I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
except to say I don't think it is for pasta.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

Mark Thorozine wrote:
>
>I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
>http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

No doubt about it, that's what was used to birth you.

On 11/20/2013 7:07 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>


I'd guess they're "grippers" to hold oyster shells whilst shucking them
to help prevent major damage to one's hand(s). Otherwise, I have no
clue at all.

Sky

--

Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice!!

On 2013-11-21 01:07:22 +0000, Mark Thorson said:

> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

You prejudiced me: It looks like a pasta grabulator.

On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:07:22 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
>http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

I have a tool exactly like that and it is made of plastic. It's for
the salad bowl for grabbing salad. I don't think that's what you item
is though.
Janet US

On 2013-11-21 05:22:19 +0000, Janet Bostwick said:

> On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:07:22 -0800, Mark Thorson >
> wrote:
>
>> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>>
>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>
> I have a tool exactly like that and it is made of plastic. It's for
> the salad bowl for grabbing salad. I don't think that's what you item
> is though.

Yeah, it would be to mean for pizza or pasta for that matter.

On 2013-11-21, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.

I haven't a clue what it is, but my winkie jes shriveled two sizes
smaller than normal. 8|

nb

Mark Thorson wrote:

> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

Sturdy as they seem, I think they probably weren't intended for kitchen use.
--
"Un pasto senza vino e' come un giorno senza sole"
Anthelme Brillat Savarin

On Wednesday, November 20, 2013 8:07:22 PM UTC-5, Mark Thorson wrote:
> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

It's a slow castration tool from years gone by from a torturer's kit.

On 11/20/13 10:16 PM, gtr wrote:
> On 2013-11-21 01:07:22 +0000, Mark Thorson said:
>
>> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>>
>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>
> You prejudiced me: It looks like a pasta grabulator.

Or salad.

--Larry

pltrgyst > wrote in :

>>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>>
>> You prejudiced me: It looks like a pasta grabulator.
>
> Or salad.

It says Patent Applied For (PAT APL FOR). You should be able to
look it up.

--

Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected
from happening.

-- Barbara Tober

On 11/21/13 6:09 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:

> It says Patent Applied For (PAT APL FOR). You should be able to
> look it up.

Older patent applications are not available by law, unless the patent
was successfully issued.

-- Larry

Sky wrote:
>
> I'd guess they're "grippers" to hold oyster shells whilst shucking them
> to help prevent major damage to one's hand(s). Otherwise, I have no
> clue at all.

I think you'd use a thick leather glove for that.

But that's close to my best guesses. I thought
it might be for picking cherrystone clams or
similar bivalves from a tank, but the business
end of the tool is a bit small for that. The
overall length is only 9 1/2 inches, so the
petalled jaws are only 3 or 4 inches across.
Any tool for that purpose should be for picking
more than a couple clams at a time.

Another thought is it is for gathering wild
mussels from rocks at the seashore. The heavy
build of the tool and the points on the business
end suggest wrestling something off of something
else. But the holes in the jaws are about the
right size to get plugged up by small mussels,
so they militate against that purpose.

On Thu, 21 Nov 2013 18:54:00 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

> Sky wrote:
> >
> > I'd guess they're "grippers" to hold oyster shells whilst shucking them
> > to help prevent major damage to one's hand(s). Otherwise, I have no
> > clue at all.
>
> I think you'd use a thick leather glove for that.
>
> But that's close to my best guesses. I thought
> it might be for picking cherrystone clams or
> similar bivalves from a tank, but the business
> end of the tool is a bit small for that. The
> overall length is only 9 1/2 inches, so the
> petalled jaws are only 3 or 4 inches across.
> Any tool for that purpose should be for picking
> more than a couple clams at a time.

I have no clue, but it's probably used to grab olives. If the
dimensions were stated, I didn't see them.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 11/21/2013 9:53 PM, pltrgyst wrote:
> On 11/21/13 6:09 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:
>
>> It says Patent Applied For (PAT APL FOR). You should be able to
>> look it up.
>
> Older patent applications are not available by law, unless the patent
> was successfully issued.
>
> -- Larry
>
I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
patent applications from around 1880 into a national database. This
particular tool/gadget obviously didn't take off to the point of
immediate recognition today.

Jill

On Wednesday, November 20, 2013 5:07:22 PM UTC-8, Mark Thorson wrote:

> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
>
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

It's not a precision tool, because it's made from clunky cast iron. It's too short to deal with burning coals. I would say it's for grabbing things out
of hot water, but not very deep hot water. Eggs?

It is not made either by plastic or by glue. It looks like that but it is made from flour dough. Some fresh one seems healthy some old is unhealthy.

On 11/22/2013 4:26 AM, wrote:
> On Wednesday, November 20, 2013 5:07:22 PM UTC-8, Mark Thorson wrote:
>
>> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>>
>> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>
> It's not a precision tool, because it's made from clunky cast iron. It's too short to deal with burning coals. I would say it's for grabbing things out
> of hot water, but not very deep hot water. Eggs?
>
It looks much like the (very short) tool I have for handling coals in
the fireplace in my living room.

