John We did in fact have an extensive discussion about this inventory some time ago now. The stiling iron was I think used for ironing clothes. This usage seems to be particularly prevalent in the West Country: The Oxford English Dictionary includes the following definition of the word “ steel”: 7. dial. To iron (clothes). 1746 Exmoor Scolding 273 Tha hasn't tha Sense to stile thy own Dressing. The English Dialect Dictionary also has a similar definition sourced from the Somerset Word Book.: Steel: 8.v. To iron clothes. w.Cy. To stile linen, A Provincial Glossary. Grose (1790) Dev. The back o' a zittle is a choice thing to steel clothes 'pon. 46, ed Palmer. n.Dev. Tha hasn't the sense etc....Exm. Scold. 1746. Hence Stiling-iron, an iron. Debbie