Tool

[Digr]

I know what this is for do  you?

[RWalters]

I do. And a sweet answer it is.

[john k]

I do if it involves animal husbandry!

[Digr]

I do. And a sweet answer it is.

LOL  that's good   

[Branson]

I do. And a sweet answer it is.

No need to sugar coat the answer...

[Billman49]

Someone else nipped in with the answer...

[amecks]

C'mon I have no idea. Maybe for pulling or twisting taffy?

[Digr]

Here ya  go http://www.rubylane.com/item/386639-RL-742/Antique-Iron-Sugar-Nips-18th

[Billman49]

Don't give the answer so easily - make folks sweat a little longer and try to sort out the clues given by those who do know - key words were 'sweet' 'sugar' 'nipped' - treat it as a game of Cleudo.....

Stick those three words into Google Images and run a search and you get lots of rubbish hits, and this one....

[Billman49]

and a bit further down the page...

the second image leads to a web page (Worthpoint) where the title is 'Look with your brain as well as your eyes' and the following:

I have had more than one person mistakenly identify the purpose of a sugar nipper. When a little boy asked his father what that (sugar nipper) was, he was told, “it was for cutting off fingers in the Civil War.” I don’t correct parents in front of their children unless they ask for confirmation; I then can send them in to the other room to look at all the medical instruments. Another fellow was explaining, “They used to castrate bulls with those”. Well, I would love to watch (safely behind a very stout fence) when someone tried that (with 911 on speed dial)! I did explain to that fellow and his audience those were sugar nippers and, even though the bull probably thought sweet thoughts about his bull-hood, they were not used in that fashion. Everyone had a good laugh, even the fellow with the “information.” Antique bull castration instruments look similar in outline, but the details are obviously different.

Sugar nippers were used in this country during colonial times to nip off a piece of sugar from a large cone shaped hunk, and then ground in the mortar and pestle to be used in baking or beverages. They range in price from $100 to $350. There are reproductions, so examine carefully. If you own a sugar chest, used in the south to store sugar, then you should have sugar nippers to go inside. The better nippers have a decorated knuckle guard, as well as a decorated area around the pivot. The British used nippers longer that we did; they continued to produce sugar in hunks they called “loaves.” Usually, the later a nipper, it will be plainer as well. That seems to be true of most antiques.

It's great what you can find on the 'Interweb'....

[amecks]

OK. I will have to put more effort into "figgerin' " next time. Thanks. Al.

[john k]

I had never heard of sugar nipper, but it also strongly resembles a bull lead, as seen on the bay>>>http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jorvet-J-178B-Professional-Stainless-Steel-Bull-Lead-with-Nickel-Plated-Chain-/320955730219?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aba73c92b<<<

[Lostmind]

I have a vintage " Bull Lead" if someone finds they " need" one.

[Billman49]

2nd image above, with the sugar cone is a bit misleading, as sugar nippers were not used with a sugar cone, but with cone sugar...

The large sugar cone would have been broken into smaller pieces with a sugar hammer/axe.... the small pieces would have been served at table in a sugar bowl, or broken into even smaller pieces with the nippers - either at table, or in the 'posher houses' in the kitchen.

Bull leaders although similar in shape have rounded balls in place of the cutting edges, and usually some device for fastening in the closed position (although some relied upon hand pressure to keep them closed)....