ROMAN MULTI-TOOL

[SCOMAN]

Saw this on FB, fascinating piece of kit.

Look, think, do: Roman "Swiss Army Knife"

A Look Think Do page for Roman "Swiss Army Knife"

fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

 

[Toddy]

That wee scoop would do well to howk marrow out of a cracked bone too.

Definitely a luxury item though....but then have you seen the price of SAK's these days ! ?
and they're not made of silver......

M

 

[Laurentius]

Definitely proof of the old saying "there is nothing new under the sun" I mean what did the Roman's ever do for us?

 

[saxonaxe]

It's a Leathermanicus Rebarkium I think. Quite common with Centurions in the old XX11 Legion, I understand...

 

[Tiley]

That's brilliant! It's a shame the red plastic handles have rotted over time...

 

[Jared]

Can get a brass replica

Roman "Swiss Army" Utility Knife

Roman Utility Knife like "Swiss Army"

www.armillum.com

Remember someone on one of the US blade forums went through and documented their recreation of one to.

 

[Great egret]

Nice to see a bottle opener on there too. I guess they had bottled beer too.

 

[Erbswurst]

Yes of course.
That's why they occupied Bavaria.

 

[Dave Budd]

There are folks here in the UK that make them too ;-) Not something I would want to make though I have to confess.

Steve Wagstaff (the Roman Trader) makes a lovely one and is always under-priced. I think Todd (tods workshop/tods knives/tods stuff) makes them too

 

[EdS]

That wee scoop would do well to howk marrow out of a cracked bone too.

Definitely a luxury item though....but then have you seen the price of SAK's these days ! ?
and they're not made of silver......

M

The little spoon is most likely an ear scoop. Romans were big on ear cleaning

 

[Toddy]

It's the juxtaposition though. Food eating tools.....and an ear scoop ??

The Vikings had ear scoops, but they were on a different set of 'etui' stuff.

 

[Dave Budd]

I'm with you on this Toddy. All of the tools on there are food related. It's normally listed as an ear or cosmetics spoon, but why anybody keep their toothbrush and lipstick in the kitchen cutlery drawer?

Given the range of fiddly and odd foods rich Romans enjoyed, a scoop for marrow/shell fish/molluscs/etc makes far more sense

 

[Toddy]

We know of the set of tools that includes tweezers, and there are ear spoons with those.
A 'grooming' set. Usually has a nail cleaner, sometimes a little comb and a razor too. Men's combs are more likely to have a matching cover though.

Interesting, isn't it ? the bits and pieces that humanity makes to keep themselves clean and tidy

M