Wierd pliers ?

[spiral]

Ones modern use of forging tools, does provide good evidence of how 7 what they may do.

The fact such tools normally used in the west have no decoration may mean nothing in this context though..

In historic Hindu culture at least, many tools & most weapons carry religious or spiritual symbolism...

So Id guess the may be Indian... {Of course other cultures/religions in Africa or South AmericaI am unaware of may have done similar.}

But I think for origin we can rule out countrys where predominantly those 3 localised middle eastern origin Abrahamic religions, the Christian, Muslim or Jewish faiths preside.

But my moneys on Hindu Indian origin.

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[drac2k]

As previously mentioned, I think the tongs are a multi-purpose torture device, as shown on the television show "Deals from the Darkside ;" the only difference was that the clamp part they had, also possessed serrated teeth.The same dragon like image was represented on their pair as well.Also what purpose would a spear head at the end of the tongs, facing oneself serve, save being heated to gouge out an eye or two.

[spiral]

Originally Posted by drac2k

As previously mentioned, I think the tongs are a multi-purpose torture device, as shown on the television show "Deals from the Darkside ;" the only difference was that the clamp part they had, also possessed serrated teeth.The same dragon like image was represented on their pair as well.Also what purpose would a spear head at the end of the tongs, facing oneself serve, save being heated to gouge out an eye or two.

How about Symbolism, based on pre.modern belief systems?

The tv show you site is ridiculous fantasy show made for light entertainment!

You can not possibly seriously take that as a factual source surely?

But thank you for sharing your thoughts! Certainly something to make one stop & think for a few seconds...

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[A. G. Maisey]

Please accept my apologies people.

I was only kidding about "removal of body parts" I didn't think for a moment anybody would take me seriously. I do tend to get a bit facetious at times --- especially after watching all three seasons of the"The Borgias" at a single sitting.

As Mr. Senefelder has mentioned, I believe these are smith's tongs, what sort of smith, I don't know, but I have tongs exactly the same that I made for use in the forge.

I was taught fire & iron by one of Australia's last traditional blacksmiths, a gentleman named Gordon Blackwell, he taught me basics, and I needed to teach myself the more specialised things involved in making pamor and doing blade-smith work.

However, one of the things Gordon taught me was how to make tongs, and I made a number of tongs, all for different purposes, some have jaws exactly the same as the ones shown by Royston, but construction is much more simple and there is no ornamentation.

So, serious guess this time:- smith's tongs.

Incidentally, I've burnt myself a lot of times when working, and something that has always amazed me is that these burns never, ever hurt at the time. They might smart a bit the following day, especially when bathing, but at the time, never. I do not have especially high tolerance of pain.

[Shakethetrees]

[/QUOTE]
Incidentally, I've burnt myself a lot of times when working, and something that has always amazed me is that these burns never, ever hurt at the time. They might smart a bit the following day, especially when bathing, but at the time, never. I do not have especially high tolerance of pain.[/QUOTE]


You're right!

The degree of concentration and rush to get iron to anvil causes everything else to temporarily go away!

When I was in school many years ago, I was in a frenzied state, rushing to make a deadline. Right next to me in the next soldering station a friend, Tom, was annealling a small, roughly one inch, by half inch ingot of gold. Each of us lost in our own worlds and without words expressing our intentions, I pivoted left, dropping a red hot bit of work into a quenching bath while Tom turned to the right, gold in tongs, intending for it to join my work in the tank. Instead, the ingot caught my upper forearm squarely, impressing a one inch by a half inch burn!

Toms immediate reaction- "That's OK, it's gold."

Without either of us missing a beat, we went right back to work.

The next day it was not as funny! I still carry a slight mark reminding me of the incident.

[drac2k]

Well, then, I stand alone, and I wasn't kidding ; I believe them to be constructed for torture . It is amazing to me how, in this forum, where we have encompassed every strange form of weapon,multiple oddities, or numerous bizarre treasures from the past some completely close themseves to this possibility.

[spiral]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Well, then, I stand alone, and I wasn't kidding ; I believe them to be constructed for torture . It is amazing to me how, in this forum, where we have encompassed every strange form of weapon,multiple oddities, or numerous bizarre treasures from the past some completely close themseves to this possibility.

I didn't discount ,that they were a torture device.... All though I suspect there for metal working. Holding square bar...

I discounted your source, that led you to you conclusion, {A rubbishy low budget tv program.}

I also disagree with your assumption that the longer finial was only suitable for eye gouging... I see finial like that on many items.... Ive never imagined they were only suitable for eye gouging.. Each to there own though.


But I agree you could torture someone with them, crocodile pincers & shears are well known & when 35 years ago I unexpectedly saw the collection of gestapo torture equipment from there Paris cellars there were certainly blacksmith type tools amongst them.

But flat grippy pincers or toothed would be better for torture I think?

If one has that perverted & sick mind set you can happily torture some one with nearly anything... a bowl of water... a screwdriver, matches, pliers or anything really..

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