Friday, September 29, 2006

Mystery Tools

I recently received a box of craft stuff that L was clearing out of her Aunt's place. In it was these two bizarre tools (click for biggy view... get biggest view by then clicking "all sizes"):

Mystery tool(s) #1:
Mystery Tool(s) #1
Mystery tool(s) #1 are around six inches long (I forgot to measure them this morning), and appear to come as a pair. (They were attached together with a decaying elastic or two.) Each of the two appear to be identical and double-ended, but with the two ends different from each other.

Mystery tool #2:
Mystery Tool #2
Mystery tool #2 is closer to a foot long, and has an "x" cross-section its whole length.

One of them actually came with instructions, so I know what it is. The other, I haven't a clue, and am really curious. No, I'm not going to say which is which. Not yet, at least.

I think this calls for a contest, but give me a chance to look through my stash to see what I can offer for prizes. (I had to run for the bus this morning as it was... no time to go stash-diving!) Assuming I can find prizes (I'm pretty sure I can), here's what the contest will be: tell me what you think the mystery tools are or what they're used for. Hopefully I'll find sufficient prizes so that I can offer one each in each of these categories for both tools:
(A) correct (or most plausable) answer, and
(B) funniest answer.
Feel free to submit an entry for each category. Submit entries either in the comments or by using the "e-mail comment" link on the post page. If there are multiple correct answers, I'll draw a name from a hat.

The contest is open until... um... I'll decide that when I locate prizes. (I'll update this post.) More details later...

13 comments:

Lucy said...

My guess is that the yellow tools are "nose pickers" You can pick or scratch with the pointed end and scoop what's there with the scoopy end. That way you don't get anything messy on your knitting/crocheting...hence the reason they were in the craft stash. Did I win???

Lucy said...

Oh, wait...Mystery Tool #2 is a hook holder.....if you need to put your hook down to pick your nose with the nose picker tool, it won't roll off the table.....you sure I didn't win?

Deneen said...

The first set are a looks like a set of clay tools and the second thing looks like a bead roller for clay also.

MrsFife said...

Dang. I have never ever in my life seen anything remotely like those things. Oh, except that X-shaped thing looks like it would be used in construction, and the pair of things look like cuticle pushers.
I need to expand my craft exposure. :(
I'll come back another time to try and be funny...
*Someone* (curse them!) will know exactly what they are and will also be able to tell you where, when and by whom they were handmade...

Anonymous said...

Huh. Nose picker or some other kind of picker.

Sallie said...

The first mystery tools are sculpting tools for clay. I'm at a loss for the second one, but I'm sure I've seen a tool like it before. I just can't remember what it's for.

Valerie said...

The first set looks like ceramic tools used for shaping, and scraping away bits. The smooth rounded ends on those are great for burnishing. The second thing looks like the four sided rulers you use to change things to different scales and the one foot length would be appropriate for that except that I don't see any markings. I'm picturing it as being about one inch across so maybe you could use it to do something like scrape out the middle of a tube or something?

My alternate answers would be:
1.Native ear piercing kit: use the curved end for cleaning the ear and the sharp end for piercing. Holes can be stretched to larger sizes using the center areas
2.Used for aligning and chopping tootsie rolls to exactly the right width and length this tool has been a favorite of those wishing to make tootsie rolls at home for years!

sheep#100 said...

Serious answers:
Mystery tools #1 are for pottery - you use them for shaping the thrown pot on the wheel.

Mystery tool #2 is a divider thingy .

Alternate dimension answers:
Mystery tools #1 are ancient Hittite drum sticks. They were used in religious ceremonies and the ends are different because the rounded ones were to be used during the daytime ceremonies and the pointier ends were to be used during the nighttime ceremonies.

Mystery tool #2 is actually a picnic table base for miniature garden gnomes. You see, they all like to sit at the same table (that's why it is so long). They just find a long strip of wood (like a paint stirrer) and plop it down. The table is low enough that they can all sit on the ground, which makes them happy.

Anonymous said...

The first one looks like the spatulas that my daughter got with her easy bake oven. Since everyone else guessed they are for claywork, I will guess they are for candle shaping work. I have never shaped candles, but it looks like it would work.

The second one looks like it would be good for dough cutting. I don't know.

Deneen said...

Okay, my funny answers are the first two items are for cleaning toe jam out from between your toes.

The second item is used for scratching your feet bottoms-place it on the floor and roll it with your feet.

I am trying to stay with the foot theme here.

Dandy said...

the first ones look like a sculpting tool.. probally for sculpting all the boogers that lucy picked...lol and the second one looks like something I had when I was small... it was for a cardboard doll house, and you slide the walls onto the "X" piece.

Anonymous said...

i think trek/valerie were right about the top set being pottery tools. i bought my sil a set of pottery tools for her bday this year and there were similar pieces in it (I don't remember them from my days behind a wheel though).

the second thing looks like an architect's scale ruler to me and I can't shake that (despite the fact that it's an X-shape and has no numbers on it)! I can't figure out another thing it could be. Me = lame. :)

Anonymous said...

Amazing the things you find when blog searching LOL
I know I'm most likely not right on either one...but anyway
Mystery tool #1 appears to be a denatl tool, used for scraping and cleaning below the gum lines.
Mystery tool # 2 appears to be some sort of a joiner, like for 3-D puzzles or cardboard construction.
If neither is right.......
I say they are both dust catchers. That covers everything unidentifiable in my house. :-)