Where to get fence stretching / kinking pliers?

[beppington]

What I'm looking for is a pliers type of tool that I can use to just walk up to my no-climb horse fence (2"W x 4"H holes) & crimp it so it puts a little kink in the horizontal wires, to tighten up areas that are wavy.

IIRC Red Brand no-climb horse fence used to have an intentional wave all along the horizontal wires, to allow for some play & maybe to help stretch it, not sure the exact reason for it ... but it now has no waves/ kinks at all, just dead straight wires. I want to be able to put little smooth bend kinks in them here & there, between the vertical wires, where necessary to tighten it up.

Is there any such tool? What is it called? Where can I get it?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Mace Canute]

Can you use a glass/tile cutter pliers? Maybe with a bit of modifcation so it doesn't nick the wire?

 

[kco]

That's good looking wire for horses.

I don't know about the pliers but had a method for maintaining tension on my steel wire fence. I installed eyebolts on the deadend posts and ran stretchable plastic wire (like a huge classical guitar string) for about 5' and ran that through a thimble on a loop on the steel wire. I did that at each deadend. The free end of the plastic wire was pulled so it stretched and clamped with two small u-bolt clamps. The steel wires were stapled so they could move at each fence post.

It worked like a charm as it would give a bit but would always maintain tension.

The steel wire I was using at the time was obsolete 3/13 steel powerline which I got free. It is like barbed wire without the barbs and very tough.

Before doing this I had tried high-tensile non-barbed wire but cheaped out and just used 4 strands. One gelding got his leg through it, paniced, and tore the wire and staples from about 6 posts. The wire cut his leg to the bone above the hock and we barely were able to save him.

So then I tried just using the plastic wire (it is popular in Australia I believe) but it was so stretchable and comfortable that the horses would lie against it to eat in the adjoining neighbour's pasture. My thouroughbred could reach out 8 or 10 feet at mid span.

That's when I came up with the plastic wire deadend and 3/13 steel solution and I had no problems after that.

The wire you have looks like a much better solution.

 

[beppington]

Can you use a glass/tile cutter pliers? Maybe with a bit of modifcation so it doesn't nick the wire?

That might work! Smooth down the edges some ... I'll take a look at HD :thumbsup:

 

[bcp]

Electric Fence, High Tensile Fencing Supplies

Catalog page 11

 

[crash325]

Being simple, cheap and lazy, I keep simple things simple. No need to ruin one thing to make another.

Pictured is a wire kinker that will bend tight crimps into up to 3/16" hard wire. Not clear in the picture is a grove that the wire fits into. They are available at hobby shops or suppliers.

Even simpler is to use a combination wrench and put a large bolt through the box end.

The spanner pictured would work for a few bends, handle a little short, use a cheater.

Thought that I had pictures, but can't find them. Take a large, short bolt, Fashion a handle similar, but longer to the spanner. Bolt the handle down tight, drill 2, 3/16" holes through the bolt head, handle and nut. You want them about 1/4 to 1/2" apart. Cut 2 pieces of 3/16" hard wire long enough to fit through bolt head and into the nut, with about 1/4" sticking out. A little bend of flair will lock them in.

I could not find them, but I have a nice crimping pliers that is perfect for the job. Maybe tomorrow. They are available at jewelery supply stores. Think they are called bending pliers, if you like I'll look them up for you. I also use them to crink up stove pipe.

Those cheep China crimpers may break on the first crimp.

 

[MMagis]

No need to over complicate things. Regular fencing pliers will do what you want. Grab the fence with the “tips”, the part made for pulling staples, and twist. It’ll make a small loop, tightening the fence the more you twist. Anything short of that will just loosen back up fairly quickly. You can also use small tensioners made to go right on existing fence, maybe a couple dollars a piece. Kencove carries lots of good supplies.

 

[seymojo536]

Well Bep, you're not crazy. There used to be such a tool. Looked like a pair of pliers but with 3 arms. The third arm was oppostite and went between the other two. Put a nice U in the wire, with no threat of nicking the wire. Used to see them at auctions all the time but not so much now. Last one I saw sell was about 5 years ago. Don't think they make them new anymore and can't imagine what they would call them. Closest I can come to them would be a set of blacksmith's scrolling tongs.
Guess everybody has moved to the winders or crimps now. If you're handy, I would suggest you take 3 - 18" rods of say 1/2" diameter and drill a hole thru all about 4" from the end for a pin or skinny bolt.

 

[Western]

Bep, I had an old neighbor that made one out of 3/4 sucker rod, "solid steel", he heated one end and bent a semi "S" in one end and it worked great on my 2x4 Horsed wire, also worked on other wire and had allot of leverage. It was about 36" long.

 

[DanD78]

I use a straight claw, claw hammer. Stick the wire in the claw and give it a twist. It will not do the double bend like from the factory but it works quick.

Dan