Mystery lazy riveter

[disco_monkey79]

Hi
I recently purchased a lazy riveter from Ebay, which has no manufacturers' mark.

I'm not bothered by this, just mildly curious. It's very nicely made - the body is brass, and the handle is alloy.

It has "MF4/14815" stamped, but no other identifying marks.

Being as well-made as it is, I'm guessing it's an in-house tool of a large (car? aircraft?) manufacturer, or possibly from the Armed Forces (though I would have expected more stamping etc from the latter).

Can anyone shed any light?

Many thanks

 

[TFrench]

The shape of the handle says Tucker to me. Never seen brass lazy tongs before, but I have seen quite a few brass bodied hand riveters - like you say, normally for aviation use.

 

[Alasdair]

I have what looks like the same one. If its from armed forces you often find an arrow stamped and often a date.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

We used these when i did my apprenticeship in the mid 60's. They were fantastic, saved the hands no end!!

 

[Tony51]

Lazy tongs used for 3/16 pop rivets .will work with other sizes pain to pull 3/16's with hand pliers. These will need the correct nozzles for different size rivets. They will pull stainless steel rivets but this will cause excessive wear on the internal jaws.
Tony

 

[chris.s]

I've got even lazier tongs and gone electric, but just an attachment for a drill the real electric ones cost a fortune

 

[Tris]

If it is brass does that mean it was designed to be used where there might be explosion risk?

 

[chris.s]

If it is brass does that mean it was designed to be used where there might be explosion risk?

when I worked in a chemical works the explosive set of tools were spanners and a hamer in phosphor bronze the laggers would be the only trade using pop rivits much of their work would have been done in a workshop in the safe area but they may have had them for final fitting.

 

[disco_monkey79]

Thanks all for the replies. The explosion-risk thing hadn't occurred to me.

I assumed brass as it's easy to machine (and therefore manufacture), and the aircraft industry work extensively with aluminium so the tool wouldn't need to be made of granite.

Noted and confirmed re steel - I bought some steel rivets by mistake years ago, and decided to use them anyway. Until my hand riveter broke...