# can you identify this metal contraption?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 22, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054 "2013-02-22T05:01:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054/1 "2013-02-22T05:01:35Z")

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When I was very young, I remember playing with a stainless steel contraption. I believe it had a handle that you could turn, and two main screw-like cylinders that were set at a slight angle to each other and rotated around a central axis. The cylinders would rotate as they orbited the central axis…I can only guess that this was some type of hand-held mixer or something, but I cannot remember much more about it. I remember being careful not to get my fingers caught between the gears. My mother cannot remember the item, and I cannot find any pictures online. I hope that someone will instantly know what I’m talking about.

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054/2 "2013-02-22T05:06:10Z")

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The only thing it makes me think of is the inside of a pencil sharpener.

[![](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pencil_sharpener_mechanism.jpg) ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pencil_sharpener_mechanism.jpg)

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054/3 "2013-02-22T05:17:55Z")

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pencil sharpener came to mind from the description as well.

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**Author:** ![MaceMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@MaceMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaceMan)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054/4 "2013-02-22T05:40:18Z")

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The basic picture I had in my mind definitely matches most of the components of a pencil sharpener. Although I pictured it being a little more refined and elegant in appearance, I guess that’s what it was! I remember being puzzled with it and playing with it for hours on end, so I guess it was just the gear part of a broken pencil sharpener. I must have assumed it was for mixing dough or something, because I didn’t know what it was at the time. Thanks **gigi**! I knew the dope would come through for me.

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**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-metal-contraption/651054/5 "2013-02-22T05:45:12Z")

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Some sort of egg beater?

Did it look anything like this? [http://media.toolking.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/P/r/Progressive\_GT-3021R\_12-in\_Stainless\_Steel\_Egg\_Beater.jpg](http://media.toolking.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/P/r/Progressive_GT-3021R_12-in_Stainless_Steel_Egg_Beater.jpg)  
edit: oh, nevermind.