Inherited a box of utensils and this scary-looking clamp was inside. It opens like scissors but has spiked plates on the ends. Looks medical?

It’s Likely a Vintage Ice Crusher or Ice Tongs

Despite its somewhat alarming appearance, this tool is typically a vintage ice crusher or ice chipper clamp — sometimes also described as antique ice tongs used for breaking or gripping blocks of ice.

Before modern refrigerators with automatic ice dispensers, households often bought large blocks of ice for iceboxes. Tools like this were used to grip, crack, or break chunks of ice into smaller pieces for drinks.

The spiked plates aren’t for medical use — they’re designed to grip slippery ice securely. When you squeeze the handles, the spikes press into the ice block, allowing you to lift or crush it safely.