At The Almond Festival in Capay Valley (N. CA) I was importuned to look at this implement. Hand forged of iron. Difficult to use as far as I know.
Who Can ID this Piece of Iron?
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At The Almond Festival in Capay Valley (N. CA) I was importuned to look at this implement. Hand forged of iron. Difficult to use as far as I know.
Hard to tell the scale of the piece, but is it an old pipe lighter? Keep it in the fireplace, red hot, and light your pipe with it? Just a guess....
Or for hanging cookware over the embers. Plymouth Plantation and other historical sites have large collections of that kind of hardware. Usually used when cooking in a hearth (before stoves).
All good answers, and here's the finale, so yes, the beef man got it right off.
Here it is, ready to use-
Here it is, ready to use-
So, an Eighteenth Century pipe lighter! (?)
I did manage to light the pipe in this awkward manner, and smoke it down to a fine white ash. Or something like that.
In terms of lighting a pipe, next to picking up a glowing ember, the most difficult I can think of. Thanks be to matches and lighters!
I did manage to light the pipe in this awkward manner, and smoke it down to a fine white ash. Or something like that.
In terms of lighting a pipe, next to picking up a glowing ember, the most difficult I can think of. Thanks be to matches and lighters!
My first thought was that it was a branding iron. Seems a tad cumbersome as a pipe lighter.
Maybe there should be some sort of stand or wall hanger to facilitate its implementation.
I'm sure they were flying off the supply store shelves in their day.
Maybe there should be some sort of stand or wall hanger to facilitate its implementation.
I'm sure they were flying off the supply store shelves in their day.
That's cool, and explains how the old timers trashed their pipes. I'm sure matches were a luxury not available to all.
Trashing pipes: That's the last thing I was worried about! Hands, wrists, arms, then sofas, rugs, clothing. If used carefully, no trashing of anything, I suspect. But, imagine, late at night, many pints, and paying attention to the blokes sitting by the fire, or maybe someone bumps into you with the red hot poker in your hand.... Many a branded arm or hand, maybe a crotch or two! Cumbersome is just the start of it! But it's cool to add to my fire equipment, as it works as a poker for small logs.
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