wire twist pliers

[mm]

I recently got an estate closeout, in a box of tools, a wire twist tool that looks very much like this one.

Except mine doesn't have the choice of left, right, and lock. Only left.

I wonder if any of you have actually used a pair of wire twist pliers, and what you used them for. At work, or around the house?

They look very useful but only for certain things, and I don't know what. :)

The guy who had them had a burglar alarm business, or worked for one. He installed.or he sold burglar alarms, not quite sure

I've seen these from a distance several times over the decades, but I've never been so close to one before! I know if I just wait a while, I'll need them, but I'm impatient.

Thanks a lot

[Bob]

Commonly referred to as safety wire pliers, and yes, I used them quite a bit. Anything that flies is subject to bolts coming loose through vibration. So they use special bolts with pin size holes through the heads, run a length of safety wire through the hole, twist it with the pliers, pass it through the next bolt, repeating as necessary. I occasionally use one around the house, like wiring Christmas greenery to a wire hoop.

Bob

[Eric in North TX]

Where I've seen them used was aviation mechanical work, where a lot of fasteners are safety wired. They can't take a chance on a bolt backing out or a nut falling off. I've see the used to a lesser degree on automotive, my wife's Jag has safety wires on the bolts that secure the rear calipers as they are in a really bad place to work and inspect (inboard disc brakes).

[mm]

Thanks guys.

Cool. I'll try to pay more attention to safety, and do some wire twisting myself.

(I didn't know that aviation fasteners were safety wired. Makes sense.)

[Harry K]

I worked in a plant building big fetililyzer/pesticide applicators (up to 90 ft wide). The plant engineer decided that the bolts holding the wheels on (16 IIRC) needed safety wire. Yep, cross drilled and the wire run through anyway convenient so at least 1/2 of them could loosen a half turn. I didn't know about the 'twist at each fastener' thing.

Harry K

[barbarow]

They are used for "safety wiring on aircraft see

[Bob M.]

They're safety wire pliers. As others have mentioned, they're used quite a bit on airplanes, but safety wire can also be used as a tamper indicating device. If something critical, like a nut or bolt, is safety wired to something else, and the wire is cut, it means someone has messed with that piece of equipment. Don't use it until a proper inspection has been done.

Perhaps this is why the alarm guy had them - to somehow seal up the alarm system box.

[mm]

Maybe. That would explain it.

He had a couple a bunch of tools, some of which I'm sure the family took, and others I got including a couple new, still in the box, that were undoubtedly advertised on late night tv, including the "and if you act now, you'll receive at no additional charge, this tool worth

25 dollars." So we'll see. It seems the oil drain plug on the '69 honda I just got has a stripped head, and this extra tool is suppose to fit anything. It has a flat ended screw that tightens to the side opposite the V.

I'm not sure the head is damaged. Couldn't find a metric wrench to fit it, and I doubt it is between sizes (my set skips from 15 to 17 to

19mm iirc), but maybe with more light I'll see something different. It was in the shade late in the day last time. Hmm. It only has 2800 miles on it. How could that plug be stripped already? (If it is, I'll by a new one but only after I get the engine running. Hasn't run for 35 years.)