No one at my cowboy church even knows what this is.    Its the unknown claw.  Any help?  Thanks

A two handed, compound lever gripper squeezer? Sorry, I couldn't resist. I can see how it works and mechanically what it does but have no idea what it's for other than to apply some serious gripping power through the claws.

Frosty The Lucky.

Picking up burning logs perhaps?

I agree with Frozen above, I  have one looks like that that came with a fireplace set.  To PU burning logs to move around or in a few cases throw out doors when someone has a chimney fire.

It looks a little overkill but might work for lifting lids off Dutch ovens?

Yup. We have several variations of log tongs in the north woods area. Those look like an older version of what's on the market any place that fireplace tools are sold up here.

On 03/01/2016 at 3:58 AM, JoLynn Self said:

No one at my cowboy church even knows what this is.    Its the unknown claw.  Any help?  Thanks

I believe the first picture shows a device to lift and carry crucibles (smelting pots). The length of it is to protect you from the intense heat of the furnace and also reduce the chances of spilling on yourself. It could also be used for logs as the other member mentioned to place them in an open furnace etc. Im sure there are a lot of other uses you could find for it, like fishing keys out of a drain lol.

it would be a bit unwieldy to use with a burning log in it , just think how much movement the reins have to have to capture and release.   it appears to be mad to grip something of a specific size and hold. a lid or hot handle.

ain't ya'll ever seen an apple picker?????

 

yup; several types of them and I have made variations that were used,  Nope that one doesn't look like any of them!

One possible clue--the claw end is very similar to old-school large clinker grabbers.  Back in the stone age, there were a LOT of big boilers in buildings, factories, and ships burning big coal...= big clinkers.

The railroad version has the same 3-finger grabber layout but is designed to reach through a very small feed door and the claw works sideways.

Might be way off the mark but at least it's a path to follow.

 Thank yooou, Kozzy.......That was kinda my thought 2 months ago, but wasn't sure. And afraid to say...... I just remember ,back in the day as a kid, my dad pulling clinkers out of the coal stoker furnace in the basement. The handles were different , but the claw was real close to that. He had to reach through a door about 16" square, I think...I duknow, that was over 50 years ago...     Dave