What is it? Game 95

By Alex in What Is It on Apr 9, 2009 at 7:48 am

Our collaboration with the What is it? Blog brings us this strange (and gruesome-looking) object. Do you know what it is for? Does it have anything to do with vampires?

Place your guess in the comment section. Please post no URL / web link – let others play. No prize this week – you’re playing for bragging rights only.

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

Update 4/10/09 – the answer is: Long’s 1911 New Era Rope Spreader, or rope needle, it was used with a rope machine by sliding it along the length of the strands to force the formation of a tight and constant spiral, patent number 998,360. Congratulations to zander who got it right!


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  1. dprince
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:08 am

    Tent stake?

  2. LisaL
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:14 am

    Maybe part of some kind of uh… not sure what it would be called. Rope would be put in to it, it turns and the rope coils around it?

  3. zander
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:16 am

    Indeed, it is a rope needle

  4. zander
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:17 am

    To be more specific:

    Long’s 1911 New Era Rope Needle

  5. Eric Drummond Smith
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:18 am

    I think it is a bulb planter – specifically you use it to make a hole in the ground for planing bulbs like tulips and daffodils.

  6. Gauldar
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:25 am

    It’s a blessed cerimonial dagger used to kill the mythological bear man pig.

  7. TBV
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:26 am

    Gauldar, you can’t kill the half man, half bear, half pig. It will find you, and it absolutely will not stop!

  8. rwblake
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:39 am

    It is a rope making tool.

  9. giltwist
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:58 am

    Isn’t that the key from the Goonies? :P

  10. Meg
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 9:24 am

    It’s an ancient Klingon Dagger.

  11. Bo
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 9:25 am

    It’s hour hand off a clock

  12. ed3339
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 10:02 am

    It’s a “button-puller” You stick in into the button hole and slip the button into the opening…then as you pull it back out through the button hole the button, now pinched in the slide area, is fastened.

  13. Jessi
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 10:16 am

    Vampire Stake.

  14. jason d. covington
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 11:19 am

    I’m going to say it’s a fid or marlinspike as used in “marlinspike seamanship.”

    For more info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlinspike

  15. AnnaBanana
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 11:42 am

    It’s some kind of wrench thing specifically make for large nautical or factory pipes and handles and such.

  16. lallaloolly
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 11:47 am

    an ear cleaner!

  17. Gadget Sleuth
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

    Ceremonial virgin-killing dagger used in the 15th century. Am I right? What do I win?

  18. Foreigner1
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    C’mon folks, this is kindergarden-knowledge…!
    Duhhh- …Jééz incredible that nobody recognises that this is the frame of a very early Type 65C-Faserdisruptor from the early Atlantians.

  19. Joe L.
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 12:51 pm

    I’d say it’s a blade guard off an old sickle mower.

  20. SenorMysterioso
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    wow that was quick

  21. Alasdair
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 12:56 pm

    It’s obviously a stake used for slaying radio-active vampires or werewolves!

  22. Gauldar
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    @Alasdair

    No no! That requires the blade to be silver, this is clearly cold iron. I’m telling you, it’s required to exterminate that man bear pig!

  23. DOJ
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 1:51 pm

    specialty wrench

  24. NeonCat
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    Noting the trefoil at top, it is obviously a letter opener for radioactive packages.

  25. Nymori
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 3:29 pm

    A very old necklace pendant.

  26. kittyKAT
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 4:12 pm

    A heavy-duty letter opener!

  27. LisaL
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    OO Was I actually right!? Dern, too bad I didn’t know the name for it! lol

  28. Bobby the K
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    ~

    ’tis a rope needle indeed.

  29. Wray
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 8:58 pm

    fish net needle

  30. lennyb
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 9:09 pm

    i believe its called a rope wrench and it is used to separate the strands of yarn being twisted into rope then moved up the rope to allow the strands to lay up into rope.

  31. Christophe
    Apr 9th, 2009 at 10:35 pm

    Only a man whose heart is pure can wield the knife, and only a man whose ass is narrow can get down these steps. And if mine’s is such an ass, then I shall have it.
    Chandler Jarrell.


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