Hello from Hazard!
Allan Lines, Worthington, Ohio, adds more explanation to Item No. 864, which we announced last week (thanks to Jason Michaels of Mercer, Pa.) was a ‘Lake George’ trolling reel.
Allan didn’t call it that, but said it is, indeed, a motorized fishing box/line, used for trolling and often homemade, using a gear box, spring and winding mechanism from a mechanical Victrola or competitor.
“The fishhook was attached to the end of the line and ‘baited,'” he writes. “The line was then ‘played out’ from the spool using the spring-loaded spool to keep tension on the line. The amount of tension was controlled by the spring that was wound using the crank.
“When the line was to be retrieved, the tensioned spring (using the crank) rewound the line, hopefully with a fish.”
Thanks, Allan and Jason, for responding so quickly!
* * *
Item No. 865
We received two more quick responses to our newest item, Item No. 865. Both Jessica Cole from Bentleyville, Pa., and Chuck Baker identified it as a timber scribe (Chuck also called it a rase knife).
Jessica writes that it was used to mark lumber, and to letter the tops of barrels. Chuck adds that it was used to put marks on shipping crates, and also used by boat builders to market the water lines on the boats.
The item we featured was submitted by William Shriber of Hartville, Ohio, who had inherited the knife some 60 years ago. He had written in his letter to us (but we didn’t share with you last week) that the blade is inscribed with: “New York Knife Co., Walden”, and on the other side, “Hammer Brand” and has the symbol of Arm and Hammer below it.
Thanks to Jessica and Chuck for letting us know how it was used.
* * *
Item No. 866
We’re on a roll, people!
Our newest Hazard-ous item comes from Jason Michaels of Mercer, Pa. Anyone know how this long-handled contraption, Item No. 866, was used (he does).
Send your answers to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to: editorial@farmanddairy.com.
