# Help me identify this tool, please. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 17, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116 "2003-01-17T00:47:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![mambozzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@mambozzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambozzy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/101 "2003-01-23T18:37:13Z")
Alright, finally I understand the action of this thing. It’s really amazing how much more sense this stuff makes in the daylight. Anyway, due to this recent revelation, I have to cast my vote for ‘spring installer’. The springs really don’t seem to be a permanent part of the tool. The way I see it, the tool starts in the open position so that the springs can be put into position. THEN, you squeeze the handles 3/4 of the way, putting the springs in the right position for installation. Squeezing the final 1/4 extends the springs so that they can be clipped onto the…um…clips that hold springs in place NOW that the springs are securely in place, you can release pressure on the handles which first pull back together and then spread apart (which should make sense), taking all the pressure of the springs off of the tool itself and allowing the tool to be removed from the assembly. That’s how I see it, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/102 "2003-01-23T18:55:41Z")
Um. The springs are obviously part of the tool. They are designed to pull the jaws back into the beginning position. As I see it, squeezing the handle closes the jaws, holding the spring loosely at the hooked ends. The final 1/4 squeeze stretches the spring, allowing it to be placed. Releasing that last 1/4 squeeze lets the spring hook into place; this action is driven by the springs on the jaws. Releasing the rest of the tension allows the jaws to open; this is mechanically linked to the handles, and is driven by the spring between the handles. ---
**Author:** ![N8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c2a13f/32.png) [@N8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N8r)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/103 "2003-01-23T19:47:23Z")
A friend of mine says it looks a LOT like a tool he used to use when taking the hose off the bottom of a radiator on older German cars (Merc, BMW etc…)… The tool allowed him to get the rubber hose off of the metal flange on the bottom of the radiator. I donno tho… ---
**Author:** ![Sorcy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Sorcy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sorcy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/104 "2003-01-23T20:10:15Z")
Well, if D.R.P. does actually stand for “Deutsches Reichs Patentamt” (which might be the case) then “Norm-Mess” should be german … which it is not, except if it is a shortened form. Assuming it IS shortened it would indeed mean somthing like “standard measure” as mentioned above. So my guess would be: it goes around something (probably a tube or pipe of some kind) and all it is (was) good for is to measure if the pipe has the correct circumference. You know, we germans once were really big on measuring and standards … don’t want our pipes getting to big or somesuch… ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/105 "2003-01-23T20:22:25Z")
I don’t know, **Sorcy**. The tool in question seems needlessly complex for that function. Why the double action? A pair of inside calipers would do the same thing with greater simplicity. Remember the old engineering dictum: form follows function. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/106 "2003-01-23T20:26:02Z")
Something on the NORM-MESS issue (one of the two markings): _Norm_ means a technical (industrial not governmental) standard, and _Mess_ isn’t a word as such but only the stem of the verb _messen_ (to measure) and the noun _Messung_ (the act of or an instance of measuring). As NORM-MESS isn’t a German word as such, and the tool does not seem to be a gauge or such (no markings, and does not seem from the photographs to have the precision used in gauges for machined parts), it looks to me like “NORM-MESS” is either a company name or a trademark. I could not find it on Google associated with a company, and it is not in the database of current German trademarks at the [German Patent and Trade Mark Office](http://www.dpma.de/), so it looks like the company is defunct. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/107 "2003-01-23T20:33:58Z")
It looks like it should be called a “drundle,” or a “drundle-clamp.” Any objections? Hearing none, we have a drundle clamp. Mystery solved. ---
**Author:** ![mattcolville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@mattcolville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mattcolville)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/108 "2003-01-23T21:08:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mambozzy \* > \*\*I’m against this whole ‘spreader’ idea. I mean, if you’re using a plier-like apparatus, you’re trying to gain a mechanical advantage on whatever you’re trying to spread. What’s the purpose if you negate that by adding a pair of rather strong springs on the other side of the fulcrum? > I think it works the other way around: pulling stuff together rather than pushing stuff apart. Just a theory. \*\* Well, the spring resists the action of squeezing it. Right? So the idea is you squeeze it, which is tough, slip the ends into something that needs to be spread, and let go. The spring forces the thing to spread apart, thereby doing the work for you. I have two things that have a spring like that. A pair of scissors I bought when I had to cut out a million things, and the action of the spring made it a little easier on me, and one of those things for strengthening your grip I bought when I was learning guitar. ---
**Author:** ![squid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@squid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squid)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/109 "2003-01-23T21:27:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Happy Lendervedder \* > \*\*It looks like it should be called a “drundle,” or a “drundle-clamp.” > > Any objections? Hearing none, we have a drundle clamp. > > Mystery solved. \*\* One more vote for “drundle-clamp”. My drundle-clamp is used for fixing the thingamagig.