Hazard A Guess: Week of May 8, 2008

Hello from Hazard!

Four more readers correctly identified Item No. 831, before we announced its use. The gizmo is an item to seal or crimp the lids on 5-gallon metal buckets.

You know, those lids that have all the tabs around the edges? When the lid was placed on the bucket, you used this tool to push all the tabs down at the same time and reseal the bucket.

We also heard from: John Wright, Leavittsburg, Ohio; David White, Lower Salem, Ohio; Neal Kuhn, Lowell, Ohio; and Charles Lail, Felicity, Ohio.

Thanks to everyone who sent in their answers!

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For Item No. 832, we turned again to Les Howell of Beach City, Ohio. We received two correct answers. Both Jim Bogner of Lakewood, Ohio, and Esther Pries of Knox, Pa., said it was a gadget to slice a pound of butter into individual pats. They both also said it was missing a piece that you first use to slice the block into quarters, before making the pats, which weren’t available commercially back when the device was in use.

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Item No. 833 has been waiting quite awhile for its debut in this column. We received this submission from Paul Bearer of Clinton, Ohio. He doesn’t know how the device was used, but he does offer the following clues:

When you turn the handle clockwise, the shaft pivots back and forth. The small object on the end of the shaft is held in place by a small cotter pin. If you turn the handle counterclockwise, the shaft doesn’t move.

Bearer is curious to know what his item is and its age.

You can answer or comment right online, or send your answers to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to editorial@farmanddairy.com.
You can also submit photos online.