tissue engagement plates each having forward and rearward portions each of the pair of tissue engagement plates mounted on the upper end of one of the pair of arms and extending generally parallel with one another when the pair of arms are in closed position forward bone engagement spikes are mounted on and extend forwards from the forward portions of the tissue engagement plates a releasable securement mechanism is mounted on the pair of arms for releasably retaining the pair of arms in a selected position relative to one another and a tensioning device is mounted on the pair of arms for tensioning the lower ends away from one another thereby forcing the pair of tissue engagement plates towards one another upon the securement mechanism being released application_number US 457307 A description the bone retractor tool 10 of the present invention is shown best in fig1 4 as including left and right arms 12 and 14 which are connected to one another at a pivoting joint 16 positioned towards the upper ends 18 and 20 of the left and right arms 12 and 14 it is preferred that the left and right arms 12 and 14 have a similar shape and function as plier arms with the dimensions of the left and right arms 12 and 14 being approximately six to eight inches in length and further that they be constructed of stainless steel or the like so that the bone retractor tool 10 may be cleaned in an autoclave device or the like mounted on the upper ends 18 and 20 of left and right arms 12 and 14 are left and right tissue engagement plates 30 and 32 as shown best in fig1 3 in the preferred embodiment each of the left and right.