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| Many different tools were used during the ice harvesting season. In 1888, the William T. Wood Company of Boston, Massachusetts, manufactured ice tools. All of the tools manufactured had specific uses within the ice cutting business. This company made tools ranging from tongs to ice wagons, from chisels to shovels, and from elevators to saws. Breaking bars were often used by ice businesses. These bars were used to separate sheets or floats from the main body of the ice and also to break the floats into strips. |
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| Chisels were also used quite often in the business. The specialization of chisels was popular. Several types of chisels were made including bar chisels, floor chisels, separating chisels, and splitting chisels. They all looked alike but did have distinctive features. "The Bar Chisel is made with a wide blade, beveled on one side, and is used mostly to cut around the cakes in getting ice out of the icehouse". A splitting chisel differs from the bar chisel in that it had a narrow blade and was used to split the blocks or strips into cakes, both in the channel and on the platform. |
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| Other ice tools were also used in the ice cutting industry. The sieve shovel was used
to clear the channel of chips and pieces of ice that could possibly block the channel.
"Ice augers were used principally in making holes through which to measure the
ice, as well as in which to insert pins for stretching lines, towing floats, and other
purposes." Measuring irons were uniform in their uses. The end of the iron was
turned to catch the bottom of the block, while the neck was marked off by inches. These
were used to measure all of the blocks to make sure they were uniform in size. Ice hooks or pike poles were used on a regular basis. "The Ice Hook, though simple in its appearance, is absolutely necessary in the handling of ice, and is to every ice dealer a very important part of a set of tools". Ice tongs also played a key role in the handling of ice. Although the specialization of tongs was popular, the basic function of these tools was to carry, hoist, and lower ice blocks. The Wood Company also made scales which were mounted to the back of the ice wagons to weigh the ice before its sale. |
