Essentially tweezers, Burling Irons are actually a weaver's tool. Made of stainless steel, they are used to remove lint from becoming a burl (slub) as the fabric is being woven.
How often do you feel like rejecting a piece of linen because there is a slub in a rather exposd area? With Burling irons, it is possible to pick this out and have a flawless piece of fabric on which to stitch.
They have many other embroidery uses...pulling out threads in Hardanger and Hemstitching; lifting a waste-knot to make cutting it off easier; removving cat or dog hairs; unpicking (the English expression for taking out!) mistakes; removing the one little staple of the thread that just will not come out. They are particulary useful in gold embroidery. In making a turn when couching Japanese gold, a pinch with Burling irons will not strip the gold leaf off its silk core.
Woodworking husbands love them for splinter removal!
Warning...they are VERY sharp!