Unusual locking brass tongs(?)

Hello,
I have these brass tongs with a sliding locking pin. To me, they look really old. They have soot on the tips but seem too small for use in a fire and only open 1".
I've not been able to find any similar examples or any solutions on other sites. Hoping someone here my know.
Previous ideas that I can't get to pan out, tweezers, laboratory or medical clamps.

Thanks for looking

 

Welcome!
Well...can't use them in a fire because you'd burn your fingers/hand and with heavy gloves probably couldn't really operate them well anyway but one could, for a short time, hold something that is hot.
The 'flame' seems to be the key to what it is.

 

"flame" I had not thought of that. Makes sense

 

It looks familiar to me, but not placing it.

 

Brass will conduct heat fast and also cannot be allowed to get too hot.

 

Maybe for picking up something toxic in a chemistry lab.

 

Maybe squeezing out the flame on a wick........I dunno.....but then there's the locking mechanism..........picking up dead mice by the tail!!!!! Seriously though, still thinking.........

 

HOT mice!

 

My wife thought wick too but only the tips come together, they don't close flat. Now mouse... that's a new one

 

LOVE the WONDER BREAD ruler by the way!

 

thanks... We all collect something

 

WOW! Thanks!
What's with the curve/arced one?

 

a favorite. a tailor's rule. Lufkin 8152

 

Nice! I've never seen one or I'd have it!
I DO have tank underground (usually) level gauge poles though.

 

Well what ever it is, it was meant to hang off something.

My initial thought was key to Chinese lock. But that's not it. The only thing I can think of is a type of closure for something.

Slide one flame through a ring or something similar, then slide to close and lock whatever. Obviously isn't strong enough to be a lock, but simply a closure.
From a different country maybe?

Don't know, just throwing out ideas in case it suggests something to some one else.

 

Tommy Chong called. He wants his roach clip back.

 

I wonder if it was to hold paper to weigh it ? Part of a postal scale ?

 

You clap it od your doze to keep out bad sbells. That why ed shape like a doze. The rig let you hag it aroud your deck.

 

It wouldn't surprise me if this were part of a postal scale; I have a letter scale here with a spring-clap on it. It's currently dangling off the knob on a book case door.

 

Must be where all to soot came from