One-piece cast iron combination tool

[Plyerman]

I've been cleaning rust off this thing for the past couple evenings. I didn't want to risk pitting it in a vinegar solution, so I've been wire brushing and toothbrushing. Those little wire wheels in a dremel seem to work about the best.












The tool is cast iron, pretty smooth despite how rusty it had been. It looks like a medieval torture device. I was guessing it was from the 1800's? But then I found this little photo down in the corner in a November, 1925 issue of Popular Mechanics. It tells (some) of what the tool does, but it does not give any information about who made it, patent date, etc. Anybody seen one of these things before?

[HeelSpur]

That's pretty wild looking, I also see the can & bottle opener on it.

[Nolatoolguy]

Very neat, haven't seen one like it.

[rudeawakening55]

  I would guess (nut wrench & meat tenderizer also)

[rusty]

And here I was thinking back scratcher.....

How many hundreds (thousands?) of kitchen gadgets have come and gone over the years?.....

[Plyerman]

Good question. I can see why this one didn't last very long though. The first time Ma left it laying on the counter and Junior knocked it off and then Pa stepped on it on his way to the outhouse after dark.....I can imagine no one in the house got any more sleep that night!

[Branson]

Hostile witness interrogation devise, cleverly disguised as a common household tool.

[ron darner]

I have a book on "Kitchen Collectibles" (though I can't immediately think of where it is).  I tried Googling the term, and got a long list of such books at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/?category_id=832300.  Mine is the one by Kenneth Cope (it's #47 in the list, I think; second page if you display 30/page).  At least one of the books seems to focus on cast iron items, and so may be more helpful.

[Plyerman]

Thanks Ron! I'd sure like to find out more about this odd tool, but I kind of hate to spring for the book and then find out it's not listed in there. Any chance you might locate your copy and try looking it up for me first?

I guess another idea would be for me to check with our local library. I can stop in there next week some time.

[ron darner]

I've already done a bit of searching for the Cope book, w/o any luck so far - but I'll try more tomorrow.  The library is a good idea.  They may have several suitable reference books.  If you have no luck, though, please PM me, and I'll spend some more time looking.