Need Help! Identifying Unusual Tool

[Elfego El Gato]

OK, so another forum (for guitar players) I frequent has had, for a number of years now, a heck of a time trying to identify the item depicted in these pictures:

So, I come now to the brain trust of the RF: What the heck is that thing?????

Here's the most recent thread about it on the other forum, if you care to look at the discussion:

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/some-of-us-are-kind-of-desperate-we-need-answers.829660/

Thanks in advance to anybody taking the time to help us out!

 

[JFB]

how "stiff" are the two arms. I would guess it is a tram from repeating measurements on a piece of wood.

 

[Elfego El Gato]

how "stiff" are the two arms. I would guess it is a tram from repeating measurements on a piece of wood.

What you see in the pictures is all of the information that I have.

 

[GunnyGene]

how "stiff" are the two arms. I would guess it is a tram from repeating measurements on a piece of wood.

What you see in the pictures is all of the information that I have.

The width of the sawtooth edge would seem to rule out a fine cut line for circles, since the angles between the leading and trailing edge and the center leg would be slightly different and result in a less than accurate cut line. That said, whoever designed this tool obviously knew what he wanted it to do. I don't.

 

[Kevin]

As it was posted on a guitar forum, is it music related?

It does look like a special compass of some sort.

 

[Elfego El Gato]

As it was posted on a guitar forum, is it music related?

It does look like a special compass of some sort.

As far as anybody knows, it is not music related.

 

[Fox Mike]

Someone on the other forum said it may be something used in pottery. My wife is a potter and has never seen anything like it.

 

[wolfsong]

I think it might be an automotive tool, specifically a blinker (turn signal) tuner/adjuster. The pointed probe on one arm is used for checking the blinker fluid level. The scalloped edge on the other arm is used to adjust the blinker lens/cover up, down, sideways or diagonally without scratching the lens. Obviously, the crossbar is the handgrip with finger grooves. Notice there are four grooves, one for each finger. This appears to be an ambidextrous model. Based on the measurements provided, I would surmise that this is the large model, designed for adjusting the blinkers on busses, semi tractors and airplanes. I believe there is also a marine version available for the boaters out there.

Other than that, I have no freaking clue. ;)

 

[Daveboone]

Metric spaghetti/ rigatoni noodle gauge adjuster.

 

[BRL]

Looks like your typical Latin American tropical nut cracker...for coconuts.

Slam pointed end into your right leg, squeeze in other handle in with your left leg....Presto!

No idea. :oops:

 

[Cholo]

It's a very crude one off contraption someone made with basic tools, like a vise. I doubt you'll ever find out why it was made. It actually looks like something someone cobbled together to post on the net as a--What is this?

 

[Bob Wright]

Looks as if it might have to do with leather working, a combination awl and stitching spacer. Just a guess.


Bob Wright

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

I was going to guess it's a horsetail comb for stringing violin bows. Until it was identified as non-musical.

Rick C

 

[Fox Mike]

I sent the link to one of the pottery instructors at the local college. We shall see if she recognizes it.

 

[BROKENBEAR]

Strictly a guess and pure accident if I get in the ball park but I think it is a gauge ...I think it was used to establish minimum material availability ...like hides, leaf tobacco ...any thing that would come in lots of shapes/sizes

Possibly the multi function ends also facilitated the user to separate and smooth the item to be graded/measured

Or ..how about a harvesting tool...maybe in serious vegetable production ...the flat end maybe a leaf or or root shear ....the point to perforate stalks for bundling????

With the above information and 75 cents you can get a senior decaf coffee at most McDonalds ...if your also older than dirt!

Bear

 

[blume357]

I can't really figure out what it is specifically for but it seems to me you would punch the pointed part into something and then use the other section to rake the product.

 

[Tallbald]

An early design try of a pocket multi-tool? Yeah that's it. They couldn't figure out though how to integrate pliers into it though so they started fresh. Don.

 

[loaded round]

Indonesian Truffle Digger?

 

[nvbirdman]

My dominatrix girlfriend had one of those, but I was always afraid to ask her what it was for.

 

[caryc]

I posted the picture and the question on a tractor forum I belong to and one of the answers given seems to be very logical.

"I remember those when I was a kid....its an.. ice pick/ scraper.. back when ice boxes or fridge freezers were not frost free..they would ice up..and they would come with that tool..I even remember having to break up the ice with it..what do I win?
and aluminum dissipates heat/cold faster thus the aluminum ice trays of the day??????????????? "

If you want to see that thread in the tractor forum, look here.

http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1354409

 

[Jeepnik]

It from a Guitar forum. Geesh, it's a string straightener.

 

[caryc]

It from a Guitar forum. Geesh, it's a string straightener.

Of course, any idiot can see that. Perhaps you'd like to tell us how it works.

 

[wolfsong]

I posted the picture and the question on a tractor forum I belong to and one of the answers given seems to be very logical.

"I remember those when I was a kid....its an.. ice pick/ scraper.. back when ice boxes or fridge freezers were not frost free..they would ice up..and they would come with that tool..I even remember having to break up the ice with it..what do I win?
and aluminum dissipates heat/cold faster thus the aluminum ice trays of the day??????????????? "

If you want to see that thread in the tractor forum, look here.

http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=1354409

Sorry, but I don't buy it. First, there are enough old timers here that would easily recall such specific tool. 2. There would be plenty of them around in antique stores and would be very collectible. Third, any reefer repairman would tell you NEVER to use an ice pick or any other pointed object to break up ice on the coils or in the freezer compartment. Never. 4. That is not an ice pick, not even close.

He might get a prize for an imaginative guess, but, frankly, there are better guesses on this thread.

I don't know what it is, but it is definitely not a defrosting tool.

 

[Jeepnik]

It from a Guitar forum. Geesh, it's a string straightener.

Of course, any idiot can see that. Perhaps you'd like to tell us how it works.

No idea. I don’t play guitar.

 

[blume357]

the design and way the metal is colored does look familiar... I'm thinking the ice thing might be right.

 

[Dan in MI]

The original ice idea may not be correct, BUT a variation came to mind. Use it to shave ice for a kid's flavored drink. Shaved ice would have been a novelty back then.

 

[coach]

Do you ever wonder if some of these “old” tools are just somebody’s joke?

 

[caryc]

The original ice idea may not be correct, BUT a variation came to mind. Use it to shave ice for a kid's flavored drink. Shaved ice would have been a novelty back then.

Google "antique ice shaver" there are plenty of pictures but nothing that looks like that.

 

[wolfsong]

The original ice idea may not be correct, BUT a variation came to mind. Use it to shave ice for a kid's flavored drink. Shaved ice would have been a novelty back then.

Google "antique ice shaver" there are plenty of pictures but nothing that looks like that.

And absolutely nothing comes up for freezer defrosting tools except heat guns, fans and blow driers.

 

[caryc]

The original ice idea may not be correct, BUT a variation came to mind. Use it to shave ice for a kid's flavored drink. Shaved ice would have been a novelty back then.

Google "antique ice shaver" there are plenty of pictures but nothing that looks like that.

And absolutely nothing comes up for freezer defrosting tools except heat guns, fans and blow driers.

Yep, tried that too.