Can you identify this tool??

[SomaW]

Old, addled brains is what's become of us (well, some of us....)

I would guess Danish pastry shaper....OR something in the line of homemade sausages?....could it be used to secure and cut 2 sausages in their casings? (never made sausages though).

 

[Steve Kroll]

I suspect the reason we are having difficulty identifying it is because we are thinking it's a kitchen tool, and its real purpose probably has nothing to do with a kitchen.

 

[cave76]

I suspect the reason we are having difficulty identifying it is because we are thinking it's a kitchen tool, and its real purpose probably has nothing to do with a kitchen.

Felting, leather work and other non-cooking uses have been explored. I don't know how thoroughly though. Do you have any other uses to look into?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I suspect the reason we are having difficulty identifying it is because we are thinking it's a kitchen tool, and its real purpose probably has nothing to do with a kitchen.

You know, I bet you're right. This looks like something that would be useful in something like leather-working, or maybe if with clay. I'll bet it's a very specialized tool, with one function. Maybe it's used to form tubes, or measuring a certain sized tube.

I am guessing though. Just hoping that something I said sparks a memory in someone else.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CarolPa]

No matter what it is, it seems awfully strange that no one has any idea what it is, and the only person who has even seen one is Mad Cook. Out of all the people here from different parts of the country and other countries. I have done searches through pictures of various tools, vintage tools, Scandinavian tools, tools from UK, and not just kitchen tools. It included hundreds of various tools. Others have done searches for tools or utensils for other uses, too. No one can find it anywhere. Mad Cook uses hers for mashing butter, but a search for a butter masher found nothing.

I always thought you could find ANYTHING through the internet.

 

[taxlady]

What if it's only part of a tool? For example if it's a detachable handle to the part of the tool that gets used?

 

[CharlieD]

You should go to one of those traveling antique shows. Maybe you have a treasure on your hand, worth thousands, maybe more. You'll be famous, they are going to show you on TV.

 

[cave76]

No matter what it is, it seems awfully strange that no one has any idea what it is, and the only person who has even seen one is Mad Cook.

Well, her name IS Mad Cook, after all. [Ducking and running.]

But I think that Step is the OP on this thread, so that makes two people? And did Mad Cook actually say she had a tool just like the OP has?

 

[Zagut]

It must have come from outer space and was left behind by ancient aliens.

 

[dragnlaw]

I don't think it has anything to do with cooking either.

Because of the rounded parts from bottom to sides, someone else suggested it looks like it should be a ..... arghhhh .... the thingy you use to push the window screens into the tight channel with the rubber tubing on top.

But this would be a double groove/channel. And the centre piece, although not really sharp per se, would probably cut screening.

The handle really suggest being hand held. If it was to be inserted into a hole it would probably not be tooled and smoothed like that. It was made for hands.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I Googled "cast aluminum tool with wood handle" (and many permutations of that phrase) in images. Saw nothing remotely like it.

 

[Addie]

I don't think it has anything to do with cooking either.

Because of the rounded parts from bottom to sides, someone else suggested it looks like it should be a ..... arghhhh .... the thingy you use to push the window screens into the tight channel with the rubber tubing on top.
But this would be a double groove/channel. And the centre piece, although not really sharp per se, would probably cut screening.

The handle really suggest being hand held. If it was to be inserted into a hole it would probably not be tooled and smoothed like that. It was made for hands.

Nah. You push the screen into the spline with a wheel thingy. Done that enough times.

 

[dragnlaw]

Yeah Addie, I know, I have one of those wheel things for screens that sits on the window sill next to the patio door. I use it almost every day. (darn dogs)

So I didn't really mean for screens but maybe some sort of heavier material? Vinyl, carpeting? It certainly looks like it could press against something and the smoothness suggests dragging.

 

[Step]

Just to clarify its definitely not antique
we believe she had it in the last few years.
Here's the response I got from an email I sent a few weeks ago:

Thank you for your email. My apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I've been emailing your pictures around the team to see if anyone had any ideas. Unfortunately, no one was able to identify the mystery tool! We were thinking it might be worth taking it in to antiques shops/auctions to see if there are any experts there who might have an idea?


We are very sorry we could not be of more help on this occasion and hope that you manage to get to the bottom of the mystery!


With best wishes,
Steffi


Steffi Dellner

Cookery Assistant
BBC Good Food Magazine



I think another step will be to mail to various experts, maybe it should have a cash prize!

 

[CarolPa]

Well, her name IS Mad Cook, after all. [Ducking and running.]

But I think that Step is the OP on this thread, so that makes two people? And did Mad Cook actually say she had a tool just like the OP has?

She said she had one that looked alot like it. She was having computer problems and was unable to take a picture of it at the time.

I still say since the 2 people who have one are from England, it might be something only available in England.

Where is Harry when we need him? He might know.

 

[cave76]

I've looked under BeeKeeper's Tools and Vintage Farm Tools. (I don't think our mystery tool is vintage, or at least it doesn't look like it is.) No go, so far.

 

[cave76]

Another wild guess------ if she gardened at all perhaps a tool for indenting soil between rows for the sowing of seeds?

Told you it was a wild guess! Shooting myself down---- why would the middle tine have to be sharper? And the rows would be close to each other.

Oh, well---- at least I tried.

Still fixated on why the outer two tines are dull and the middle one is sharper. Still thinking about leatherworking------ the middle tine would incise the leather while the other two would keep it in the middle between two other lines.

Or other hobby uses. Sigh.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I suspect the reason we are having difficulty identifying it is because we are thinking it's a kitchen tool, and its real purpose probably has nothing to do with a kitchen.

I agree and commented on this s few posts back.

What if it's only part of a tool? For example if it's a detachable handle to the part of the tool that gets used?

I think this is true. Looks like it might fit into something else.

I don't think it has anything to do with cooking either.

Because of the rounded parts from bottom to sides, someone else suggested it looks like it should be a ..... arghhhh .... the thingy you use to push the window screens into the tight channel with the rubber tubing on top.

But this would be a double groove/channel. And the centre piece, although not really sharp per se, would probably cut screening.

The handle really suggest being hand held. If it was to be inserted into a hole it would probably not be tooled and smoothed like that. It was made for hands.

Its not a spline tool for sure.

Nah. You push the screen into the spline with a wheel thingy. Done that enough times.

Thingy is called a "spline tool".

 

[CWS4322]

The tool used to mash sauerkraut is a called a Kraut Krusher or a stomper. It doesn't look anything like Step's tool. Who Sells Kraut Krusher - 17" Sauerkraut Stomper | KITCHEN FOR NEW HOUSE

 

[taxlady]

The tool used to mash sauerkraut is a called a Kraut Krusher or a stomper. It doesn't look anything like Step's tool. Who Sells Kraut Krusher - 17" Sauerkraut Stomper | KITCHEN FOR NEW HOUSE

I had a friend who used something that looked like that to mash potatoes.