Mysteries of garage sales

[ysobel]

I have a Thing.

I do not know what it is, what it should be used for, what it can be used for, or what to call it, aside from "Bob". The people running the garage sale had no idea either. It wasn't even priced; they said they'd give it away to anyone who could tell them what it was.

I said, half jokingly, "a hand exerciser," and they laughed and accepted that and gave it to me, but, uh. Still don't know what it is.

Any ideas?

It looks like this:



side view:


front view:


My first thought, seeing it on the table, was some sort of artsy tea infuser -- two springy clamshell things that could open to get looseleaf tea and then close around it enough to let water through but not the tea leaves. But ... that isn't how it works.

When you squeeze the sides (most comfortably where the indents are), the end goes from this:



to this:



The pictures were taken from roughly the same item-camera positioning. Sorry it's so close; taking pictures one-handed of something in my other hand is a bit tricksy.

It has no mechanism for locking it open; you have to maintain a squeeze. (Hence, hand exerciser.) Default rest state is closed.

So, er.

Anyone have any ideas whatsoever?

(Preferably non-smartass ones, but I know you guys *grin*)

ETA: Mystery solved! It is a flour duster. (See comments.) Woot \o/ I like the intarwebz. It knows things.

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

does it make a noise when you squeeze it and then let it go? could it be a percussion instrument?

otherwise yeah: an infuser of some kind maybe. I got nuthin.

[ein_myria]

A tea strainer? :)

[fadedwings]

I call mine a flour duster, not sure the real name. You dip in in flour when you need to dust flour in a pan.

yeah that seems to be a common name for it... http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--37831/flour-duster-or-wand.asp

[zarhooie]

I've got two in my kitchen. Aren't you just the luckiest? :P

They are used for sprinkling powdered items over baked goods or surfaces. For instance, when we make pizzelles, we use one of those to dust the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar.

How it works: get a jar or bowl of the item you wish to spread. Squeeze the handles and dip into the powdered stuff. Let close. To sprinkle, squeeze the handle a *very* little bit and then shake over your to-be-covered item. Voila!

[ysobel]

Nope, no sounds.

Turns out to be a flour duster, whodathunkit.

[ysobel]

Nope, no sounds.

Turns out to be a flour duster, whodathunkit.

[ysobel]

\o/ Thank you!

[princessofgeeks]

OMGWTF. thank you. new info!!!

[ysobel]

I am indeed the luckiest. *dance of glee* Thanks! Now that I know what it is, it'll actually be useful and not just a bizarre thingamabob. :D

[zarhooie]

If you decide you don't want it, let me know. I *reeeally* want another one so I can have one for flour, one for powdered sugar and one for corn meal. Friends with allergies to flour and corn meal make cross contamination an issue with the springs.