tool
Tongs for tiles
Sometimes the roof tiler has to remove a piece of a roof tile in order to
install it. He often does this with a trowel (see mason's trowel), although
that is not an ideal treatment for that tool. Some tilers therefore use
pliers that resemble large carpenter's pincers. However, the rafter has
narrower jaws, which do not close completely because a rod between the arms
keeps them at a certain distance from each other. Often one arm ends in a
hook to hang the pliers from a roof bar when not in use. See also tile
pincers and marble pincers. [MOT]