Utilex.....pliers?

[J-sews]

I've seen several British-made "Utilex" combination wrenches (left) over the years, but I didn't know there was a plier tool (right) as well...?








The wrench tool combines an adjustable spanner, a hammer, and a nail claw on one end. It has a file cut into the handle, a ruler on the opposite side, and a screwdriver at the end. I think Yadda has posted about them here before...?   The British patent for the wrench was issued in July of 1946, and they (the wrenches) were imported to the U.S. in the early 1950's.

[J-sews]

But the plier tool is a new one on me.   I bought it from a seller in England, so perhaps it was never imported into the U.S.?  It is stamped NIK-NOK on one side. 





In addition to the pliers there is a hammer and a nail claw, arranged like what is often called a "fencing plier" amongst old tool collectors. Along the face of one handle there are file teeth, with a blunt screwdriver at the very end.

[gregozedobe]

You do like your old and unusual "pliery" MTs, don't you Bob ?    

I can't help thinking that file handle would tear up my soft hands if I tried to use it much, but I guess the intended market probably had pretty tough skin on their hands from lots of manual work 

[DaveK]

Hey Bob - check this out - it seems that the gap at back of the jaw when closed was supposed to be a glass-breaking tool! The following patent application includes a scoring tool too, but maybe that didn't make the final design (?)

https://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=worldwide.espacenet.com&II=0&ND=3&adjacent=true&locale=en_EP&FT=D&date=19460726&CC=GB&NR=579210A&KC=A

PDF of Patent application: http://www.adjustable.archivist.info/patents/GB/1946/GB579210A.pdf



I just googled the brand Utilex (as you do) and one thing lead to another

[J-sews]

You do like your old and unusual "pliery" MTs, don't you Bob ?    

I can't help thinking that file handle would tear up my soft hands if I tried to use it much, but I guess the intended market probably had pretty tough skin on their hands from lots of manual work 

Indeed, they were no doubt a lot tougher folks back in those days Greg!

[J-sews]

Hey Bob - check this out - it seems that the gap at back of the jaw when closed was supposed to be a glass-breaking tool! The following patent application includes a scoring tool too, but maybe that didn't make the final design (?)


I just googled the brand Utilex (as you do) and one thing lead to another

Thanks Dave, very interesting! There is no trace of a cavity remaining on mine, and none on the other examples I've seen of this wrench, so probably you are correct in that the glass tool did not get incorporated into the production version. But other than that missing feature though it seems to be pretty faithful to the patent drawing.


Also of interest, I stumbled across an old magazine advertisement for the wrench, from 1950:

[DaveK]

That is cool!

[Yadda]

$5,  plierenches were selling for $7.50 around that time. 

[Poncho65]

Both of those tools are so very neat Bob

[David]

Cool tools Bob and good write up!