From The What Is It Files
By Sean O'Hara
Reader Scwetherbee has no idea what this tool might actually be. We confess it’s a mystery to us as well. It’s about ten inches long and the handle looks sort of like an old-fashioned frying pan. The business end features a pattern of teeth that are too large to be a file, but too flat to do any cutting. In short: we have no idea what it is.
My best guess is that it has something to do with horse grooming, but that’s just a wild shot in the dark. We’re hoping someone will be able to give us a positive ID because now we’re curious about what this tool might actually be for – other than back scratching. If you’ve got a guess let us know in comments.
Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 am
A fish scaler?
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
My thought - before I even read the story - was that it was an old farrier tool. Maybe something to clean the hoof bed.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 am
you could use it to put sear marks on those pork chops this weekend
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:34 am
I vote for fish scaler.
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:05 pm
This calls for an experiment at the fish market…
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Yeah, I’m with Michael; it looks like a hoof scraper, or a boot scraper.
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm
We use a hoof pick to clean out horses hoofs.
It looks like it might be a leather working tool to create a basketweave pattern in leather.
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I think Gil and Mike might have it. I never even thought of that. When I google “antique cast iron fish scaler” I get “http://home.att.net/~dfaglon/kitchen.html”, look at article #76. Vague though it is, the description fits.
Its curved shape would probably make it unsuitable for heating up and searing those chops Jeff, but I like the idea since it’s suppose to rain by me Saturday!
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Could it be a shedding brush for a dog? To pull the loose fur out?
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
golf cleat cleaner…..
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I’ve got one of those and it IS a fish scaler.
July 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
It’s a fish scaler. I inherited one when I was a boy.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:34 am
I do believe when in doubt, any of these “What is it?” tools can be fish scalers.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Fish scaler FTW. Lookee here:
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?pf_id=13.001.175&s=JapanWoodworker
“traditional Japanese design that has been in use for centuries”
July 8th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Definitely a fish scaler, and if it isn’t it will work very well as one.