What Are These Things For (20 pics)
Found this metal stick at an estate sale with some dishes. Don’t know anything about it.
A: It's a Turkish ornate tea stirrer. The 'bowl' of the spoon is very shallow and small, and is used to measure the finely ground coffee and sugar into the ibrik pot.
Drifting off the coast of Cayman 12ftx15ft, perhaps a piece of an Arianespace rocket?
A: Looks like part of the Soyuz Launcher.
Found in old Shed, is it what it looks like? Inside is empty..
A: Looks like a mortar round. Maybe not an active one since it's all shiny. This appears to be a 120 mm mortar shell, possibly of German origin.
Gold ring possibly antique signet ring.
A: It's a gold nugget ring, which were very popular in the '80s.
Found this near a train track. Is it part of the rail?
A: It's a piece of a bandsaw used for welding new blades together.
Looks like a compass with some glasses attached, any idea why?
A: I had a plastic version of this decades ago as a kid, called an "Optic Wonder". It appears they're still made.
Found when clearing out an old workshop. Seems to have a + shaped groove at the bottom of the silver bit and it’s spring loaded.
A: Cable lug crimping tool. Used for car battery cables, welding cables and other heavy duty wires that need ends crimped on.
Jar lid with weird plastic seal and a hole to put that handle through. Is this a manual blender? What kind of use is this supposed to have?
A: Stirrer for natural peanut butter.
A friend found this on a dog walk. Is it some kind of squirrel underpass? It was underneath a motorway (UK). Would be fascinating to know more!
A: Vole run.
Interesting tool I found today. Any idea what it is?
A: It's a Double Prism Optical Square for surveying.
Some sort of counter? It's very lightweight, made of metal most likely tin. It's hollow and the pointer can be clicked around to each number
A: Fancy antique golf stroke counter.
Witt? Has been in the men's bathroom for 5 years of a school. Looks like there is a water hose that goes with it.
A: Tower Garden. It’s a hydroponics unit.
Can someone tell me why a tile "Royal Palm 1931" is framed? I bought it at a thrift store, thought it was cute but I always wondered.
A: I am guessing it is from the Royal Palm hotel, which was demo'ed in 1931.
Measures 8" and I know it was made at T.I. Texas Instruments. WITT? Main photo is without flash, look at rest of them to see all the colors in it w/ flash.
A: It's a silicon wafer with a bunch of microchips etched in to it that hasn't been cut in to individual chips yet. Probably for demonstration at a trade show or something.
What is this? Was clearing out boxes while moving into a new place. Text reads “Ash & Tom, Makers, Bull H Birmingham”.
A: Antique maritime compass.
A co-worker got this from an estate sale. We haven't been able to find anything about it.
A: It is a tool for cutting wire or marking pipes length wise.
What is this Circular Object on the Gravestone?
A: Its is a flower vase which is stored in the headstone so they can mow the grass.
Old wooden hinged device, tags on it that suggest its for boots. Can’t figure it out.
A: The “price tag” from whatever antique store this was bought from shows something along the lines of “boot jack circa 1870” but it’s yet to be proven how this thing works.
Found today on an abandoned country estate in the UK. Any ideas what this building would've been used for?
A: It's a dove cot for keeping your food fresh... as in alive.
Found in an old garage. The nails are about 4 inches long and the box fits over the top.
A: It is a hetchel/hatchel for combing flax (to make linen).
