favorite oven tools

[ThermoJax]

I would like to ask what everyone's favorite oven cooking and coal management tools are. I would assume that a wood peel is essential for pizza placement, and then a metal peel for moving it. But what is your go to tool. Special shovel? garden hoe? Let's get a discussion started here.

[RTflorida]

I have 2 complete sets of the FB tools (that is a story for another time), several wooden peels, and set of extra long, antique log tongs.

To me, the FB brush, rake, and shovel are no brainers - I use them EVERY time I fire the oven. The tongs are also very handy when placing larger diameter logs (3"-4"). I found the tongs on ebay for around $20....DON"T buy the cheapo scissor tongs that many are selling on ebay, they don't handle heavy oak or hickory very well and will bend within a couple of uses. My antique tongs are cast iron and 28 1/2" inches long.

Peels - I use my wooden peels for building and placing my pizzas and the small diameter
(8") turning peel for turning and removing. I think the sliding secondary handle is really handy. I have only used my large metal peels 1 or 2 times. I don't like them at all, pizzas tend to stick to them much more easily, they have long handles (which really are not necessary) and are worthless for trying to turn the pizza. You really need the turning peel to be proficient and not bang and clang around your oven entry.

RT

[fxpose]

Besides my multi-duty round metal peel, my favorite tool came from someone's suggestion here on this board. It is a 5 foot long copper tube blower flattened on one end I use to clear away ashes after raking aside the coals. Since I don't have a brass/copper brush this is what I use and I think it's a cool tool.

[Les]

My favorite (other than what is required) are the tongs. Like RT said, don't buy cheap. I bought a fairly good set at HD. They do get a little shakey when I am placing 7 inch diameter oak.

[dmun]

An obscure variant on the tongs is a "clinker grabber" a tool almost ideally suited to wood oven fire handling. The tongs are horizontal instead of the vertical ones for fireplace use, and are long enough to reach right into your blazing oven. Sadly they've been out of production since coal furnaces went out of use. Practically every house in America had one at the turn of the turn of the last century, so they still turn up on eBay from time to time.