what's your favorite stove tool?

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vixster

Member
Nov 20, 2010
148
Rockland Co , ny
I'm one week in and need to by a tool. I only have a shovel and can. Any suggestions? I was thinking of getting a rake. I'm using a stick to move the coals. Is there a favorite?
 
Hogwildz. :lol:

Seriously, no more valuable tool to me than the ash rake. Hard to find though. I had to make my own.
 
I also love my rake.
 
Rake is the best. Easy way to make one, buy a cheap long handled fireplace shovel, flatten upturned edges of shovel, then bend 90 degrees. Boom a hoe. Now if you want a rake, either cut or grind out slots. Just so you know a hoe will work well if you can't cut the slots.
 
that last one made in vermont...there is 2 versions one for wood stove and one for fireplace...what would be the difference
 
Poker by far...
 
Fire poker if by far my most often used tool. The only other tool I use is a shovel.

Mine looks very similar to this one. Light weight, easy to use. simple!

http://www.leevalley.com/us/gifts/page.aspx?p=51590&cat=4,53200,45454&ap=3

I like the 'claw' on this one, don't like the handle. The toes need a little more curl though. Maybe I'll build one!

http://www.iforgeiron.com/uploads/1069/med_gallery_280_4_507081.jpg

Don't get one of these, too heavy!

http://www.inandoutlifestyles.com/fipitfipo.html
 
Sideloading on the Oslo I don't 'poke' anything - just lay the splits in where I need 'em.

I've got an antique ash rake from a kitchen wood stove that I use to move the ashes/coals around with. Nice & light and about 28" long. Works great for cleaning out overflow from the ash pan area also. Simple is good - it's the only tool I use with our stove.

ash_rake2.jpg


Shari
 
Bent poker and shovel is what we use all the time...if need be you can use them together to manipulate burning hot logs too.
 
Poker and shovel is all I use.

Don't need to get fancy. For the poker all I have was an old potato digger lag with the rubber stripped off until I got a fancy one for a gift.
 
I use a 3/8" diameter rod about three feet long with a handle bent into one end and a 1 1/2" long 90 degree pointed bend on the working end.
 
I bought a 1/8" x 1" piece of steel. I bent about 4" into an L shape, the length of the handle is per your stove. Its kind of a ash rake poker combo. I love it and probably will never actually buy a tool. I also painted it with black high heat paint. I also drilled a hole in the top if i want to hang it. Its cheap, and not an eye sore. I can rake coals by turning sideways, pull logs by turning it down, and make a nice tunnel of love with it down as well.
 
Poker, shovel, broom.

My wife got a cheap set at Target and I wasn't too impressed with them. But 3 years later, they have fit the bill. They work just fine and she likes the little rack they came with too.

Also - welder gloves that cover to the elbow. A MUST.
 
I was going to say that choosing a favorite tool is like asking to choose a favorite child. I love them all and aside from that silly broom thingy, they are all equally important.

That said however, my home-made combination ash hoe/coal rake gives me the most pleasure to use. Would I give up the shovel for it if I had to choose? Definately not!

If forced to choose, the shovel would have to rule. It is the most multi-purpose tool in the set. It can double as a poker, an ash hoe, a coal rake, and of course does what no other can, namely shovel out the ashes.
 
Cheap shovel . . . I use it as a coal rake . . . use it to scoop up errant ash in the ash pan . . . use it to move wood around if need be in the firebox . . . and use it to scoop up those occasional coals that fall out on to the ash lip.
 
i use them all except the log gripper things. useless in a stove, maybe fireplace. I use the poker for well, poking, but im working on not doing that. The silly broom for keeping my new hearth somewhat presentable and wife happy. Shovel for everything, from ash duty to multi tool. But if I must choose one, I choose my ash hoe. It actually doesnt fit in the 'set' that we have, I got it from my Dad. This was the on tool they kept from the set they had for wood burning stoves. Not much use for it now with their automatic coal burner, so it's on my hearth. Oh welding glves are indeed a must. unless you like the look and feel of burning flesh.
(dad is somewhat more interested in my insert now, might have re-kindled the wood burner in him...)
 
I say "silly broom" because every one I ever had, the wife would use it to sweep ashes off the lip of the door with a raging fire going on and melt the nylon bristles into a blob. Once, I can understand, twice I can forgive, but after that it's just downright silly.

I never owned log gripper tong thingies. They probably come with the deluxe set that also includes a heat resistant broom.
 
I have a fire set with poker shovel tongs.
 
My stove tools are the poker, ash shovel, small whisk broom and matching dust pan and a nice pair of gloves. I use mostly the gloves and poker so I guess these are my favorites. Wife uses poker, shovel broom and dust pan. Both of us put wood in the stove but she tends the ashes.
 
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