Whatsit

[kwigly]

Whatsit. Heavy brass plier type thingy
Squeeze handles to open jaws (opposite action to regular pliers) with a locking plate to hold them open. One jaw has wings, and a rubber stopper underneath

 

[ColeyS1]

The last picture looks like flipper the dolphin lol

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[whatknot]

Shoe stretcher ?

 

[toolsntat]

Fire sprinkler system heads need to be plugged during testing and maintenance, dare say this is the very nice vintage option to the modern Vise Grip set I have :idea:
Cheers
Andy

 

[JimB]

A thought only. Could it be used for stretching upholstery webbing?

 

[Tasky]

What's the circumference around the jaws when the thing is held open?
The rubber part must sit against something delicate, I guess.

 

[kwigly]

Thanks for the replies
It does seem to be made to stretch something open (leather, cloth, animal mouth), and/or to hold something in an open position (sprinkler head as Andy suggests)
The circumference (around the jaws and the black knob) varies from 105mm to 116mm depending on the position of the lock bar. About 113mm in the position pictured
I am puzzled by the heavy cast brass construction (it weighs 930gm) which would make it expensive to make and too heavy for a tradesman to want to hold for long periods. Its design seems almost decorative. (I'm ignoring the suggestion that its a giant roach clip)

 

[Chrispy]

Don't know what it is but I know that brass tools were used in the manufacture of explosives and munitions to help reduce the risk of sparks. May be either making or defuzing bombs etc.

 

[Dovetaildave]

Another material guess, non ferrous/rusting.....nautical use, or veterinarian use?