On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:07:22 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
>http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

I'm going to say it is to grab sauerkraut out of a crock. Maybe it
is-- maybe not-- But I had an iron 'grabber' [looked nothing like
yours] that almost every antique dealer that came in my shop was
convinced was a kraut tong. It was also iron, and likely a
'one-off' from about the same vintage as that one.

If I needed to grab kraut from a crock-- I'd much prefer those to the
tongs I have-- But either will do as conversation pieces.

Jim

Maybe it's for grabbing hot coals.

N.

On 11/22/2013 8:28 AM, Nancy2 wrote:
> Maybe it's for grabbing hot coals.
>
+1

On Friday, November 22, 2013 8:28:04 AM UTC-5, Nancy2 wrote:
> Maybe it's for grabbing hot coals.
>
>
>
> N.

Too short.

On 11/22/2013 9:15 AM, Helpful person wrote:
> On Friday, November 22, 2013 8:28:04 AM UTC-5, Nancy2 wrote:
>> Maybe it's for grabbing hot coals.
>>
>
> Too short.
>
Nevertheless, tongs like that are sold for fireplace use.

On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 06:15:44 -0800 (PST), Helpful person
> wrote:

>On Friday, November 22, 2013 8:28:04 AM UTC-5, Nancy2 wrote:
>> Maybe it's for grabbing hot coals.
>>
>>
>>
>> N.
>
>Too short.
Grabbing cold coals?

On Friday, November 22, 2013 9:59:48 AM UTC-5, Dave wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Nov 2013 06:15:44 -0800 (PST), Helpful person
wrote:
> >On Friday, November 22, 2013 8:28:04 AM UTC-5, Nancy2 wrote:
>
> >> Maybe it's for grabbing hot coals.
>
> >> N.
>
> >Too short.
>
> Grabbing cold coals?

I like the idea of a previous post. Harvesting shellfish from rocks.

http://www.richardfisher.com

"l not -l" > wrote in message
...
>
> On 22-Nov-2013, jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
>>
>> patent applications from around 1880 into a national database.
> They have. US patent office has a site with digitized patent
> applications 1790 to present . Also available through Google searches
> if you'd prefer them to track your interests to better target the ads
> you see 8-).
> http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/

issued patents, not patent applications, until the rules changed fairly
recently.

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378

I vote for a boiled egg picker upper. Measurements seem right. Curved
fingers seem right. Length of tool seems right.

Sky wrote:
>
> On 11/20/2013 7:07 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> > I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> > except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
> >
> > http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
> >
>
> I'd guess they're "grippers" to hold oyster shells whilst shucking them
> to help prevent major damage to one's hand(s). Otherwise, I have no
> clue at all.

I would love to watch a video of someone trying to shuck an oyster
using those tongs. LMAO.

It's a wrong guess but my favorite funny answer.

I have no other clue either but it would be good for salad...but then,
why cast iron?

My guess is that it's for some old industrial use.

G.

On Friday, November 22, 2013 1:29:19 PM UTC-7, Pico Rico wrote:
> "Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> >I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
>
> > except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> >
>
> > http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>
>
>
> I vote for a boiled egg picker upper. Measurements seem right. Curved
>
> fingers seem right. Length of tool seems right.

I'll second that.
===

sf wrote:
>
> I have no clue, but it's probably used to grab olives. If the
> dimensions were stated, I didn't see them.

Although the holes on the flower-like jaws
suggest removing some solid object(s) from
a liquid, the points on the tips of the petals
suggest hard objects like cherrystone clams.
Olives would be too easily damaged or impaled.

notbob wrote:
>
> On 2013-11-21, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> > I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> > except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> I haven't a clue what it is, but my winkie jes shriveled two sizes
> smaller than normal. 8|

That would be a good reason to buy it.

On Friday, November 22, 2013 1:24:30 AM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
> On 11/21/2013 9:53 PM, pltrgyst wrote:
>
> > On 11/21/13 6:09 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:
>
> >
>
> >> It says Patent Applied For (PAT APL FOR). You should be able to
>
> >> look it up.
>
> >
>
> > Older patent applications are not available by law, unless the patent
>
> > was successfully issued.
>
> >
>
> > -- Larry
>
> >
>
> I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
>
> patent applications from around 1880 into a national database.

Ah....your duty, as I see it. A retiree needs to feel useful, huh?

"Kalmia" > wrote in message
...
> On Friday, November 22, 2013 1:24:30 AM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 11/21/2013 9:53 PM, pltrgyst wrote:
>>
>> > On 11/21/13 6:09 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:
>>
>> >
>>
>> >> It says Patent Applied For (PAT APL FOR). You should be able to
>>
>> >> look it up.
>>
>> >
>>
>> > Older patent applications are not available by law, unless the patent
>>
>> > was successfully issued.
>>
>> >
>>
>> > -- Larry
>>
>> >
>>
>> I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
>>
>> patent applications from around 1880 into a national database.
>
> Ah....your duty, as I see it. A retiree needs to feel useful, huh?

