"What is this hard white item w/”JAPAN” engraved into the back I found while walking in the woods? I was out bottle digging and pulled this thing out of the ground."
A: "Frozen Charlotte"
"A strange blue foam forming the coast of a lake."
A: "Cyanobacteria/Blue-green algae. Caution: lethal to dogs."
"WIt says Pyrex 1941 US Patent."
A: "It’s part of an insulator string for a high voltage electrical line."
"Weird gold sticks, 1.25 inches long, potentially used for electronics in the 70s?"
A: "I think they’re the leads from Caddock MG series resistors, presumably the ends that get clipped off after soldering the resistor on. For reference, this is what a circuit board looks like before you trim down the extraneous leads. That would make them gold plated nickel with a copper core, which definitely sounds like something a jewelry maker might want to bring home from her day job in electronics."
"What exactly is this structure and why does it have a pointy top? Seen in a village in Northern India"
A: "Thatch huts are relatively common in Rajasthan. The point is because there is a center pole that supports the roof and the thatch is lashed to."
"Found this washed up on a beach in Massachusetts. It’s wooden and looks handcrafted…maybe a piece of a chair?"
A: "Wow! It looks like a Davis Quadrant or Backstaff, a navigational instrument predecessor of the sextant. Maybe you should take that to a museum, with nautical expertise."
"A random “stamp” only found on one brick in a town square."
A: "It’s just the brick manufacturer, not usually stamped on the face of a brick though. Looks like it says Penter Klinker"
"This has been in my house for years but nobody knows what it is for? Kitchen tool maybe?"
A: "A wire grill pan handle? Used to lift pans in and out of the oven but the handle can detach so it doesn’t get hot."
"Found under my car. Seems to be made of hard rubber. Coated in industrial grease. Just got my transmission replaced yesterday."
A: "I would call the shop and tell them it fell off, and see what they say. When you get the car to them, then tell them about the clunk shifting into reverse. “Clunk” is a pretty good word for transmission noises."
"Made of PVC, approx 4” in diameter"
A: "I’ve seen similar things used in golf, these would be in the bottom of the hole and the flag pole fits in the space in the middle and is taken out when putting on the green. If it’s 4 1/4″ diameter and 4 1/4″ deep, it’s probably a regulation Golf cup, alright."
"Theres about 60 of these hanging from the rafters in this pub in Norfolk, UK. What are they for?"
A: "Shaving scuttles."
"Found this part in my driveway and I have no clue where it came from? Any help would be amazing."
A: "Part of a GM underbody rear air deflector. That part, I’m guessing, scoops air in to cool something."
"These came with my trainers, they don’t piece together and don’t fit into the shoes at all. Everyone I’ve asked is also unsure what they’re for?"
A: "They look like a vibram heel, but high heel size."
"I bulk order my favourite soda’s and at the bottom of every 4 pack there’s is this hole in the cardboard box, always the same place. What is it for?"
A: "It’s so you can check the date on the cans as it’s on the bottom."
"Found in a charity shop in southern England. Appears to be made of (deer?) skin. The three tools slide out, the longest one has more skin wrapped around one end, the other two are roughly the same size, one looks like a beater (possibly for an instrument?) and the other has a sharp metal head. WITT?"
A: "It’s a miniature Zulu shield and spear. Why it’s small, no idea."
"Glass/metal/rubber thing from my garden"
A: "Looks like the top to a vial that held injectable medication, like insulin."
"Found this metal item in my junk drawer. The top “screw” is hollow and screws into the bullet-looking thing. Penny for scale."
A: "I think this is part of a cable display system.
Bit on the right – that gets screwed to a wall or ceiling, with the screw coming out of the hole closest to us in your picture.
Bit on the left – the wire goes though the hole at the bottom, and is then crimped off so it cant fall out. The entire body then screws onto the ‘bit on the right’ and the two holes in the side are to take up tension."
"Found this on a tree right next to a road, it has no holes just the two doors on the front, it has a small angle V shape."
A: "It is a traffic counter."
"Purchased at an estate sale, kitchen gadget maybe?"
A: "Oh I know this one, it’s a grapefruit corer"
"Brass handle with what looks like Ankh engravings and an abrasive tip"
A: "It’s a “beamer.” Basically woo-woo tool for wellness."
"Found these metallic objects under water inside solid coastal formations while diving, I had to break the formations to break these objects free. What are these?"
A: "Looks like two 7.62.54R rifle casings and two .45ACP pistol casings to be more specific. Odd combo."
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The new guy laid that brick.