😉 ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/110 "2003-01-23T22:52:43Z")
“D.R.P.” also is an acronym for “Deutsche Reichspost”. They controlled postal service and communication (telephones and broadcasting), and their equipment likely would have been labeled. More thoughts: another meaning of “normal” is ‘regular’. Or “MESS” means ‘Messing’ (=brass metal). Or ‘Messerschmitt’ (the aircraft manufacturer). ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/111 "2003-01-23T23:03:56Z")
Is it possible its a banding tool? The kind used to hold wooden crates together. The straps need to be held together while they are clamped. My second guess would be a tool to hold band saw blades while they are welded together. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/112 "2003-01-24T01:35:17Z")
Ooooh, **femtosecond**. Methinks you’re onto something. My W.A.G. is that it was used for splicing extremely thick cable, i.e. underwater trunk cables. As the different parts of the cable were spliced, TWO of these devices were used to keep the thick gnarly cables from torqueing. Always glad to be of service. 😉 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/113 "2003-01-24T01:57:00Z")
“Norm Mess” does seem to be used as an abbreviation for standard measurement, in this german language page: [http://www.gewerbeverband-ueberherrn.de/mitglieder/hjto.htm](http://www.gewerbeverband-ueberherrn.de/mitglieder/hjto.htm) VDE - Norm Mess -und Prüfgeräte (VDE 0100 Teil 610 / 0105) occurs near the bottom. Interestingly enough, machine translation even recognizes it to translate that line as: VDE - standard measuring -und testing sets (VDE 0100 part of 610/0105). I think it’s a standard abbreviation, as suggested. ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/114 "2003-01-24T17:05:14Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Cartooniverse_ > **Ooooh, femtosecond. Methinks you’re onto something.** I sure hope so. Or this thing is going to be the next “May 33rd” thread. :eek: **yabob** , no, it’s a coincidence. The punctuation is a bit unusual though. The first part means “VDE-Norm” (VDE standard), and the second is an contraction of the two compound words “Messgeräte und Prüfgeräte”. It says this company uses measuring and testing equipment which complies with (or measures things defined in) certain electrical codes or standards. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/115 "2003-01-24T17:54:46Z")
It could be used for measuring and cutting something elastic – one would clamp (3/4 action) onto the elastic while it was at rest, then spread the jaws apart to apply tension before cutting. Much easier to cut something while under tension. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/116 "2003-01-24T17:59:13Z")
I just thought of something else. What, exactly, are the measurements between the jaws in both states (clamped and stretched)? Might be helpful if it were some exact figure that would correspond to some standard (but obscure) measure. ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/117 "2003-01-24T18:08:55Z")
people, it’s quite obvious that the tool is used to hold a hand of playing cards 😛 I also want one. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/118 "2003-01-24T18:35:30Z")
I’d like to have everyone forget my guess about a wire stripper. I go along with those who think it is a tool to install or remove something like a piston ring or other springy thing. It does look awfully heavy duty for a piston rin spreader but maybe it’s intended for a really big engine. ---
**Author:** ![Sorcy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Sorcy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sorcy)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/119 "2003-01-24T21:22:33Z")
I showed the picture to several colleagues of mine and one came up with the suggestion that this thing was used to tighten chains on automatic looms. He even had a webpage which he thought supported his idea but there were no pictures and I forgot to send it to my homeadress… but it sounds kinda reasonable… ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116/120 "2003-01-24T21:23:34Z")
DRP definitely refers to the German Post Office (circa WWII): [http://www.johnsonreferencebooks.com/catalogue/weapons/daggers/postal/](http://www.johnsonreferencebooks.com/catalogue/weapons/daggers/postal/) > [@](#): > > Postal Protection Service [Postschutz] > \_\_\_\_The Reich Postal Protection Service was formed simultaneously with the Railroad Protection Service in March, 1933. This unit was assigned the primary mission of maintaining the security and protection of all post offices and communication installations o fhte Reich. These installations included the telephone and telegraph facilities since they were, initially, under the supervision of the Postmaster-General, Dr. Ohnesorge. However, in March, 1942, Hitler approved the incorporation of the Postschutz into the Allgemeine (General) SS. and > [@](#): > > Postal Leader Dagger > … > > Lower crossguard is nicely “DRP” stamped with “1987”. I found the “DRP stamp/mark” reference on a number of sites dealing with WWII German militaria. Seems you might have more luck looking into German/Nazi militaria sites/collectors/dealers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tool-please/149116.md?page=7)