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Ice-Cutting Tools

Photograph of ice-cutting tools. On a white background, brown metal ice tongs used to carry blocks of ice, and a rusted iron saw with a wooden handle.

Collection of objects belonging to the Société d’histoire et de généalogie de l’île Jésus, Ice tongs NAC: 2010.030, Ice saw NAC: 2010.101

The men who performed this hard work had specialized tools. The Société d’histoire et de généalogie de l’Île Jésus has two examples. An ice saw with a single handle at one end was used to cut through the thick layer of ice. Our saw is 66 inches (168 cm) long. Ice tongs were then used to lift and move the blocks of ice, which were approximately 26 inches (66 cm) high and 42 inches (108 cm) long.