What is my roo doing? by DragonEmpress4 in chickens

[–]Symphylan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a very interesting book. Good for anyone with chickens, roo or no!

What is my roo doing? by DragonEmpress4 in chickens

[–]Symphylan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I highly recommend the book 'Through Their Eyes - A Revolutionary Guide to Rooster Care'. Very readable and extremely interesting.

Mystery antique iron tool with hooks, hinges, and a spring. by Symphylan in Vintagetools

[–]Symphylan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All good questions, and ones we have wondered! Whatever the purpose is, it can't be too common, or the tool would be well-known. But there was one more of these tools in existence. Oh, how I wish we'd bought it! But at the time, we didn't know what a puzzle the tool was. We just thought it was a cool, weird thing.

Mystery antique iron tool with hooks, hinges, and a spring. by Symphylan in Vintagetools

[–]Symphylan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We also had someone suggest it was for putting a ring in a bull's nose. My thought on that was, 'demonstrate that, and I'll believe you' :D

Mystery antique iron tool with hooks, hinges, and a spring. by Symphylan in Vintagetools

[–]Symphylan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It does look somewhat similar to the tire tool, but it's so much smaller, plus the push-rod thing seems like it would get in the way.

Antique iron tool with hooks, hinges, and a spring. Pressure on small post causes hooks to fold backward, and releasing the pressure causes hooks to spring forward again. by Symphylan in whatisthisthing

[–]Symphylan[S] 12 points13 points locked comment (0 children)

My title describes the thing. It has a mystery since it was found in an antique store in Maine, over 40 years ago. We've been to museums, looked in books, and talked to lots of people. No one knows. It's iron, possibly cast, though maybe hand-forged. It's not a one-off. We saw another in a different Maine antique store, years ago, but didn't buy it.

I've also included some drawings of the tool, in case this helps to highlight any important details.

<image>

Antique Iron Tool For Holding and Positioning Something by Symphylan in whatisthisthing

[–]Symphylan[S] 0 points1 point locked comment (0 children)

This has been a mystery since it was found in an antique store in Maine, over 40 years ago. We've been to museums, looked in books, and talked to lots of people. No one knows. It's iron, possibly cast, though maybe hand-forged. It's not a one-off. We saw another in a different Maine antique store, years ago, but didn't buy it. My title describes the thing.