whats this tool called?

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Many years ago my father had a pair of pliers that had 3 jaws perhaps 50mm long which were bent at 90 degrees leaving 20mm bent.

When you squeezed the handles the jaws moved outwards evenly spaced at 120 degrees.

they were for stretching rubber sleeving over wires.

I’m looking for some now and dont seem to be able to find any.

A name might help?

 

Ian

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

[JoParticipant @jo]

Hellermann pliers.

 

Jo

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

I still have a pair of these pliers from service in the RAF many years ago – They used to come in different sizes for different sizes of rubber tube. The rubber tubes were known as Ellerman sleeves, and the pliers were used as Ian describes, after lubricating the sleeves with a glycerin based oil – I also still have some of the oil – I don’t know if Ellerman is still in business, I’m afraid.

 

Just googled it – the name should be spelt Hellermann, and they do seem to be still in business – at least Google threw up packs of Hellermann sleeves for sale.

Edited By wotsit on 06/10/2011 11:03:58

[Terry LaneParticipant @terrylane]

The closest I have seen to that is Elastrator pliers – used for putting rubber rings on young ram=lamb’s dangly bits. They have 4 ‘jaws’ tho’

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

Hi

 

I used these Hellerman Pliers years ago when servicing airborne radars etc. Always had to be careful when rummaging in my tool box as they invariably sat on their back with the sharp chrome plated jaws pointing upwards waiting for the unwary fingers. it didn’t seem to matter whether one tried to shield the points or not as the combination of tapered chrome points and residual Hellerine Oil ensured the any protection eventually fell off .

 

I suspect they are in decline now as heat shrink sleeving has become popular and a lot easier to use. That said it may be worth a trawl around Ebay to see if any are on offer.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Ian

 

I recall these and seem to remember they were popularly known by a very rude name!

 

Still available by the looks of it – try here

 

Regards

 

Norman

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Thanks for all your replies I just need to find some for sale

 

Ian

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Not found the thing I had in mind but these will do

 

Elastrator Castrating Pliers

 

Just bought some off ebay for £7.99 all in

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Posted by NJH on 06/10/2011 12:10:56:

Hi Ian

 

I recall these and seem to remember they were popularly known by a very rude name

The name I know them by suggests that Sir Richard Branson can supply them

 

Rod

[The Merry MillerParticipant @themerrymiller]

 

What a blast from the past.

 

Like some other posters I still have a set from my RAF days as an Electrical Mechanic with the “Black Arrows”, as Martin says it’s nearly all heatshrink now and I still have a large stock of that left from my days dealing with Raychem.

 

Be aware  that they came in about three different sizes if I remember correctly to cater for different ranges of sleeve diameters.

 

Len. P.

 

 

Edited By The Merry Miller on 06/10/2011 13:22:43

[SpurryParticipant @spurry]

In common with others, I have always known the pliers by the ‘rude name’.

 

The main advantage is that the sleeves are rubber and flexible as opposed to heastshrink which is not.

 

I get my sleeves from A0 to A3 size (not the same as paper sizes!!) from RS Part no A0 170-7213 ect. I find the most useful are A1, 170-7229.

 

The polite name is Expandable Cable Sleeve Tool. RS No is 548-259

 

Pete

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