How long should a poker be?

Most standard sitting room pokers measure around twenty-eight inches. Bedroom sets sit a little shorter, usually under two feet. Much depends on the size of the grate they originally served. Deep country hearths required heavy shafts over thirty inches. This extra length kept hands safely away from the heat of a large log fire.

Why are the shovels pierced?

The holes act as a riddle. Loose ash falls through the gaps. You throw the unburnt cinders back onto the fire to save fuel.

A set turned up in the attic but the tongs have a flat spring at the top instead of a hinge, is that normal?

Bow tongs use the tension of a curved piece of steel to keep the legs open. You squeeze them together to grip a coal. This setup requires less maintenance than a standard hinged joint. Hinges wear out and loosen over decades of constant use. A sprung steel bow retains tension for generations without needing repair.

Someone brought over some brass fire tools last week and the handles keep twisting around when lifting anything heavy, what causes this?

Many handles attach to the central shaft with a hidden screw thread. The metal expands and contracts with the heat of the fire, which loosens the join over time. A quick turn usually tightens them back up. If the thread is stripped, the handle will keep spinning. It might need a brass shim to grip the iron properly again.

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Antique Fire Tools from the 19th Century

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Sets of metal implements, typically comprising a poker, tongs, and shovel, designed to safely manage burning coal or wood in a domestic hearth. They often survive as matched trios from the Georgian and Victorian periods.