anything remotely similar. NOTHING!

All the supposition in the world, and all your stubbornness does not make it the truth! It is just what it sounds like; Wishful thinking on your part because your arguments (in this matter) have NO basis in fact (except for the fact that you want to be right)! And you are not!

Oh, and as far as the handle, do you really think that is the original handle? How many 100 year old farm tools have you ever seen that still had an original handle? I hadn't made much of a big deal about that, because it is supposition, and I leave that to your side in this argument!

Mike

 

[gollum]

O.K. point made but some, if not all, of my resistance in this rush for judgement has to do with defense of ideas other than my own original ID, and faulty supposition of the function of our object. I will try and produce some examples forthwith, in defense of same. I really wish we would hear about measurements and other views of the object from the original poster, this is very strange, don't you think?
Regards,
Doc

I think the biggest problem here is STEVEO's total lack of response.

When you say faulty supposition of the function of this object, I hope you aren't talking about the fence stretcher crowd, because we have provided your side with pictures of more modern tools with the SAME parts and function. The only faulty SUPPOSITION I have seen are the folks who yell Skidding RailRoad, Logging Tools, with NOTHING to demonstrate their SUPPOSITIONS!

Mike

 

[cheese]

I forgot to mention that this thing holds your "purchase" for you quite nicely. See if you can understand this: You first chain or tie a rope from the loop at the end of the stretcher to your pulling point (post, tree, whatever anchor you're pulling towards). Then, with the clamp on the fence, you attatch a chain to the clamp. You pull the chain towards the stretcher, and hook it in the hook that is closest to the handle end of the stretcher with the stretcher handle pointing towards the fence you are pulling, parralell with the chain. Then, you pull the stretcher handle back towards the anchor point, which pulls the chain tighter. As you cam over (pull the stretcher handle past perpendicular to the chain), the second hook becomes closer to the chain again, in front of the first hook. You continue to pull and hook the second hook into the chain a bit farther down the chain than where the first hook was. Then you release the first hook, and use it to grab a new length of chain to pull and give to the second hook to hold. In this manner, you can basically "walk" the chain tight 4 to 8 inches at a time. The tighter the fence is, the less you'll want to try to tighten at a time because it gets hard to pull (hence the 6 foot long handle....leverage). One hook or the other holds the purchase all the time. It works quite nicely, and you can put quite a bit of pulling force on a chain with it due to the leverage/fulcrum action.

 

[blurr]

O.K. point made but some, if not all, of my resistance in this rush for judgement has to do with defense of ideas other than my own original ID, and faulty supposition of the function of our object. I will try and produce some examples forthwith, in defense of same. I really wish we would hear about measurements and other views of the object from the original poster, this is very strange, don't you think?
Regards,
Doc

Doc,

The original poster didn't know what the object was. As far as measurements go, unless it's four feet across I don't know what you are going to get out of that. I have to say, if you can't provide any evidence to show a different purpose for this item, it is a done deal.

John

 

[diggummup]

I tried to stay out of this but.....A massive 16 pound thing? I have stretched a few miles of fence and lived and worked on a farm for years as a kid.I don't know of any "lightweight" fencing or farming tools,unless modern made with aluminum.Jesus,we had to rick hay bales weighing 50-75 pounds over our head by hand all day.I can tell you are a city boy SWR.Sorry,I just found that statement amusing.Has anyone tried pm'ing stever? I have.Fence stretcher.............with other uses applicable.Could also be used to tighten loads down,could also be used to tighten cables that support the sides of the corn crib too if so needed.Yes there are such a thing as multi-purpose tools.Especially on a farm.Your gonna force me to contact my estranged family to confirm this aren't you? I will find an exact match.Later though,i'm off to work.I have some massive rolls of carpet to get installed.

 

[blurr]

Have to admit, pretty amusing

John

 

[Chagy]

Hey....thats funny.....Boodydoo found another "nut cracker" just like the one I found.....what I dont understand is why do you need to use the key words "vintage cast iron woven sheep fence stretcher" on E-Bay to find it....if it is a "nut cracker"

Best,

Chagy........

 

[Chagy]

 

[Boobydoo]

This thread is a nutcracker...lol

where's Stever

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Chagy

**************

Of course, it is a thing-a-ma-jig, cerca 1897. Used them in Cuba to hoist the big Rum glasses between battles. Hic. oops dispensame'


Tropical Tramp

 

[blurr]

eBay is a valuable resource tool, such as this description: “This is an Antique Civil War Era 1885 Fence Wire Stretcher…”

Hum…1885 is Civil War era, eh? Saw it on eBay…it must be right!

Here's yer sign

No reason to get upset This thing could have been used for several tasks, as has been shown by everyone putting in their thoughts. I have worked on a farm also, and have used a sledgehammer to kill a fly many times!!!


John

 

[Chagy]

eBay is a valuable resource tool, such as this description: “This is an Antique Civil War Era 1885 Fence Wire Stretcher…”

Hum…1885 is Civil War era, eh? Saw it on eBay…it must be right!

Here's yer sign

So both of these sellers are wrong? Hummmmm ........

 

[Chagy]

So, lets see........ for all of you fence stretching experts.....which of these are fence stretchers?

 

[Boobydoo]

So, lets see........ for all of you fence stretching experts.....which of these are fence stretchers?

Every one...
but number one.





LMAO...got cha!!!

Chagy da man!!!