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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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16th Sep 2019, 2:56 pm | #1 |
Octode
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Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
I picked up several of these things from a car boot sale as they look useful. The seller had no idea what they are either, and all he could say is they were from a sewing box. However, I can find nothing like them on the net for needlework knitting or crochet. They are more like surgical instruments! If anyone has any idea ...
Tony |
16th Sep 2019, 3:49 pm | #2 |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Although I've no idea what they are for, they certainly don't resemble anything used in knitting or crochet in my experience. Rope splicing? Though I might expect something chunkier.
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16th Sep 2019, 3:52 pm | #3 |
Heptode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
I think they are dental tools!
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16th Sep 2019, 4:03 pm | #4 |
Nonode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Leather modelling?
Alan |
16th Sep 2019, 4:14 pm | #5 |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
They are too big to be dental tools (maybe Nickthedentist will disagree though). They might be something to do with lacemaking, rugmaking or tapestry embroidery. If they were were part of a sewing box then they are almost certainly related to textiles.
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16th Sep 2019, 4:55 pm | #6 | |
Heptode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Quote:
Dave, Usradcoll1. |
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16th Sep 2019, 5:07 pm | #7 |
Octode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
The first item has an ornamented handle, so I doubt it would be a dental or other utilitarian tool. Nut pick sounds possible. The second item is so similar it suggests a similar use? And looking at Etsy, there are several identical ones - that seems conclusive!
Thanks for your ideas folks. Last edited by greenstar; 16th Sep 2019 at 5:27 pm. |
16th Sep 2019, 5:11 pm | #8 |
Nonode
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Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
I'm fairly sure these would originally have been used by a saddler or other leather goods maker for embossing patterns in leather. The technique involves wetting the leather, embossing the desgn and allowing the leather to dry/harden. Judging by the nicely worked handles they probably date from the 19th century. Not too surprising that they would end up in some kind of sewing/craft box. Nice things to own and a good car boot find.
Alan |
16th Sep 2019, 5:15 pm | #9 |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Google vintage nut crab picks.
Lawrence. |
16th Sep 2019, 5:40 pm | #10 |
Nonode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
The item in the first photos certainly looks like a nut/sea-food picker but I don't think the other two come from the stable so to speak. Are there other items in the haul?
Alan |
16th Sep 2019, 5:47 pm | #11 |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
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16th Sep 2019, 5:52 pm | #12 |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
They could just be a random selection of 'pointy things' that someone has acquired over the years and put in a sewing box for want of anywhere else to put them. It's the kind of thing that I might do. Some of them are quite attractive.
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16th Sep 2019, 5:53 pm | #13 |
Octode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
I would have said manicure implements on first glance but nut picks makes sense.
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16th Sep 2019, 6:04 pm | #14 |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Mods permitting....For end shape comparison/ID only:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-n...-/292940471918 Lawrence. |
16th Sep 2019, 7:12 pm | #15 |
Octode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Lawrence is right, and I have seen those pointy ends on nut crackers before and not twigged. I googled 'nut picks' and found several identical tools, so others definitely think they are for this as Dave first suggested (6). Also I think there being several (I didn't say, but I have four in a box that held six) suggests a communal activity and nut picking makes sense .... this activity seems to have fallen by the wayside! Christmas family meals when the nuts are brought out!
Nothing else in that haul, although I did find a lovely hand drill brace on the same day, probably Victorian or earlier. The crab picks look rather different. |
16th Sep 2019, 7:27 pm | #16 |
Dekatron
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
My Dad used to crack the Xmas nuts open with his teeth, including those really hard Almond ones, he used to take the top of his bottle of Guinness and Mums bottle of Babycham with his teeth as well....
Lawrence. |
16th Sep 2019, 9:16 pm | #17 |
Hexode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
They could well be chiropodists implements,I use to sterilise modern day versions,the two items usually now combined.Les
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16th Sep 2019, 11:41 pm | #18 |
Nonode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
I've got 2 or 3 of them somewhere. They were in my old Mums knitting box amongst the needles, dont know if they were used in that craft though?
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16th Sep 2019, 11:57 pm | #19 |
Nonode
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Handy when you've got to deal with some crabs er, sorry
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17th Sep 2019, 12:02 am | #20 | |
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Re: Unidentified tools - needle - craft work- surgery???
Quote:
https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/5...rs-nut-cracker https://www.adobegallery.com/artist/...turing-company
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