Saw them on the eBay when I was looking for something else (?) and thought to myself, I know exactly what they're for... I'm havin' them!
Forget yer girly hair clip thingies, you need some of these to assist in burning your fingers. They are proper hurty pinchies!
They're called Hackle Pliers and as sp1 says are for holding yer flies up... making fishing flies. Any decent tackle shop should sell them.
http://www.taimen.com/en/gb/product/hackle-pliers-standard_231/89927
and no, I don't fish for flies, that's just silly...
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