The simplest clamp

[formariz 11,987]

 

The pinch dog is not only the simplest clamp there is, but also perhaps the most efficient one. They are quick and take virtually no space being able to be used in odd angles where other clamp types will slip.When driven into two separate pieces of wood the tapered design of its “legs” pinches the two pieces together tightly and holds. When edge gluing it is usually driven on the ends of pieces being glued. It has always been used by several different professions such as carpentry and upholstery. One only has to worry about not using them where their tell tale marks would not be wanted. 

 Besides their obvious function, personally I make use of them everywhere for everything, such as using large ones as handles, tool holders, as reinforcements, and also to prevent or control checks on rough lumber. They are common but frequently overlooked ,unknown or mistakenly dismissed as useless.Although still available new, only small ones are usually found new. Large ones are usually very old and blacksmith made. They were most likely used in  trades such as shipwrights . I probably own about one hundred pinch dogs but when I come across large old ones I never leave them behind. 

 Modern machine made pinch dog

 

 Old blacksmith made

 

 Pinch dogs used at bench

in tool chest

 

 Holding two boards together 

 

 Used as handles

 

 

 Used as tool holders

 

 

 Controlling check in old cobblers bench

 

 Controlling large crack in cobblers bench.

[953 nut 55,081]

The outside corner pitch dog is one that I have never seen.           

[formariz 11,987]

7 hours ago, 953 nut said:

The outside corner pitch dog is one that I have never seen.   

 It’s a Boston miter clamp. Works pretty much like a lever actuated pinch dog. Did a thread on it four years back . Can’t remember on how to attach link to it. Found another one about two years ago. 
 

Edited January 17 by formariz

[WHNJ701 4,165]

We dug up about 1/2 dozen or so ancient large hand forged ones, way back in our woods, the properties were old wood lots in 1800's

[formariz 11,987]

16 hours ago, WHNJ701 said:

We dug up about 1/2 dozen or so ancient large hand forged ones, way back in our woods, the properties were old wood lots in 1800's

Very large ones, and I have seen them over 2 feet, were used as a sort of bench clamp such as when holding a beam on a bench to do a mortise. Bench would just ordinarily be a log split in half with legs. One long dog on each side of piece being mortised would hold it to bench. Some will also have offset ends .

Edited January 18 by formariz