Knot tightener for baler twine

A knot stretcher for use in tightening splice knots that connect twine balls on an agricultural baler, wherein the splice knot has a pair of twine tails, the knot stretcher comprising:

• a pair of pulling bars connected at pulling bar pivot at one end of each of the pulling bars,
• a pair of levers, wherein one of the pair of levers is attached in a middle section of its respective pulling bar, each lever having a handle portion at one end and an arm portion extending from an elbow formed in the lever, wherein each lever attaches to its respective pulling bar with a fixed pivot located near the elbow and distal ends of the arm portions of the two levers are attached at a moving pivot;
• and
• a pair of clamping jaws, wherein one of the pair of clamping jaws is positioned on the respective pulling bar at an end opposite the pulling bar pivot, each clamping jaw including a rotating crank that mates with a clamp so that each of the clamping jaws is able to securely clamp a respective one of the twine tails of the splice knot that is to be tightened by the knot stretcher.