# Identify this Whatsit **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2018, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790 "2018-01-03T11:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/41 "2018-01-03T22:48:44Z")
> [@Bro](#): > > Man, dildos sure got weird in the last year. Excellent first post. I see great things for your future. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/42 "2018-01-03T23:27:32Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s one of the critical components in a [turboencabulator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboencabulator). Thank you for that enlightenment, Beowulff! For the record, I am **not** the coaster camp. I’m fairly certain I’m not the camper coast, either! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/43 "2018-01-03T23:28:55Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Mug cover to prevent flying things from getting into your tea? Think beer stein lid. I know you don’t want to be behind an elephant when he lets fly with the dung… Given the placement of the “handle”, beverage lid sounds like a plausible use. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/44 "2018-01-03T23:39:15Z")
So…who wants to be the coaster-camp-counselor? p.s. welcome ‘Bro.’ ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/45 "2018-01-03T23:41:30Z")
How big is it? What is it’s scale? It’s material? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/46 "2018-01-03T23:47:45Z")
The reason you don’t see any coasters, trivets, or furniture glides with handles is that they not only don’t need them, but would actually be harder to use if they had them. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/47 "2018-01-04T00:00:25Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > How big is it? > What is it’s scale? > It’s material? The OP says it’s 2.5 diameter, so small. We have decided it looks like ‘bamboo’. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/48 "2018-01-04T00:07:46Z")
a cookie dough squisher ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/49 "2018-01-04T00:08:00Z")
How does one do an image search? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/50 "2018-01-04T00:16:43Z")
With a site called Google (they say: “best guess: Ping Pong”) sigh… ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/51 "2018-01-04T01:24:49Z")
Table tennis bat?! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/52 "2018-01-04T01:47:41Z")
A tiny table tennis bat? Nah, I still like the coaster. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/53 "2018-01-04T02:00:08Z")
If it’s a coaster, it was designed by a numbskull. (A) 2.5 inches is too small for a coaster. (B) The handle has no purpose. © The handle gets in the way when you try to put a drink on it. (D) The handle prevents you from stacking the coasters when they’re not in use. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/54 "2018-01-04T02:48:50Z")
Yeah, I guess you are right. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/55 "2018-01-04T02:59:05Z")
A port cover for a cronkulator. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/56 "2018-01-04T11:40:36Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > A port cover for a cronkulator. I reported this. Someone could take this suggestion seriously, not realizing that covering the port of a cronkulator manufactured prior to 1990 (they’re out there) is a huge fire hazard. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/57 "2018-01-04T11:59:56Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I wonder is the wood maybe ‘bamboo’? I thought so at first (especially the laminated bit), but on zooming, I can’t see any of the typical grain/node features of bamboo timber - so I reckon it may be cherry or some other hardwood. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/58 "2018-01-04T12:26:12Z")
Well obviously, it’s a stove lid made in Asia (bamboo) for a toy stove. The manufacturer parsed wood-burning stove as wood burning-stove and bamboo was easier to work with. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/59 "2018-01-04T12:48:44Z")
I dunno what it is… But I have a suggestion regarding the photography: it’s best to include something that shows the scale of the object. In this case, it would help to lay something on the table alongside the mysterious whatsit. A pen, a set of keys, a coin, etc. Anything that we are familiar with, so we can judge the size of the unfamiliar object. And my guess for the object is that it’s a hangar of some sort. The hook part is too wide and awkward for hanging clothes…but maybe something with a strap could be conveniently looped over it. Maybe a pouch-style I.D. card that some employees wear around their necks, and remove at the end of their shift. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2018, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790/60 "2018-01-04T12:54:38Z")
> [@digs](#): > > With a site called Google (they say: “best guess: Ping Pong”) > > sigh… That’s what it reminded me of, a ping pong paddle for pygmies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-whatsit/805790.md?page=4)