Who Can ID this Piece of Iron?

[mso489]

It sure would light a pipe, but what a branding iron! My wife bakes bread in a Dutch oven (the kettle kind, not not the little stand-alone warmer with a door) and I live in fear, as I help boost it in and out of the 475 degree oven. But this pipe lighter sure is a nifty piece of history and a great conversation piece. Yeah, have the fire extinguisher ready with that in use!

 

[aldecaker]

I think it's an interesting piece. Since I used to do a fair amount of hammer-and-tongs smittyin' in my younger years, I appreciate what goes into making even the simplest iron implement by hand. I would think using splinters from the kindling pile would be a lot easier, though!

 

[fnord]

I'd love to know how the blacksmith accomplished that pig tail.
It's an impressive piece of equipment.
Fnord

 

[jkrug]

Nifty old gadget for sure. Did you find that the tobacco stuck to it much when you used it? ::

 

[aldecaker]

@Fnord: The fact that the top of the pigtail is somewhat flattened leads me to believe that the steps went something like this:

1. The rod stock was heated and drawn into a taper on the face of the anvil.

2. The taper was re-heated and hammer-wound around a tapered Pritchell dolly, forming a "corkscrew" wind. (Pritchell dollies are the forming tools that go into the round hole on a proper anvil.)

3. The corkscrew would have then been re-heated and "telescoped" into itself to form the tight spiral.
There may be other ways of accomplishing the same thing, but the tightness of the "wind" seems to preclude simply twisting the heated end with a pair of tongs or other implement, which is what you might do with flatter stock or to get a looser wind.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I can post this guys website when I locate his card.
And, yes, the tobacco tends to cling to the hot ring. Achieved one light without drawing in till after the poker was removed. May try one more light, this time without camera.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here's the link to Armstrong's Etsy website. HERE.
Didn't see the pipe "lighter" tool but he had several at his table during the Festival.