Patent ID: 8776647

Claim:
A fencing tool comprising: a first handle and a second handle, having first and second, respective jaws, and means for pivotably connecting the handles and respective jaws, so that the fencing tool is disposed respectively in an opened disposition and a closed disposition, said first handle comprises a first surface and a second surface and being formed with a wedge extending from the second surface upwardly to the first surface terminating at a wedge edge, and having a through slot formed in and fully encompassed by the first handle and extending from the first surface to the second surface and comprising a first surface opening and a second surface opening, said second surface opening being larger than the first surface opening; said through slot being elongate and comprises transversely disposed first and second slot edges, said first slot edge being disposed more adjacent the wedge edge than the second slot edge, said first slot edge comprises a surface for frictionally engaging fence wire strainer teeth; wherein with the first slot edge engaged with at least one of a plurality of the fence wire strainer teeth with the wedge first surface downwardly disposed and facingly disposed to the wire strainer, and with the handles gripped in the closed disposition and the wedge edge distally disposed there is provided a first operable position for rotatably moving the strainer teeth disposed in the through slot; and said first handle comprises a grip portion adjacent the second slot edge, said grip portion comprises a thumb receiving recess, and said grip portion further comprises a second surface outwardly disposed member disposed between the slot and the grip portion, said outwardly disposed member comprising a thumb guard so that the thumb proximately engages the guard and the guard prevents the thumb from sliding into the slot having the movable teeth.