Brandywine - I think I get what you are asking for - I made 25 pendats a few weeks back to gift away at BM. They were shaped like small burning men. There's a pic posted in August show and tell of 2 of those pieces.
They were too small to hold with the hot fingers ( some of my floral scuptural pieces also hate hot fingers) and I couldnt hold them well with the 18 inch tweezers - kept slipping. What I finally found that worked to hold my pieces best of anything was this:
http://www.frantzartglass.com/index....oducts_id=4564 BUT i dont think these will work for you as your pieces are probably too round
The groove in the end allows me to hang onto components that are rod-like and the curved pad potion of the tool is grooved like a freeway road base. If I didnt want to grab the piece with the groove, the pads themselves seem to grip the items far better than tweezers or hot fingers. For round items, I just use the hot fingers.
I have also used my mashers as holders at times. what I would really like is something like this - without the round plate at the bottom (although I think the round plate is part of the mechanism that makes it open wider or get smaller) - the price tag is ugly too
http://www.dichroicimagery.com/produ...oducts_id=4141
another option might be:
http://www.dichroicimagery.com/produ...roducts_id=673
My other option was a fire proof glove that you cant feel heat through that allows me to grip the piece directly while torching LOL