What Is It? game 225

Here it is, time for our collaboration with the always amusing What Is It? Blog. Tell us what this thing is, if you know. If you don't, make a wild guess!

Place your guess in the comment section below. One guess per comment, please, though you can enter as many as you'd like. Post no URLs or weblinks, as doing so will forfeit your entry. Two winners: the first correct guess and the funniest (albeit ultimately wrong) guess will win T-shirt from the NeatoShop.

Please write your T-shirt selection alongside your guess. If you don't include a selection, you forfeit the prize, okay? May we suggest the Science T-Shirt, Funny T-Shirt and Artist-Designed T-Shirts?

For more, close-up pictures of the mystery item, check out the What Is It? Blog. Have fun and good luck!

Update: the object is indeed a jailer's key pistol. The very first comment had the correct answer, so Craig Clayton wins a t-shirt from the NeatoShop! Almost every funny answer said it was a key to something or other, and then Michael S. Gatlin ran way into left field and said, "it’s a fart machine!" That was honestly the funniest answer, but he did not include a t-shirt selection. Thanks to everyone who played along. You can find the answers to all the mystery items of the week at the What is It? blog.