Glassmaking shears (hot glass)
Glassmaking shears are a scissor-like tool used to trim surplus hot glass while an object is being made. Their function belongs to the stage when the glass remains hot and workable.
Not a glass cutter
Distinguish these shears from a glass cutter used for cold sheet glass. They also differ from jacks, which shape the glass blank using two spring-connected arms. Describe a tool's function through its working parts and application, rather than merely its association with a glassworks.
Older examples
Record blade profile, length, joint, handles and any maker's marks. Look for damaged edges, altered profiles and repairs. Do not apply features of modern specialist shears to an older pair without evidence. Finding a tool near a glassworks does not alone prove it was made or used there. Workshop provenance and contemporary accounts can provide better evidence of function.
