During World War I, American soldier James H. Smith was stationed in France. While there, he observed a French farmer tending a fire with an unexpected implement: An old rifle barrel. The farmer blew through the barrel to stoke the fire, then used the barrel itself as a poker.
After returning to the ‘States, Smith began working on an invention inspired by the farmer’s rifle barrel hack. It took a while, but in 1941 Smith patented the Blo-Poke. This was a brass tube with a mouthpiece on one end, and a sort of arrowhead on the other. The arrowhead was cast with a fluted groove, allowing air to travel through the tube.
Today, nearly 85 years later, the Blo-Poke is still in production. They’re made in Connecticut, are available in a variety of finishes, and run $185.