Competition - what is this used for?

[launditch1]

AArggh!Im sure ive seen one in a book ive got..somewhare!!

Is it some thing to do harvesting corn, holding the corn to one side as its cut with a sickle?

 

[Robbi]

mixing and spreading seed ?

 

[Barn Owl]

It's no' Anne Summers great great grannies is it?

 

[Retired Member southey]

Farmers cracker scratcher?

 

[Eric_Methven]

AArggh!Im sure ive seen one in a book ive got..somewhare!!

Is it some thing to do harvesting corn, holding the corn to one side as its cut with a sickle?

Brilliant!

OK, that's as close as you could possibly get.

Here's the answer.
Back in the days when small scale harvesting of a crop (corn, barley, wheat, nettles, grass etc) was done by hand with a sickle or grass hook, the harvester with the biggest hands could gather the most crop in any given time. If they were being paid by results, the poor women and children with tiny hands could not possibly grab as big a handful of the crop as a man with shovel like mitts.
So, this was made for the women and children to give them a better chance to earn a better wage.

The implement is placed over the three smallest fingers. (you see how small a hand would have to be compred to mine).

This gives you a much wider area to gather the crop

You then close your hand around the bundle, the hook capturing more than could normally be done.

Yhis then leaves your thumb and forefinger free to grasp the bundle.

While you use the grass hook to slice it off at the bottom.
The tool also protects your fingers from the blade as you slice through the crop.

Well done everyone, I thought I could make this stretch, but you lot are too clever for me.

Eric

 

[drewdunnrespect]

is it for putting you hands in and for drawing a indent in soil that you drop the seeds in to then reberry with sides that have been created with the spike i.e like a plough would do now

 

[jamin]

a door wedge? or a coat hook

 

[HeltorChasca]

It's one orf (is that how you say it?) those posh melon ball scoopers m'lady.

Forget the ham and use Port.......HC

 

[nitrambur]

It's a frongle flanger! Yer puts yer frongles in t' frongle oles and thens yer flangs it, not too hard mind, yer dont wants over flang'd frongles now does yer?

 

[Retired Member southey]

what coolbit of kit, and a nice bit of history.nice one Eric.

 

[Asa Samuel]

Ahh, I thought you might put your fingers into it but I couldn't work out why as it would just interfere with dibbing. Also noticed that the hole furthest down (right) was closer to the spade-like part which is explained by that being the pinky-hole.

Nice competition

 

[Wayland]

I thought my competition would challenge them more too.

But I have a cunning plan.....So cunning you could tie a tail on it and call it a.......

 

[Barn Owl]

Why wasn't I taught this in school?

Another simple yet forgotten piece of history.

Thanks for that Eric.

 

[Radix lecti]

Thanks Eric, good competition even though i never had a go(stumped), one more to keep in the memory bank for future reference.

 

[Biker]

Well whatdaya know I was close. Can see why you said that now Eric. Nice one mate, thanks for shairng this piece of forgotten history with us. I shall wait with baited breath for the next one.

 

[Eric_Methven]

I really posted it because it is a useful bit of bushcrafty gear if you are gathering shelter building, or cordage materials. It should be no harder to make than say, carving a decent spoon. The finger holes might be more difficult, but what's to stop you using leather loops on a flat board and steam bend the hook to shape. Just an old idea to get the grey cells working on modern equivalents.
In fact, I might try making one just to see what does and doesn't work.

Eric

 

[Retired Member southey]

Perhapse we could have a, propose and make thread. Sort of, heres a bushcraft task , go away for a week or two to carve/build/make the tool to do the task, then come back and post what you have made as a solution? no winners really just a collection of ideas to solve a problem. perhapse if some one a bit more awake than myself gets what i mean they could explaine it better.

 

[pango]

I thought Cuban cigars were rolled on the inner thigh of some gorgoeus doe-eyed beauty.

Hey Biker, I'm told my Ma gave my Auld Man a bitch-slapping for a "lost cigar" remark at a Havanna cigar factory.

I'm not having your explanation Eric. It's a constipation aid with a progress grader.

 

[JonathanD]

That is a cool bit of history. Thanks for that Eric.

 

[DaveBromley]

Perhapse we could have a, propose and make thread. Sort of, heres a bushcraft task , go away for a week or two to carve/build/make the tool to do the task, then come back and post what you have made as a solution? no winners really just a collection of ideas to solve a problem. perhapse if some one a bit more awake than myself gets what i mean they could explaine it better.

Thats an awesome idea, although im not sure how it would be recieved by the fellas as they always seem to be behind with stuff as it is lol, you should come up with the first CHALLENGE! and then the mods should pic the winner. We could do one a month and the winner gets to be that months top bushCRAFTER!!

I think this would be a right laugh!

Dave