Don't know if these are of interest, but took them for Barry (WD Models) so thought i'd put them up here too for reference. These are British folding wirecutters in my collection, these ones are 1917 dated and built by Chater Lea who made motor cars, motorcycles and bicycles. The earliest folding wirecutters to this pattern i've seen are 1916 dated and were in use up until the 1990's and possibly later
Extended
Folded
Dimensions are - when in extended position (as in Photo 1) - length 334mm, width (taken as width from the outer end of one handle to the other) 143mm, in folded position (as in photo 2) 246mm by 97mm. Photo 4 shows them with the pincers at their widest open position, and Photo 5 is a sort of 'half way mark'.
They were still in service in the Australian army in the 1970's-1980's and they were rubbish. I broke two sets of wire cutters both had one of the blades snap off and the metal had large crystals showing. Age had finally caught up with them.
I've seen an account elsewhere of someone seeing them on British troops in the first Gulf War! Haven't used them on any wire but in very good condition
