Gristmill What’s It

Gristmill What’s It 2024 From 2024 Issues What’s Its From the September 2024 Issue 196-1  These are both tennis racquet stringing tools.196-2  This is a Newhouse zipper repair tool, it can perform eight different repair operations.  For anyone who has this device but...

Gristmill What’s It 2023From 2023 Issues What’s Its From the December  2023 Issue  193-1  This tool is a ring inserter for use with an Alfa Laval milking machine teat cup.It is part of this set of teat cup liner assembly tools. The fourth piece of this set was a...

Gristmill What’s It 2022 From 2022 Issues What’s Its From the December 2022 Issue 189-1  A tool for threading wood screws, and a hole threader 189-2  A dentist’s finger guard so he does not get bitten. 189-3  A hog scraper from Europe with a hook for removing the...

Gristmill What’s It 2021From 2021 Issues What’s Its From the December 2021 Issue 183-1 A frame for supporting dead ducks as decoys, patent number 230,600 https://patents.google.com/patent/US230600A similar patent for holding a dead duck in a flying position can be...

Gristmill What’s It 2020 From 2020 Issues What’s Its From the December 2020 Issue 181-1 This tool is a wire twister for making picket fences. The second photo shows a small recessed wheel, the other side of the tool is symmetrical to the one shown.  The two wheels...

Gristmill What’s It 2019 From 2019 Issues What’s Its From the December 2019 Issue 177-1  This is part of a woodworker’s Roubo workbench vise. 177-2 A microtome, used for cutting very thin sections of material for viewing under a microscope.177-3 This tool appears to...

Gristmill What’s It 2018 From 2018 Issues What’s Its From the December 2018 Issue 173-1 A Disston Saw Set Raker Gauge 173-2 A Corn husk shredder, the shredded husks were then used to fill mattresses173-3 No answer yet173-4 Possibly an old lock picking setWhat’s Its...

Gristmill What’s It 2017 From 2017 Issues The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2017 169-1 This is a carpet stretcher, patent number 28,858: 169-2 This is a Can Soldering Machine, it’s for holding a can while soldering on one of the end pieces, patent...

Gristmill What’s It 2016 From 2016 Issues   The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2016 165-1   8″ long, text on it reads  “CS-2 Universal, Voss Mfg & Dist Co, Downs Kans”, no answer yet for this tool: 165-2  This tool is one of a two part wire fence...

Gristmill What’s It 2015 From 2015 Issues   The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2015161-1  3-1/4″ long: 161-2   A Tectool Two-Cutter Plough Plane161-3 This is a mold for making glass lenses.161-4  This tool is a shoe maker’s burnisher.The Gristmill What’s...

Gristmill What’s It 2014The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2014 157-1This is a drag shoe or ruggle. It’s a type of brake to prevent a heavily loaded wagon from overpowering the horses on a steep downhill grade, when attached to a wheel it makes the wagon...

Gristmill What’s It 2013From 2013 Issues The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2013 153-1. 8-1/2″ tall, the owner’s description of it: “there are 2 holes containing metal rods running from top to bottom. This was in a tool trunk of my father-in-law’s machine...

Gristmill What’s It 2012 From 2012 Issues The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2012 149-1 149-2. This is a wine bottle cleaner149-3. A watchmaker’s tool:149-4. From the 2005 Decatur meeting:The Gristmill What’s It Column for September 2012148-1148-2  5″...

Gristmill What’s It Pre 2011 From Earlier Issues & Others The Gristmill What’s It Column for December 2011 145-1 6” long, from the Wisconsin What’s It presentation:  Text on the handle says “Lutz File and Tool Co. Cinti, O” but that probably refers to the handle...