What is it? Game 81

By Alex in What Is It on Nov 13, 2008 at 1:25 pm

Hooray! It’s time for our weekly collaboration with the What is it? blog. Today’s mystery object is shown to the left. Can you guess what it is for?

Place your guess in the comment section. No prize this week, so you’re playing for bragging rights only.

For more clues and larger pic, check out the What is it? blog. Good luck!

Update 11/14/08 – the answer is:

A raising fork for telegraph poles, this lineman’s tool was used to support one end of a pole during up-ending. Although it does resemble a Japanese Sasumata, which is used by firefighters and police, patent number 781,973 shows a similar fork that was invented in 1904. The bottom of this page has a photo of larger versions of this tool in use.

Lots of very good guesses, guys!


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  1. cheechman85
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    Is it a fire poker? AKA stoker?

  2. Rocky Rook
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    I’m never good at these. I’ll say a pitchfork for olives.

  3. Terry
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:41 pm

    Something to pick up or move logs…or something similar to logs

  4. hobbes3
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:46 pm

    It’s a broken trident.

  5. SenorMysterioso
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:52 pm

    looks like a fish-spear

  6. Japesy
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    Something to move logs/branches in a lumber mill context?

  7. noahstrickland
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    it is a hide hook for hanging skins at a tannery….obviously.

  8. rebelderojo
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    clearly it is a tool for bothering cute babies and small animals

  9. Gauldar
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    It’s for feeding goats, so they don’t accidently eat the metal part too.

  10. Tim Hilf-Barr
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:12 pm

    It is used in logging…and as a marital aid.

  11. Markos
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

    hmmm, it looks like a musket holder.

  12. Randalll
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:25 pm

    This is Norwegian shepards Husker Gudak, or calling fork. Norway is a rugged land and normal dogs cannot cope with running up and down hills to gather sheep. A specail breed, the Norwegian Furduu, was bred and had one set of legs shorter than the other to cope with the steep hills. Its ears also wear offset, one being stronger than the other, so when called, they tended to run in circles. However, it was found that they could not hear some tones on both ears and when they were called using this fork, struck with the traditional elk horn hammer, they would gather the sheep straight away. Incidently, its carried on a twenty-five foot staff which caused many deaths when Norway hung their first power lines.

  13. anon
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    @Markos – You mean like a mount for an arquebus?

    I’d lean toward log roller myself. Some assumptions are made as to its size based on the photo. It doesn’t seem to be much wider than 8 inches. Seems about right for a glorified fire poker.

  14. DOJ
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    It’s a old law enforcement tool for pinning prisoners necks to a wall/the ground. The middle spike discouraged struggling.

  15. streetattack
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    King Trident’s sons trident?

  16. Jimbo
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:41 pm

    It is use for rolling logs around in a fire pit, oven, or fireplace.

  17. Captison
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    Duh, it’s obviously a noodle stretcher/twirler used in the creation of noodles! Italian, not Chinese.

  18. Johnny Cat
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    Yeah, Jimbo, that’s what I’d use it for. Or maybe a backscratcher.

  19. sandal
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    Why did you always put torturing tools here?

  20. Corinne
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    Vintage metal Salvador Dali mustache on a stick.

  21. Mudfoot
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    It’s a tool for moving logs around in a fireplace or bonfire.

  22. Kent
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    Is it a prostate checker? Well, that’s what the doctor told me it was….

  23. dgaicun
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    It’s a sasumata, a Japanese police pole.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasumata

  24. Craig
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 4:13 pm

    I’m not sure what is was designed for, but I bet you could torture someone with it.

  25. ZenBlue
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 4:15 pm

    It’s probably related to the sai (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sai_(weapon)).

    Hand tool for moving wheat and/or hay.

  26. cheechman85
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    I don’t know if I can guess twice… but since there is no prize and nobody has suggested it; Is this a tool used to take off your boots?

  27. MENLOHEAVYWEIGHT
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 4:53 pm

    it is a power line pole designed to allow line workers to move a powerline without getting electrocuted, note the wood handle.

  28. Spewingllama
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm

    Is it an old-fashioned cattle prod?

  29. Tyler
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 5:01 pm

    It’s used for moving logs around in a log flume (on water).

  30. belled27
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    It’s a medieval torture device. Used to “catch” witches or criminals.

  31. felix
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 5:05 pm

    Yes its a torturing device, but specifically used on those suspected of witchcraft… don’t want to touch those pesky witches.

  32. jason
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 6:04 pm

    it’s used to pry horseshoes off a horses hoof

  33. Allison
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

    jason, I would hope you don’t pull of the hoof, just the shoe!!

    Ouch…

  34. Shanathalas
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 6:35 pm

    It’s a peavey. It was used by log-drivers to manipulate logs floating down the river.

  35. avraamov
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 7:56 pm

    it’s a chocolate swiss army candleabre. on a stick.

  36. strtomas
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 9:45 pm

    its a medieval tool used for roasting marshmellows over fires :)

  37. grimes
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    it is a device for rotating/turning hay or wheat

  38. mark P
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    Possible a “show stick”, which I just read of in the late David Foster Wallace’s books of essay’s? Used to prod cattle, swine, horses on show at (in this case) state fairs.

  39. mark P
    Nov 13th, 2008 at 11:50 pm

    ok, I take it back, I am leaning towards the log roller/lumber mill context….tho it seems kinda small.

  40. Ali S.
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 12:40 am

    It’s most definitely a log tool. It’s used to push and hook logs into place.

  41. Neil
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 8:26 am

    It is a frog gigger.

  42. missfidget
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 10:12 am

    It’s a whaling tool. Along with a flensing knife it’s part of a dead whale carving set.

  43. lynne
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am

    I think its a tedder for haymaking.

  44. Xinavera
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am

    Definitely a fish spear.

  45. ZenBlue
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 4:56 pm

    Anyone wonder why there are a lot of “medieval torture devices” posted to the “what is it game”?

    Or why so many readers guess “medieval torture device”?

    It’s for moving sheaves of wheat and/or hay.

  46. ciaochowbella
    Nov 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    It is a neck pinning device used on slaves and prisoners.

    One wonders how often slaves/prisoners were pinned to the ground that a special tool was created just for the job.

  47. Pete
    Nov 20th, 2008 at 11:59 am

    Log pick. Primarly used to cull logs floating in a flume or on a conveyer.


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