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TowerTopper

What is this tool? Is it even for rigging?

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The wife of an old military rigger gave me a bunch of her husbands rigging tools in a real nice kit. Everything is from the days of rounds and such. This tool was in the kit and I have no clue what its for, it my not even be for rigging and just something thrown in. Who knows? You tell me. It is 7" long total, 4" of it is the handle, the tip is hollow about 1/4" and turned down about 3/4" back, has some crazy bends. No other markings. Thanks Vince

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I'm a rigger from the old, round days, although not a military rigger. It doesn't ring any bells with me, but there are a lot of potential military items that I would never have encountered.

ps - Many riggers, then and now, made special tools for themselves. Sometimes another rigger wouldn't recognize it, even if they routinely did the same job.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

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I thought maybe it was some sort of a cheater to slide a closing pin in the loop but the reserve pins I tried were too fat to fit in the end. I'm with you, I think it was something he found to do something, some time for him. We"ll see what other ideas come about.

How about this tool also?

It's about 10" long total, rod is "L" bent and about 6" long and 1/8" round.

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Quote

I thought maybe it was some sort of a cheater to slide a closing pin in the loop but the reserve pins I tried were too fat to fit in the end. I'm with you, I think it was something he found to do something, some time for him. We"ll see what other ideas come about.

How about this tool also?

It's about 10" long total, rod is "L" bent and about 6" long and 1/8" round.



Looks like a line hook. Just a guess though

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Based on the wear on the open end and the unusual shape I would guess that it is a positive leverage device for closing the old pin and cone system.
Put the end through the grommet and open end on the cone. Apply leverage allowing the grommet to slide down the shaft and over the grommet.
Hard to tell the scale of the device from just the photo so I could be way off.

Jpg #3 might be a broken line stow hook from the looks of it or is the screwdriver type tip machined or is it ragged like a break?
“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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From your description it may not be a PLD.
What is the diameter of the hole and the diameter of the shaft, both the turned down section and the bent shaft?
“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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I don't think it's a line stow hook. I've seen pictures of that same tool I just can't remember where though, old Pointers Manual? Parachute Rigger 3 & 2 or 1 & C?

It's getting late for this old geez so I'll look it up tomorrow.
“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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Hi Tower,

Going from very old memory here:

#1, #2 & #3 are for stowing lines in keeper loops ( i.e, not elastics ). #4 I recognize but cannot remember what it is for. :S #5 is for pulling the end tab ( which is sewn to the side flap of a chest reserve container ) up and over the cone(s).

JerryBaumchen

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I don't think 1,2 is a line hook. No hook. The end looks awful sharp. I wonder if its some kind of punch and the shape allows you to spin it like a brace and "drill" through something. I thought it might be a tab and cone cheater also but the hole looks too small.

I'm not sure tool three is a line hook either. The lines wouldn't stay on it. I've seen it too but don't remember what it's for.

Tool 4 I always think of as a spanner of some sort. Again as a line hook the hook looks small and there isn't any t handle to pull on.

This is the first time I've ever seen the tab puller, except for the one I have.;) I was going to put it on the trivia forum.:S

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

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The only thing I like better than a good mystery is solving a good mystery.

#1 & 2 temporary pin, spring installer.
ref. The Parachute Manual 3.417

#3 line stow hook
ref. PARACHUTE RIGGER 3 & 2, PAGE 54, Figure 5-1.

#4 closing tool, used to close Switlik Safe-T-Chutes. Switlik No. 124. NAF 600149-37
ref. The Parachute Manual 3.410

#5 end tab puller.
no reference found but I have seen them before and in conjunction with a long bar to "roll up" the side flaps they work very well.

How old is the old gentlemen rigger and do you have any idea what branch of service he was in?

I'll try (new scanner, haven't got it figured out yet) to scan the references and post the pictures a little later.
“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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Okay Terry, so I'm a "flexible grommet". :D
As a rigger I consider it an occupational hazard. :DB|

Here are the pictures I promised.

Trimmed image 1 too much so I had to rescan.

“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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The #5 is for belly warts as stated. You put the hooks in the slot where the fabric passed through. Again back then you had to pack everything on a "40foot table" You did the opposite side while facing the table .The loop hung down between you and the table. You simply put your foot in it and stepped down while supporting the reserve. After you put in a temporary pin then 180,d the reserve and did the second flap. I used one similar to it Midwest Parachutes in Novi Mi around 1974 for a year. Dirty Dan the Parachute man was getting a little rail for anything more than 12OZ curls of Colt-45,s. The other ones look like a similar thing. They could be used like brake shoe return springs. If any one still remembers brake shoes.

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I'm assuming you meant "of" instead of "or"?

Based on all the info he and I provided, yes. It fits all the criteria especially the open tapered end that a ripcord pin doesn't fit into but a smaller diameter wire would. He probably he had it made in a ships or a base shop and had custom bends in it for clearance.

The picture had no reference scale just a description of the size which put me off on a momentary tangent. It is too small for my PLD guess earlier. The open end wouldn't fit over a cone. I had to step back and look at the "big picture". Doesn't seem to be any obvious wear marks on the small diameter shaft either.

Ditto on the Security Safety Chutes.

The packing hook thing threw me for a while also. Packing hooks should be well... hooks.
The shadow looked like a screwdriver tip or a broken section for a while until I looked at it with fresh eyes the next day.

All in all I enjoyed the sleuthing.
Take care Terry.
“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

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Good research Gene, thumbs up! I'll get my camera and post some picks of the whole thing this weekend, cell phone pics just don't show the beauty of the kit, it has about a dozen different tools in a nice case. Everything is in good condition and you can see the years of use in them. Vince

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