# Can you identify this object? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 18, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121 "2005-12-18T02:13:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/41 "2005-12-19T01:10:30Z")
> [@Danalan](#): > > I think this is a latch of some sort. The forked end fits over a rivet or stud, and the projections on rotating end applies force (in either direction) to the surface as needed to hold the assembly in place. > > I know I’ve seen one of these before… Nope, but that’s an interesting guess. ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/42 "2005-12-19T01:16:58Z")
IIs it used to aline multiple objects? Buttons and a button hole for instance? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/43 "2005-12-19T01:19:16Z")
> [@Nic2004](#): > > IIs it used to aline multiple objects? Buttons and a button hole for instance? Nope. It just retains something. ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/44 "2005-12-19T01:53:16Z")
Zip tie tightener. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/45 "2005-12-19T01:53:56Z")
> [@Cleophus](#): > > Zip tie tightener. Nope. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/46 "2005-12-19T01:56:38Z")
Does it hold the neck of a balloon of some kind while you tie off the nozzle of the balloon? Perhaps it’s for workers at places like Chuck E. Cheese, who tie lots and lots of helium balloons? ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/47 "2005-12-19T02:25:31Z")
Some kind of rope tightener? A belay perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/48 "2005-12-19T02:28:59Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > You’re in the ballpark. It’s related to one of your guesses. A little more insight into this ballpark you speak of. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/49 "2005-12-19T02:30:18Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > Some kind of rope tightener? A belay perhaps? It isn’t a belay. It does tighten something somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/50 "2005-12-19T02:36:13Z")
A penis enlargement device? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/51 "2005-12-19T02:39:31Z")
> [@Mbossa](#): > > A penis enlargement device? Ow! ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/52 "2005-12-19T02:56:26Z")
> [@Mbossa](#): > > A penis enlargement device? OHMYGODIHOPENOT! ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/53 "2005-12-19T03:00:25Z")
Is it something you would have to work in a specific occupation to have a need for, or would one of us use it around the house? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/54 "2005-12-19T03:06:12Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > Is it something you would have to work in a specific occupation to have a need for, or would one of us use it around the house? While it could be used at work or home, it would be sold to businesses primarily. ---
**Author:** ![kezami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eb8c5e/32.png) [@kezami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kezami)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/55 "2005-12-19T03:09:42Z")
Okie dokie, what’s the next item ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/56 "2005-12-19T03:09:52Z")
I can hear my father’s voice across the span of time, “It’s designed to make you ask questions, works pretty well doesn’t it?” ---
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/57 "2005-12-19T03:10:02Z")
Would it be helpful for us to try to work out what your job was when you used that? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/58 "2005-12-19T03:13:31Z")
> [@Mbossa](#): > > Would it be helpful for us to try to work out what your job was when you used that? I didn’t actually use it. However, I was in the industry that would have sold it. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/59 "2005-12-19T03:15:05Z")
In the photos you show the longer part stationary while the shorter part rotates. In actual use, is that the sequence? Or is the shorter part held steady while the longer part is rotated around it? Is it rotated at all in use, or is the swivel design simply for convenience of storage while not in use? It looks like (and I needed the third photo to get this) the free end of the shorter piece could be touched perpendicularly and twisted a quarter turn to a wire, then turned a quarter turn to grasp the wire. The longer part could be used as a handle to pull the wire up. Although the OP said it was not clothing related, it looks like it could be used to tighten ice skate laces. The fork on one end reminds me a little of the tool used to remove golf shoe spikes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121/60 "2005-12-19T03:20:48Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > In the photos you show the longer part stationary while the shorter part rotates. In actual use, is that the sequence? Or is the shorter part held steady while the longer part is rotated around it? Is it rotated at all in use, or is the swivel design simply for convenience of storage while not in use? The swiveling part comes into play after you’ve used the long part for it’s part of the function. The swiveling part rotates freely when the device is not in use and does not have any function related to its storage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-identify-this-object/336121.md?page=4)