What Is It? Game 58

Posted by Alex in What Is It on April 17, 2008 at 5:30 am


Hooray! It’s time for this week’s collaboration with What is it? blog: can you guess what this pistol is for?

Place your guess in the comment section – you’re playing for fun and fame this week. No t-shirt prize. More clues (size, date, and close-up photos) at the What is it? blog.

Update 4/18/08 – the answer is:


A gunpowder tester, photographed at the Frasier International History Museum.

Because gunpowder varied in explosive power, gunsmiths needed devices to test particular batches. By the 1500’s, elaborate powder testers were available. This one resembles contemporary military pistols and may have belonged to a military gunsmith. Pulling the trigger ignited a measured amount of powder in the tube atop the tester, turning and locking a spring-loaded, numbered wheel. The number at which the wheel stopped indicated the powder’s strength. The development of self-contained cartridges during the 1800’s made powder testers obsolete.

Congratulations to RevRagnarok who got it right!


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37 comments to "What Is It? Game 58"

  1. Matt
    April 17th, 2008 at 5:40 am

    Anti-zombie flintlock!

  2. oezicomix
    April 17th, 2008 at 5:41 am

    long-distance fire-powered can-opener?

  3. RevRagnarok
    April 17th, 2008 at 5:51 am

    This one's easy... it is a device to measure the strength of gunpowder mixes. The number of clicks it springs forward tells you how big the explosion was.

    Matt's suggestion ain't bad. ;)

  4. Craig Clayton
    April 17th, 2008 at 5:59 am

    I believe it is a timing mechanism to fire a flint lock. You set the wheel where you want and every time something actuated the trigger it counts one notch, when it reachs the firing spot it fires.

  5. Mark
    April 17th, 2008 at 6:11 am

    It is a flintlock fire starter-for catching tinder/char cloth on fire.

  6. SenorMysterioso
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:10 am

    steampunk phaser der

  7. Lady Random
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:12 am

    steampunk hand saw

  8. sacha
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:28 am

    humm black powder tester?
    the answer is on the other guy's web site... honhon!

  9. clinton robert labombard
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:32 am

    Pizza cutting at ten paces.

  10. Miss Cellania
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:58 am

    That would be a pistol to torture someone with.

  11. Mel Phistopheles
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:58 am

    Why it's a clockpunk Speed Racer knife-gun buzzsaw combination. What else could it be? He used it in his big fight vs. Snake Oiler. (Best Bad-Guy Name Ever)

  12. kilkenny
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:23 am

    this is a good way to cut your finger or blow your hand off...

  13. Randall
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:42 am

    Its a Winkletaker bung cutter. George McCroon Winkletaker, a frustrated gunsmith, tried to incorporate the power of gunpowder into other aspects of colonial life. His eccentric career was ended when he was attempting to demonstrate the cannon-powered carriage.

  14. mark
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:54 am

    shaving

  15. Lemons
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:55 am

    As the metalwork on top indicates, it's for shooting annoying cyclists.

  16. Phil
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:28 am

    It's a precursor to the pneumatic hammer, powered by gunpowder instead of compressed air. The teeth on the locking wheel are there to prevent the hammer "head" from bouncing back and injuring the user.

  17. Relundford
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am

    This is a rare 1878 Back Acne Shredder.

  18. Stolen Name
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:51 am

    A Kangaroo?

  19. vladicus
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:57 am

    definitely a bong

  20. Le Gourmand
    April 17th, 2008 at 10:00 am

    RevRagnarok is right. The museum where I work as got one...

  21. graffiksguru
    April 17th, 2008 at 10:08 am

    I'm going with Steampunked Pizza Cutter

  22. OddNumber
    April 17th, 2008 at 10:23 am

    Looks like the colonial version of a weapon used in Gears of War.

  23. Thomas
    April 17th, 2008 at 10:32 am

    18t century, steam age recreation of "inquisition-punk" flintlock -- an attempt to return to the days that never were by some Victorian blogger.

  24. Adragontattoo
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:05 am

    The most fear inspiring flintlock ever?

  25. kickinnc
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:40 am

    I think it's an Eprouvette, but I'm not sure!

    Cheers!
    --CJ

  26. billybudz
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:52 am

    medieval pizza cutter

  27. Thespian24601
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

    Damn, the one I know has already been answered. Ragnorak is correct; my friend owns one. They collect weapons, and this is one of the legal ones they own.

  28. Tom
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    It's a musket that fires chainsaws.

    It was the most deadly weapon of it's era.

  29. Alasdair
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    Easy. For those of you who are trying to shoot someone, but they get a hand on your gun and move the barrel away from themselves, just pull the second trigger and voila! Hand-be-gone!

  30. Kyle Hayes
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:26 pm

    Clearly, it is a primitive rubber-band gun.

  31. Scooter
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    yup the Rev is right... i've seen these before.

  32. CheeseDuck
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pm

    As Matt said, it is DEFINITELY an anti-zombie flintlock.

  33. avraamov
    April 17th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

    RevRagnarok is spot on. there's a name for these things which i can't quite remember. i found a whole book on them once...

  34. Lea
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    The coolest pizza cutter ever.

  35. Chris
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:23 pm

    It's a mechanical slingshot

  36. Sammy
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:54 pm

    A miniture chain saw!
    Most likly used by very small serial murderers

  37. DoorFrame
    April 19th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    It's a combination Spur/Pistol.


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