I doubt those old patent applications, which never resulted in an issued
patent, are still in existence.

On 11/22/2013 9:06 PM, Kalmia wrote:
> On Friday, November 22, 2013 1:24:30 AM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
>> On 11/21/2013 9:53 PM, pltrgyst wrote:
>>
>>> On 11/21/13 6:09 PM, Michel Boucher wrote:
>>
>>>
>>
>>>> It says Patent Applied For (PAT APL FOR). You should be able to
>>
>>>> look it up.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> Older patent applications are not available by law, unless the patent
>>
>>> was successfully issued.
>>
>>>
>>
>>> -- Larry
>>
>>>
>>
>> I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
>>
>> patent applications from around 1880 into a national database.
>
> Ah....your duty, as I see it. A retiree needs to feel useful, huh?
>
>
>
Send me an employment and wage agreement, and the patents. I'll start
scanning.

Jill

On 11/22/2013 3:00 PM, l not -l wrote:
> On 22-Nov-2013, jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
>>
>> patent applications from around 1880 into a national database.
> They have. US patent office has a site with digitized patent
> applications 1790 to present . Also available through Google searches
> if you'd prefer them to track your interests to better target the ads
> you see 8-).
> http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/
>
Don't you have to know under what name they patented the gizmo? Or at
least the name of the person or company who applied for the patent?

Jill

On 11/22/13 10:27 PM, Sqwertz wrote:

>> http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/
>
> Unfortunately only a few parts of the patents hacve been indexed.
> There is no text search feature. YOu pretty much need to know that
> patent number or category.

All patents since 1/1/1976 have searchable full text, along with a
surprising number of those back to 1790.


-- Larry

On 11/22/13 3:00 PM, l not -l wrote:
> On 22-Nov-2013, jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> I don't know about by law, but I doubt anyone has been busily scanning
>>
>> patent applications from around 1880 into a national database.
> They have. US patent office has a site with digitized patent
> applications 1790 to present....
> http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/

Wrong. That database is of issued patents only.

It has a sister database called appft of patent applications, but only
applications published since March, 2001. Prior to that date, patent
applications were kept confidential, as required by US law.

I should know -- I built and ran both those databases (along with the
rest of the USPTO Web site) until I retired two years ago.

-- Larry

On 11/23/13 1:03 AM, Sqwertz wrote:

>>> Unfortunately only a few parts of the patents hacve been indexed.
>>> There is no text search feature. YOu pretty much need to know that
>>> patent number or category.
>>
>> All patents since 1/1/1976 have searchable full text, along with a
>> surprising number of those back to 1790.
>
> I was just referring ot the ones before '76. I have never seen any
> prior to that doing a full text search.
>
> As it says right on that web page:
>
> "Patents from 1790 through 1975 are searchable only by Issue Date,
> Patent Number, and Current US Classification."
>
> And I just searched for a random date "November" "1955" and the last
> result was October 19, 1976.

It says that because PTO doesn't want to publicize earlier data until it
(someday) is complete. Everything is political.

- Go to the advanced search page

- Under "Select years", choose "1790 to present -- entire database". If
you don't make this selection, you will not get hits from patents before
1/1/76.

- Enter your search term, e.g. "ttl/electric" (without quotes), a search
for the word "electric in the title of the patent.

- Click on "Search"

- You'll see your hit list, with the most recent patents first. Jump
ahead in the hit list to the older patents. In this case, jump to, say,
74000 and you'll see patents from ~ 1920 with "electric" in the title,
the oldest from this search being 1,326,962, dated 1/6/1920.

- When you bring up a particular patent, the page will say "Full text is
not available for this patent. Click on "Images" button above to view
full patent." The full text will *not* display. But click on images and
you will see full-page images of the full text, and can confirm the the
title does contain the search term "electric".

Now that I've told you this, I'll have to kill you. 8

-- Larry

S Viemeister wrote:
>
> On 11/22/2013 4:26 AM, wrote:
> >
> > It's not a precision tool, because it's made from clunky cast iron. It's too short to deal with burning coals. I would say it's for grabbing things out
> > of hot water, but not very deep hot water. Eggs?

Too easy to crush an egg. Also, the points
might damage an egg. Eggs are more reliably
picked up with something scoop-like, such as
a slotted spoon.

> It looks much like the (very short) tool I have for handling coals in
> the fireplace in my living room.

Good suggestion. That makes sense. It could
be used to hunt around in the ashes for a coal.

On 11/20/2013 8:07 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:

> I have some guesses, but I won't prejudice you
> except to say I don't think it is for pasta.
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/310794240378
>

Maybe for ice cubes.

--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.