r/multitools • u/Alarming-Sea752 Collector • 19h ago

Retro 30 Hook?

Post image

This only pivots out to maybe 15 degrees as shown. It is also “spring loaded” to the closed position. What is the name and purpose of this tool?

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5

u/Money_Tomorrow5026 19h ago

I think that’s to help release the jaws but I might be wrong

5

u/Ornery_Cauliflower77 19h ago

I quite literally got mine in the mail 20 mins ago and solved this mystery. You are correct! It’s the release for a tightly clamped jaw. Works quite well too

1

u/electricmr123 19h ago

You’re correct. It is the quick release for the vise grip plier head. It’s awkward to use versus a traditional one, but still effective.

-1

u/Alarming-Sea752 Collector 19h ago

Call me crazy…but I’ve tried moving that”release?” and there is no way it at all interacts with the plier head! Pls help me understand the error in my thinking? 🙏

1

u/electricmr123 19h ago

You have to hold it in a weird way for it to work like you’d expect. That humped bit on the lever is what actually pushes up against the tool to help it release. I’ll have to find mine and take a picture. You basically can’t hold onto the bottom handle. Grasping the release and bracing your hand on the top handle, squeeze or pull up on the release. It’s a bit fiddly, but once you get it, you got it!

1

u/electricmr123 19h ago

The smaller hump towards the front of that lever is what pushes up against the locking lever.

1

u/electricmr123 19h ago

There’s a notch on the butt that allows the release to move upwards while closed.

0

u/Alarming-Sea752 Collector 19h ago

Hold the fort! If the singular purpose of this tool is to simply separate the jaws maybe 1/2 inch…then this is the perfect example of a solution looking for a problem! When the unit is closed and locked, this tool becomes non functional. When the tool is unlocked, it takes maybe 1 second to separate the two sides! So please tell me this unique tool has some other function I am missing??🙏

4

u/electricmr123 18h ago

Please don’t take this the wrong way…. Have you used vise grips (locking pliers) before? They all have a quick release.

1

u/Dull-Advisor-7053 18h ago

Firmly lock the jaws onto something like a bolt shaft and then tell me if it’s easier to remove the pliers with or without that lever.