Crucible tongs are

scissors Scissors are hand-operated shearing tools. A pair of scissors consists of a pair of blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles (bows) opposite to the pivot are closed. Scissors are used for cutting var ...

-like tools with a pair of attached arms that curve outward near the ends to form a rounded gripping area that allows users to safely grasp

crucible A crucible is a container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. Although crucibles have historically tended to be made out of clay, they can be made from any material that withstands temperat ...

s, flasks, evaporating dishes, or small beakers. They are made of durable

metal A metal () is a material that, when polished or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, electricity and thermal conductivity, heat relatively well. These properties are all associated wit ...

s—stainless steel, brass, or nickel, for example—that can withstand high temperatures.

Use

Crucible tongs are used most often with

s, small

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

vessels used to heat

chemicals A chemical substance is a unique form of matter with constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances may take the form of a single element or chemical compounds. If two or more chemical substances can be combin ...

to temperatures up to 565.56 degree

Celsius The degree Celsius is the unit of temperature on the Celsius temperature scale "Celsius temperature scale, also called centigrade temperature scale, scale based on 0 ° for the melting point of water and 100 ° for the boiling point ...

. As a crucible will be very hot when heating it in a furnace or a

Bunsen burner A Bunsen burner, named after Robert Bunsen, is a kind of ambient air gas burner used as laboratory equipment; it produces a single open gas flame, and is used for heating, sterilization, and combustion. The gas can be natural gas (which is main ...

, one cannot hold the crucible directly. Therefore, crucible tongs come to play a key role when burning, or doing anything with hot objects. Moreover, some of them also have a special characteristic. For instance, a locking version of crucible tongs can be locked with the edge of a crucible, allow users to be more comfortable and more confidence while moving a very hot crucible from place to place. Hence, they provide more safety for the users.

Safety

It is necessary to wear safety goggles,

glove A glove is a garment covering the hand, with separate sheaths or openings for each finger including the thumb. Gloves protect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion or chemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide a ...

s, and proper

shoe A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but ...

s when using crucible tongs. The scorching objects in a crucible might be spilled off and cause damage to the holder's

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

. Since crucible tongs work with the crucible, one must know the safety procedures of the crucible. * Before using the

, make sure that it is dry * Fill the crucible with sample chemicals to only 1/2 or 2/3, do not fill until it is full * If the user used the crucible to fuse the

glass Glass is an amorphous (non-crystalline solid, non-crystalline) solid. Because it is often transparency and translucency, transparent and chemically inert, glass has found widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in window pane ...

, waiting for the crucible to cool down before cleaning it * Squeezing the crucible or use some metal sticks to break the cooling glass out of the crucible * Wash it until it is clean enough

Additional images

File:Crucible_Tongs Drawing.JPG File:Crucible Tongs.JPG, Crucible Tongs with Crucible File:Tongs3.JPG

References

{{Laboratory equipment Laboratory equipment