What is this?

[PG]

http://tinypic.com/r/n4e3q/5 - this link is to a picture of a tool or weapon that I have- It appears old and hand made. It is on a long pole like a shovel handle. Can anyone identify it? Thank you

[john k]

First thing that comes to mind is a firemans tool, for ripping into a roof or siding, probably 100+ years old.  Never was on the fire dept. 

[johnsironsanctuary]

How about a blacksmith made loggers peavey?

[RWalters]

From what I could find, it's an ice hook, used to move blocks of ice when cutting them on the pond or moving them around later in the icehouse. The examples I could find pictures of were made by the Gifford-White company and were so marked along the long leg of the curved piece. Apparently Gifford--White made all sorts of ice handling tools.

[gibsontool]

My first thought was a user made climbers ice axe, but after reading RWalters post I would think that his idea would be more like it. It makes sense that this wood be a good tool to move the cut blocks around on the ice and possibly in an ice house.My father (originally from Manitoba) told me they used to put a layer of sawdust betweeen the blocks to prevent them from freezing together in the ice house, but I think that this looks like a great tool to move the blocks around out on on the ice prior to loading them on a skid. My dad also told me they had a gin pole rigged on the back of the ice skid to lift up and stack the blocks but he never mentioned how they moved the cut blocks around on the ice. This looks like it would sure work for that pupose.

[mikeswrenches]

I picked one of these up at a garage sale in Long Lake, NY a couple years ago.  It was definitely used to move blocks of ice around.

I think you'll find that it is the Gifford-Wood Co. rather than Gifford-White.  The link below will give you a little history on the G-W Co.

http://gossipsofrivertown.blogspot.com/2012/10/hudson-in-1905-part-45.html

Mike

[Mel Larsen]

Looks like a Viking's best friend.

[Bill Houghton]

I don't know, but if I met someone holding it, I sure wouldn't argue with him/her.

[RWalters]

@mikeswrenches Right you are, it's Gifford-Wood, not Gifford-White. I'm going to blame that one on auto-correct!

[Batz]

I don't know, but if I met someone holding it, I sure wouldn't argue with him/her.

Yep, that thing gunna hurt.

[wvtools]

Pretty much the same tool was also used for moving around logs during rafting.  They are listed in Sellens as pike, pick poll, or pike pole.  I always called them pike poles.  The hooks on the ice ones (I think your is one of those) usually look more like the spikes on an ice ax.  The hooks on the pike poles I have had are often more rounded.

[amertrac]

I used one for years to roll logs while cutting firewood but they were called ice hooks .a peavie hook and cant hook are different  bob w.