Pokers or tongs?

I prefer a rake to either of those two.

Riverstone, i would go with weatherguy's advice. I've used tongs and had a bigger split slip out and the tongs are released and they go upwards. If the tongs were to hit the baffle and it was a fiber board then damage may occur. Just my ineptness probably but i will use them sparingly. My mess ups are usually the result of putting wrong sized and shaped pieces in, i.e., a poor loading job.

I've been using a poker for the past four seasons. This year I'm hoping to get an ash rake. We'll see. That being said, more important than any of those is a good pair of gloves. I have gloves that go up to my elbows. Those make the real difference.

Coal rake, BBQ tongs, I don't use gloves


Real Tools for kids garden rake, $10 , My coal rake, works great

I do everything I need to do with a shovel. But then, I don't mess with it much. Pull coals from the sides to the center, burn them down some, spread them out and reload.

I either use my small shovel or poker . . . most often my shovel.

Riverstone said:

Does anyone have or use any particularly good tool for manipulating coals and/or burning splits when reloading

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I have the perfect tool for help in reloading: a top-loading stove.

But I also use a poker.

Rake

Here is some pics of the tools and rack I created in the Blacksmith shop. The last one I put together was the rake and now it has taken place of the poker 100% of the time. So rake and shovel because with the rake I can get all the way to the back of the stove without "poking" the bricks. Once I get around to it I plan on replacing the poker on the rack with a coal sifting shovel that I have a plan in my head for. As long as I load it correctly I find little or no reason to ever open the door until it burns down so moving or adjusting hot splits is never a concern.

I use this http://www.lowes.com/pd_56414-76362-18012003_0__?productId=3379282


It works really good for moving coals in to a pile and separating the ash

I have a one handed retracting scissors type tongs that works well for moving splits in the stove (had that around before the stove--came with the house and fireplace). Something like this
http://www.efireplacestore.com/fsd-t-1005.html
Then another newer type tongs that requires two hands, I like that tool much less. Something like this


In fact, if the first one isn't handy I'll just use two tools, poker and shovel together. But any of the three can be used to move the burning wood around if necessary, certainly safer than gloves .

Damage to the stove, I used to worry about that more with the Century and it's fragile baffles, the Summit is not a problem, just be careful of the glass.

Riverstone said:

Does anyone have or use any particularly good tool for manipulating coals and/or burning splits when reloading, or for moving a split back that has rolled to the side? Or thoughts/advice about this, generally? I have good gloves (my three year old scolded me today for not using them on a reload), but with a large firebox I don't always feel like reaching too far in there, and there are some hot splits I wouldn't grab. Then again I worry about damaging the stove with a tool.

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In over 50 years of wood burning, I've found only one tool for what you are describing and that is a simple poker. We have 3 things by our stove; poker, ash shovel and welder's gloves. Only other thing needed is wood.

It sounds like you may be reloading too quickly. You should not have to be moving burning splits at all. I won't grab them either. As for damaging a stove with a poker, I've not done any damage yet and highly doubt there ever will be any. Now don't forget to put those gloves on.

I always use gloves that go up over my elbow and a poker. never use tongs. I use the rake sometimes.

I should add I very seldom move anything around once loaded, the fire will actually do it's thing better, if you don't screw around with it