13 hours ago, HandyDan said:

 

Those are used to compress valve springs on small engines.  Put them between the engine block and the spring.  Compress the spring and remove keepers. 

That was my initial guess, but the hammer claw ends wasn't like anything I had ever seen or used.

 

I have one of THESE. Belonged to my dad back in the day we he had his L&G Sales/ Service business. It's got to be well over 60 years old. Similar to John's, but the jaw ends are both adjustable in width, interchangeable for different diameter springs, and the ends conform to spring diameter. I also have a c-clamp type version. Some small engines have automotive split type spring seat retainers, others use a pin and yet others use a lock hole pattern in the spring retainer.

I had a set like you show but didn't use them much.  The set I had like John has had molded jaws for springs and slots instead of a V.

 

Edited February 5, 20242 yr by HandyDan

Assorted pipe wrenches, and two automotive wrenches, probably from the tool kits that were once standard equipment on cars and tractors. Unfortunately, the wood-handled wrench that interested me most is heavily damaged, missing a large part of the upper jaw.

Assortment of pliers, mostly usable. Several others had to be tossed! The pruner works better than some new ones. No idea what the one beside it is used for. The locking pliers are Hoppe brand.

Edited February 12, 20242 yr by HARO50

Two old Bridgeport tools from the 1920's. A hammer/box tool, unfortunately missing half the pulling claw on the end of the handle, and a nail puller.

These had me stumped for a while, but finally figured it out. They're for twisting wire to hold re-bar together in concrete forms.

Two old-style socket sets, the re-bar tools, a gripper to remove a hot pot or pan from a campfire, and some sort of device that has me stumped! The angle thingy is adjustable, and locks in place. Any idea?

And lastly, a small hobby vise, some of the hammers I saved (two already re-handled) and a set of wire brushes that will come in handy very soon!

 

As an aside, I have no idea if the hammers were used by the owner of the farm or where they came from, but whoever used them was VERY hard on handles! All of them were broken, some repaired with tale or had the handle shortened and put back in the head. ONE actually had a wedge inserted, the rest had nails or screws driven in to spread the wood, The most interesting one had a horse-shoe nail in it!

Edited February 12, 20242 yr by HARO50

4 hours ago, HARO50 said:

No idea what the one beside it is used for.

Always just called them "battery pliers, or battery bolt, battery terminal pliers." I've got a couple similar variations.

 

Nice save on the others too.

 

Example HERE.

Edited February 12, 20242 yr by Grandpadave52

3 hours ago, HARO50 said:

The angle thingy is adjustable, and locks in place. Any idea?

Got me. @steven newman, HELP!

I see a scale of some sort...might be a gauge to set a size of a part....as in finding out what size the part is...Just a WAG...

  H. B. Rouse & Co., Chicago, USA Stainless steel type rule. Somewhat longer than mine. No hint as to what it is used for. Typesetting??? Mine has a rule in 1/6".  "Press knee back before clamping" And "CTS" is stamped at the open end. The movable part has "J2371", "1182", and "2239" over "FEDERAL"

 

One short metal composing stick 9.5" inches
"Stainless steel, press knee back before clamping
Made by H.Brouse & Co.
Chicago
U.S.A"

Edited February 13, 20242 yr by HARO50

So apparently it is a "LETTERPRESS COMPOSING STICK" , circa 1940.

20 minutes ago, HARO50 said:

Typesetting??? Mine has a rule in 1/6". 

Think you got it. According to THIS and HERE composing stick which would have been used for setting print types.

 

Appears the company is still in business as a manufacturer of machine tools.