Comments on: What Is It? Game 59

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:24:35 +0000

Ah, it was too easy for you guys! It’s a scarificator for bloodletting. PCim got it right, on the first comment too!

By: NOTICE

NOTICE — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:25:40 +0000

someone please tell the guy that runs his site that the navigation makes NO SENSE and it’s nearly impossible to figure out what I’m looking at.

and NOBODY likes to wait a week to find out what they’re looking at.

By: bibli0phile

bibli0phile — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:19:51 +0000

The technical term for this thingamabob is a “scarificator.” As others have said, it’s used for bloodletting. The hammer cocks back, pulling the blades inside. When the hammer is released, the blades pop out, slicing into the skin.

There are various versions of this type of “box” scarificator. I’ve seen ones with up to 16 blades.The box shape seems most common, judging on the number I’ve seen, but they can get pretty fancy.

Check out this page to see more:
http://www.phisick.com/zphleb.htm

By: Cori

Cori — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:34:16 +0000

Definitely a steampunk AC adapter.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:49:59 +0000

It’s a paperweight/nosepicker!

By: Nemo

Nemo — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:09:03 +0000

Supersonic automatic fluorescent discombobulating frangistic super mach-forsceptic needle exploding potato masher!

By: the man

the man — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:50:43 +0000

It is a blood letting device. Alistair Cookes’ Ameica series has footage of him showing the use of one of these.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:41:02 +0000

I agree Jonathan–looks like a bobbin to me.

By: Beckster

Beckster — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:00:28 +0000

What about an automatic ink stamp? You place the thing over where you want to stamp, pull the trigger, the form which was touching the ink pad is pulled away and then the form touches the page.

By: Skipweasel

Skipweasel — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:54:43 +0000

I’m fairly sure it’s a fleam - that’s what us Brits call a blood letting machine. I once worked for a vet who had one.

That’s an animal doctor, not a retired soldier!

By: Chuss

Chuss — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:56:06 +0000

I think it is a door hold then release catch. You slide the door catch across, hook it, pull the lever to lock it, and to open it, you step on the top “button”

We have an old one from an old fire station, and it looks a bit like that

By: JMT

JMT — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:55:09 +0000

Steampunk Atari controller.

By: jack.wh

jack.wh — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:28:28 +0000

It automatically stuffs badgers.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:18:04 +0000

I believe it’s a bobbin from a sewing machine

By: Wincey

Wincey — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:17:00 +0000

I think cardo is right — think it’s a door latch.

By: amanderpanderer

amanderpanderer — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:16:12 +0000

lancelet for bloodletting.

By: Luci

Luci — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:40:31 +0000

Yikes. Definitely a blood-letter. Gross.

By: John S.

John S. — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:33:11 +0000

Could it be a cable slicer?

By: fisherdah

fisherdah — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:24:26 +0000

bloodletting device, for positive. it is spring loaded and has about 5 thin blades. it would have been places on the wrist, the lever engaged and the trigger pulled. then the blood used for fun and profit!

By: Craig Clayton

Craig Clayton — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:25:15 +0000

I believe it is a marking tool for security banding straps that use a lead seal to imprint the combination of date or location. From railroad or treasury services.

By: cardo

cardo — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:10:13 +0000

Door Latch

By: seesbeauty

seesbeauty — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:50:11 +0000

Some sort of counter - for a conductor, or a ticket-taker?

By: anon

anon — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:48:58 +0000

Looks like a fishing reel to me…

By: Des Creedon

Des Creedon — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:40:31 +0000

It’s a cigarette lighter or a lighter/igniter of some sort.
And i don’t care what ye guys say it is.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:36:55 +0000

I was gonna say bloodletting device too, but since that’s taken…

It’s a cigar/bris machine.

By: Dr. Bardou

Dr. Bardou — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:22:45 +0000

This is old model IRON, which is near 20th century’s beginning.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:16:41 +0000

You guys are all wrong, it is clearly a doorbell!

By: tlj

tlj — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:00:59 +0000

A Scarificator.

By: Sgt_Bilko

Sgt_Bilko — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:27:38 +0000

I think its an early mechanical date/address stamp.

Lift it off the integral inkpad/lid/base by the round handle, put it in place on your document, then pull the lever to press the pad down and leave your mark.

the second round handle must be the lock to stop accidental stamping, or to allow for change of the stamp pad.

By: Edgekay

Edgekay — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:27:21 +0000

Definitely a Bloodletting device. Game over