SOG blasting cap crimper

[colubrid]

Powerlocks:



I just figured out what this was. I have been sing to crimp cable to TV connections. It works great for that as well.










Now what is a blasting cap??

[Grant Lamontagne]

A blasting cap is the little doodad that starts an explosive device.  Basically, it's kind of like a primer that ignites then sets off the big boom stuff.  That's kind of a simplistic description, but it's probably not something most of us are likely to encounter in every day life!
I'll see if I can get a buddy of mine, a former EOD to register here and give a more detailed explanation.
Def

[eodtech]

A blasting cap is a copper shell ( 1" to 5" long )  closed at one end  and containing a charge of detonating compound, which is ignited by electric current or the spark of a fuse; used for detonating high explosives. They come in 2 varieties electrical which has 2 wires protruding from one end. Non electric blasing caps are closed on both ends, however there is a extension of the shell extending beyond the closed end. Into this opening a piece of safety fused in "pushed" in until it bottoms out inside the cap. The closed shell is filled with one of 3 types of initiating explosive - lead azide, lead stephanite or murcury fulmanate.  So the safety fuse is not loose in the cap it is necesssary to "Crimp " the copper shell on to the safety fuse. Now the trick - you place the cap on the fuse at eye level, take the crimping tool and place it around the cap and ever so slightly pinch the cap by squeezing the crimpers. Once the crimpers have a bite on the cap bring your hand down that is holding the crimpers and hold it around the side of your body , up against your ass and finish crimping the cap onto the safety fuse. The reason you do this is if by chance the cap goes off you will bot be blinded by the copper from the cap. Once the cap is attached to the safety fuse you then put the cap into the high explosive you want to detonate - TNT, C4, dynamite, etc.  Needless to say the electrical caps are preferred, where in some instances you want a burning fuse so you don't have to lay 500 feet of wire from the hell box to the cap. The crimpers on the SOG were made for this purpose to be used by EOD ( Explosive Ordnance Disposal )  aka bomb squads to use for "crimping" non-electric blasting caps. SOG also makes a non military version without the crimper.

Hope this answers your question.

Andrew J. Gnoza, III
EOD Technician - retired.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Welcome to Multitool.org Andrew!  Thanks for stopping by with that info.
Def

[Alpha Niner Niner Smith]

The SOG Powerlock was a good idea but isn't as great as folks think.the tools are too small, they take forever to get out because of those flaps, the lock lets go easily and the tools stick together when you try to take one out.Its a good set of pliers but thats about it
A99S

[665ae]

Being new to multitools, I never realized all the specialization available with the different tools... For someone that needs a blasting cap crimper, that's got to be very handy...

[parnass]

....the tools are too small, they take forever to get out because of those flaps, the lock lets go easily and the tools stick together when you try to take one out.Its a good set of pliers but thats about it
A99S

The flaps are removeable.  I don't use them so the individual tools are easy to access.  If you are having trouble with the tool blades being too tight, you can loosen the bolts at the end of the handles.  It helps. 

You cannot do that with some of the competitors, e.g., the Schrade Tough Tool because they employ rivets instead of bolts.  I got rid of the Tough Tool because it was so difficult to move the individual tools, even after lubing them, and there was no way to fix it.

The newer imported Paladin SOG-lookalikes have shields over the gear teeth.  That's a major improvement which will cut down on shredded pockets and cases.  Hope SOG incorporates the shields into its future multitools.

[665ae]

I got rid of the Tough Tool because it was so difficult to move the individual tools, even after lubing them, and there was no way to fix it.

I have a Tough Tool, and I hate how hard it is to move the individual tools.  I think I need to carry two multitools and use the 2nd to pry the tools open on the Tough Tool. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

And worse, to release the lock if you accidentally lock both locking tools open while trying to disengage them!  At least when LM used a similar type of lock on the original Super Tool they made it so all the tools could disengage the lock, so you had a greater margin for error.
Of course, that's probably why LM id that with the Super Tool.
Def

[jzmtl]

Bumping an really old but interesting thread. 

Now we know what exactly cap crimper does, how about C4 punch?

[Grant Lamontagne]

The cap crimper also works to crimp heads onto coaxial cable.  I doubt the public at large has much use for a C4 punch, but in this day and age, who knows?

Def

[eodtech]

Bumping an really old but interesting thread. 

Now we know what exactly cap crimper does, how about C4 punch?

EOD models as show on the chart containing specific EOD tools ( 61/63/66/67/69 ) which would be the blasting cap crimper and the C4 punch are pretty much job specific tools. It should be noted only the models to have the C4 punch are the 67 and 69.  . C-4 INFORMATION  The picture in the top right shows two blasting caps being inserted to the holes that possible could be made by the C4 Punch. 

Prior to the SOG's EOD specific multitools  blasters used a set of blasters crimpers made of non-sparking bronz/brass where the end of one of the handles was an exposed punch to make the hole in the C4 / TNT / dynamite / etc.  and the end of the other handle was a useless screw driver. The screw driver was not use as intended  because the metal was so soft it would self destruct itself 5 seconds after you attemped to remove a screw. More cases of dynamite in wooden boxes had the covers pried off with the screw driver than used for anything else.

Okay then here's a question:
Has anyone here actually used a blasting cap crimper for its intended purpose?

Not so much now as most of my work is instructing in EOD and HazMat operations.

When I was a full time EOD technician ( 1967 to 1995 ) I would have a Dupont blasters crimper on my belt in a leather pouch every day, now it's one  of my highly  modified SOG multitools.

[jzmtl]

Ah so that's what C4 punch does. I'm under the impression dynamite is pretty volatile, does punch holes on them pose any danger at all?

Also want to ask you about your power lock, does putting v-cutter next to combo blade make the plier hard to close or is there plenty of space? I wanted to do the same thing since bottle opener that was originally there always screw up the locking mechanism on the non-piano lock.

Ha, just found the nailpick on large scredriver will work as bottle opener as well, one more reason to get rid of the bottle opener.

[eodtech]

Also want to ask you about your power lock, does putting v-cutter next to combo blade make the plier hard to close or is there plenty of space?

No problem on mine.

[Smitty44]

 

When I was a full time EOD technician ( 1967 to 1995 ) I would have a Dupont blasters crimper on my belt in a leather pouch every day, now it's one  of my highly 

[/quote]Thanks for the info eodtech,and for your service!!

[american lockpicker]

And worse, to release the lock if you accidentally lock both locking tools open while trying to disengage them!  At least when LM used a similar type of lock on the original Super Tool they made it so all the tools could disengage the lock, so you had a greater margin for error.
Of course, that's probably why LM id that with the Super Tool.
Def

Thats not how your supposed to release the tools on both sides of the Tough Tool there are tools that are release levers the orange pealer and the scraper blade if you push down on them it unlocks the locked tool(s).

[Benner]

And worse, to release the lock if you accidentally lock both locking tools open while trying to disengage them!  At least when LM used a similar type of lock on the original Super Tool they made it so all the tools could disengage the lock, so you had a greater margin for error.
Of course, that's probably why LM id that with the Super Tool.
Def

Thats not how your supposed to release the tools on both sides of the Tough Tool there are tools that are release levers the orange pealer and the scraper blade if you push down on them it unlocks the locked tool(s).

Was that something added later maybe?

[american lockpicker]

No it has been there all along. I didn't know about it till I read the instructions that came with the tool.