Originally Posted by
elnan
Do they work like hog-ring pliers? A good pair would run about $25. I bought mine when they were 1/3 of todays prices.
Hog ring pliers are designed to hold the ring while going around two objects and binding them. Like fabric around a bar on auto upholstery. The treadle belt pliers on the other hand are parallel jaw pliers designed to compress the ring, once fed through by hand, into a closed end oval with the two sides parallel to the motion of the belt and flush with the leather of the belt.
These pliers do all three tasks. Singer pliers make the three tasks separate. I have a set made by Sargent that the punch and cut happen at the same time so it is even less work.