MWTCA June 2023 'What's It' Project (6-2023)

[John Morris]

"What's It" Basic Rules Reminder

For a full run down on this project and rules please go to: "The Patriot Woodworker and MWTCA "What's It" project"

• Only Patriot Woodworker Members are eligible to participate and receive the award.
• The MWTCA only accepts a verified source to support your answer, so one should be submitted with your answer, such as a patent, catalog entry, tool book reference, or a respectable website on the subject. Do not let these requirements prevent you from having fun and submitting educated answers on the subject without verification, we can worry about references later. All answers are welcome, as well as healthy debates regarding "What's It".
• If a verified and referenced answer is not arrived at by the end of each month's "What's It" project, a random draw will be performed for a "One Year MWTCA Club Membership".
• Only Patriot Woodworker's who participate in this "What's It" topic will be included in the random draw.

 

Additional What's It Rules

• Unless you are completely sure what this item is, please avoid "definitive statements" that appear that you are without a doubt claiming that you know what the item is. For example stating, "this item is called a "widget xx" used for "insert purpose here". If you are making a definitive statement you must accompany your statement with evidence or proof from a secondary source.
• An example of acceptable statements within the realm of having fun and educated guesses would be something like this, "I believe it could be", or "It appears it's made for this or that", etc etc etc...

 

Ok ladies and gentlemen, we now have our "What's it" live and ready!

The image(s) below is a MWTCA "What's It" image for you to research, and tell us all here in this topic post, just what the heck is it!

 

Project Details

The information provided hereon is all the information that is provided, no further information on this item will be added.

 

[HandyDan]

I hope it is not the clandestine torture device like it seems to portray.

 

[John Morris]

7 hours ago, HandyDan said:

I hope it is not the clandestine torture device like it seems to portray.

 

Almost seems like some type of device to put around a beasts neck, to hold it still, while a farmer tends to its health, I know I am way off, but that's what came to my mind first.

[John Morris]

Or, some type of plant harvesting tool?

[Cal]

18 minutes ago, John Morris said:

 

Almost seems like some type of device to put around a beasts neck, to hold it still, while a farmer tends to its health, I know I am way off, but that's what came to my mind first.

 

You want to treat them John, not kill 'em!

[HandyDan]

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

Or, some type of plant harvesting tool?

 

Something to do with bundling a wheat sheaf came to mind for me also.

 

[p_toad]

looks like a hand scutching tool for hemp or flax.  with no dimensions it's hard to know more.

[steven newman]

Maybe  something to turn a log over with...

[Gerald]

I am thinking a flax comb or hemp to make rope

[HandyDan]

This is a soft boiled egg shell cutter.  Dimensions?

 

[John Morris]

7 hours ago, HandyDan said:

This is a soft boiled egg shell cutter.  Dimensions?

Hmmm! So what's ours? For Ostrich eggs?

[Cal]

The handles look like it's had some rough duty

[steven newman]

Maybe a way for the person on the ground to help guide a new telephone pole into the hole in the ground?   and keep it turned the correct direction?

[HandyDan]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by HandyDan

[John Morris]

7 hours ago, steven newman said:

Maybe a way for the person on the ground to help guide a new telephone pole into the hole in the ground?   and keep it turned the correct direction?

Steve, the pole is round, there is no correct direction.

I used to set poles, never seen nothing like that. 

[Gerald]

It is bad someone can't break an eggshell. Takes all sorts I guess

[steven newman]

Depends on IF that pole already has the cross arms installed..and/or the Transformer....

[HARO50]

If it's small enough, a corn shucker? Or is that "De-kernelizer"?

[John Morris]

18 hours ago, steven newman said:

Depends on IF that pole already has the cross arms installed..and/or the Transformer....

Cant hook would be used with a single long handle in that case. We used them in lineman school in the Army.

 

The device we see here is too small if I'm looking at the scale properly those handles are about the same size as hedge clipper handles.

And the spikes or tines would snap off the first attempt to twist a thousand pound small utility pole into place, the average 45 foot pole weighs a whole lot more! We could raise the small poles by hand with pikes and Cant hooks, the larger poles required a crane, but I never got to do that, anything that big was handled by local utility companies. We'd standby and observe the pros take care of it.

[Grandpadave52]

Looking closely at the picture then comparing to @HandyDan picture, I think Dan's got it. I don't think the wooden handles on the mystery tool are really all that long when put into perspective with the "spikes". Comparing the length distance of the hinge to the handles as well as the spikes leads me to think this is a blacksmiths early prototype version of the "shell shredder." The hinge acts as a stop to prevent further closure.

 

I've always just used a spoon or knife handle, then my finger nails; probably just as sanitary. I'm just a simple guy though without a butler.