# Does anyone know what this is? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857 "2009-11-08T23:59:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/21 "2009-11-09T02:21:47Z")
> [@Starring\_Emma](#): > > for hobbies he bread guppies I’ve only seen them made of plastic and bell shaped, but there are devices to stuff full of tubifex worms to [feed fish](http://www.amazon.com/Lees-Aquarium-Pet-Products-Feeder/dp/B0002APS3M?SubscriptionId=AKIAIUF6SUWQQOZSC7ZQ&tag=funkymatch-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0002APS3M) in an aquarium. ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/22 "2009-11-09T02:37:59Z")
> [@Starring\_Emma](#): > > My grandfather [snip] . . . had a garden full of cucumbers. Your grandfather was named Onan and owned this object AND had his very own cucumber garden? Sorry, I want to make sure I have my details straight. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/23 "2009-11-09T02:42:03Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I’ve only seen them made of plastic and bell shaped, but there are devices to stuff full of tubifex worms to [feed fish](http://www.amazon.com/Lees-Aquarium-Pet-Products-Feeder/dp/B0002APS3M?SubscriptionId=AKIAIUF6SUWQQOZSC7ZQ&tag=funkymatch-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0002APS3M) in an aquarium. You don’t think it’s a falsie, then? ---
**Author:** ![Starring\_Emma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Starring\_Emma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starring_Emma)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/24 "2009-11-09T02:45:32Z")
> [@Ms. Meta](#): > > Your grandfather was named Onan and owned this object AND had his very own cucumber garden? Sorry, I want to make sure I have my details straight. Do you see a connection? ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/25 "2009-11-09T02:48:41Z")
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chastity\_belt\_Heyser\_0.png](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chastity_belt_Heyser_0.png) Male chastity belt? Breaded guppies! ---
**Author:** ![troubledwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@troubledwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troubledwater)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/26 "2009-11-09T02:51:37Z")
Yes, but it would be rude, and now I am thinking about mysteries left behind by my loved ones who are gone, so I’m going to quit while I’m ahead, and hope someone can offer you a serious response. I like the fish feeder idea, but that sort of gadget sounds awfully modern. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/27 "2009-11-09T02:52:04Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > You don’t think it’s a falsie, then? I wouldn’t think the advertisers would like that. I remember a great deal of trouble with the urban legend about the guy showing it in a Sears catalog. It does look like it, but I wouldn’t think something like that would be made of metal. Wouldn’t a rolled up sock suffice? Would you buy underwear based on how well hung the model is? Admittedly, the spouse might. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/28 "2009-11-09T02:55:44Z")
> [@Starring\_Emma](#): > > Do you see a connection? Onan was struck dead by G-d for not having complete intercourse with his sister in law after his brother died. The concept was that the family should care for the widow, and marrying her would make the living brother more likely to have an interest in her well being. Onan “spilled his seed upon the ground” and “trod in underfoot”. My apologies for a King James translation rather than Tora. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/29 "2009-11-09T02:56:52Z")
I think **Cyn** has it. The dingus looks very much like the chastity belt in the link. > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Would you buy underwear based on how well hung the model is? I wouldn’t; but I suspect people buy all sorts of things based on how the model looks. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/30 "2009-11-09T03:06:07Z")
It does indeed resemble a prosthetic device, but why is it made of metal? Why the holes? Why would he keep it? ---
**Author:** ![Starring\_Emma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Starring\_Emma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starring_Emma)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/31 "2009-11-09T03:08:25Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > My apologies for a King James translation rather than Tora. 🙂 Tora was my Grandmothers name… She cooked beans for cowboys while they sat around a campfire at night. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/32 "2009-11-09T03:38:25Z")
> [@Starring\_Emma](#): > > Tora was my Grandmothers name… She cooked beans for cowboys while they sat around a campfire at night. You’re whoosing us, you son of a gun. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/33 "2009-11-09T03:44:24Z")
Looks like gramps had a set of brass balls. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857/34 "2009-11-09T03:56:04Z")
\ Well, according to another message board you’re on, you thought it was: > [@](#): > > …some kind of old tea infuser. Tea leaves could have been stuffed in to this and hot water poured over them to make tea. I think I’ll quietly close this and go sit in the corner now… \ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-this-is/516857.md?page=1)