Hazard A Guess: Week of Nov. 13, 2003

Hello from Hazard!

Let’s take care of old business first. Les Howell of Beach City, who sent in Item No. 693 (a Y-shaped tool), sent a page photocopied from a tool book that confirms the tool is a “bench dog.” Don Cooke of Navarre, Ohio, shared the information with Les.

The description said the tool was typically wrought iron and was used in the mid-19th century in the United States. The pointed ends were pounded into the carpenter’s bench (hence the name). It helped hold a small or awkward piece of wood for the carpenter to work on.

Viola Werner of Akron, Ohio, confirms Item No. 695 was a glove stretcher. She has two examples made of wood. One has a coil spring, like the item we featured, but the other one has a leaf spring. The hinging mechanism of her two examples also differ.

Bob Lucas of Tallmadge, Ohio, was our lone guesser on Item No. 696. Lucas says it is a boot jack that fastened to the outside of a home and would fold flat to the house with the spring when not in use.

Our example, which was shared by Earl and B.J. Strahler of Hartville, Ohio, carries the words “Pat. June 19, 1864,” and also what Earl Strahler believes to read “Edinburgh, O.”

Interesting item, one I don’t believe Hazard has featured before.

* * *

Item No. 697 comes from the basket of goodies that Randy Winland of Prospect, Ohio, brought into our office one day.

Alas, he has to admit he doesn’t know what it is, so it is a true mystery item, at least for now. There are markings on the tool – but I won’t share them as a hint unless we’re really stumped next week.

Does anyone know what it is?

Send your answers to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to: editorial@farmanddairy.com.