Wossis then ?

Baby Food ??? In that state ...lol

Some form of secateurs perhaps for cutting stronger stems than just plants .

In message , geoff writes

if it makes 3 parallel cuts it might be used to cut cloth - but it looks more like something for gardening in its construction

I doubt that it's a surgical device. Surgical devices tend to be designed to be cleaned easily and generally they don't have mucking great rusty nuts or grunge-catching coil springs.

The construction actually looks like pruning shears apart from the blades. The inside face of the blade appears to be serrated as on gripping surface of pliers, rather than as on a knife or cutting surface.

Hmm, hygiene seems to be a lesser requirement than I would have for baby food.

Why the multiple "blades" then ?

They are exactly the same style (and make I suspect) as my parents' poultry secateurs. Only the blade is different. I therefore suspect they are a kitchen tool, rather than a surgical device.

In message , Si writes

Someone suggested that its for serrating leather, but I doubt it

Mmm. Bikers are a tough breed.

Only if it is a Pakistani copy of some traditional design, although I can't find anything like it in any of my old catalogues. The build quality is far too poor otherwise. On a surgical instrument, the handle serrations should be straight cuts, or a series of ground, open, hollows. Cross hatching traps too much dirt. I do know of one instrument that uses a coil spring to open the handles, but otherwise, the standard system is one or two flat leaf springs. Again, they are easier to clean. The usual latching mechanism on surgical instrument handles is also quite different. Finally, the joint is far too crudely made. At the very least, the pivot pin would screw into the body of the joint, not have a huge nut on it.

Colin Bignell

They don't look tough after their frequent close encounters with HGV wheels. Indeed they look decidedly tender and squishy.

Could they be for crushing flowers stems? (the way florists do to flower stems on cut flowers like roses - I think to improve water uptake and hence how well the petals stay on).

My paramedic daughter would agree with that. They hate m/c accidents.

at the base of the stem so the flowers last longer in the vase.

Today's New Words in uk.rec.motorcycles: gardening, flowers, vase

If it's food, maybe ukfdm?

Owain

I recall my grandmother having a cherry stoning gadget with identical handles & spring. (business end was a cup with a hole in it, and a blunt spike) so I too would go for kitchen.

Perhaps it *is* a baby food masher!

Andy

Same here. My grandmother had a set of what we called poultry shears with the same handle and spring design. The had a single set of blades though.

Old canvas stretching pliers. The idea was to trap the canvas in the jaws to create a none slippage grip and the pull the canvas over the frame to tack it in place.

Spouse says it's something for making multiple cuts - perhaps (for example) fringes on leather.

Mary

I think that deserves a coconut!

Owain

Nope. Canvas stretchers have a very broad jaw.