This handy little tool keeps you from burning your hands while maintaining a fire in your parlor or kitchen stove. The bottom of the stove has a cast iron grate that allows air to flow in feeding the fire and the ashes to fall into the ash pan. The handle attaches to the shaker and then you can gently wiggle the grate back and forth to clear ashes. The ashes fall into the ash pan, then the pan is removed and the ashes disposed of.