Found these while working out in the field:
Any idea what they are?

olde time fireplace tongs.....ember tongs

Those are ember tongs for lifting an ember out of the fire place or picking one up off of the floor that has fallen out of the fire. Not a blacksmiths tool though they were often made by blacksmiths.

great minds think alike

Those are ember tongs for lifting an ember out of the fire place or picking one up off of the floor that has fallen out of the fire. Not a blacksmiths tool though they were often made by blacksmiths.

Didn't blacksmiths make ALL tools. If they didn't, then who did?

Log tongs for a fireplace.....Would work for big clinkers I spose.....

I have seen them in brass and I also have seen them in cast iron.

used in the BBQ to move charcoal around :rolleyes:

Yea, hot coal tongs for moving burning wood and cinders around in a fireplace.

I figured something fireplace related. I hang on to it. I may be able to modify it into something useful. It doesn't seem practical in it's current configuration. :)

often for picking up a coal to light ones pipe. I don't remember where that tidbit of info came from......I wish I could remember.

Seems too large for lighting a pipe....too small for fire place logs....think I would go with fire tongs for the forge. OMO tho

Those appear to be log / ember tongs for a fireplace.

If they are in good condition, you might want to research the antique value of them before you modify them in any way.

These were popular on the hearths of homes in the 18th century.

Any idea about the history on the site where you were working?


http://eronjohnsonantiques.com/dynapage/IP6280.htm

http://louwersantiques.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=31603


http://louwersantiques.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=31618

I always thought they were a knuckle busting design, especially for moving logs. There were better designed ember tongs, some spring loaded, but this style seemed to predominate.

Much more useful when you heated with open basket of coal and so could shift chunks around.

As I mentioned on the other topic---perhaps more useful for when you were using coal for heating in an open basket configuration.

The pipe tongs are usually much smaller and often more ornamental

I always thought they were a knuckle busting design, especially for moving logs. There were better designed ember tongs, some spring loaded, but this style seemed to predominate.

​These came into the shop for riveting, 14.5 inches long. I thought the pics might be of interest.

I've seen the short ones used to maneuver charcoal briquettes.