Well you almost got it right.  The truth is that the hog ring is clamped 
     to the hogs nose, in the nostrils.  This keeps the hog from rooting or 
     digging with its snout due to the increased sensitivity; maybe akin to 
     piercing one's nipples?
     
     Pat S.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Hog Rings - the mystery revealed
Author:  Jay.Goldberg@ska.com (Jay Goldberg) at INTERNET
Date:    11/21/95 2:58 PM

Hey now
     
I recently reupholstered my '60 bug.  One of the thoughts I had while 
doing this was "how did hog rings get that name when they're used for 
upholstery?"
     
A coworker just gave me a Sausage Making Smoking & Meat Curing catalog 
from The Sausage Maker in Buffalo, NY, and they have hog ring pliers 
and hog rings in there.
     
Hog rings are clamped around the end of a sausage casing to keep all 
the sausage meat inside.  Mystery solved!
     
	TTFN
		Jay
-- 
Jay Goldberg   IT5 UNIX Support  212.238.2678     \/     axion consulting svcs 
Credit Suisse       Group        jay@ska.com     \/\/    jay@intac.com