Featured Anyone identify purpose. Has us stumped.

All i have is this photo. I was told this is from Mississippi. The marks on the blade shows that it goes down into the blocks 3or 4 inches. Not sure if it is a cutter of some sort? Or maybe a crimper.

 

Err, you didn't to see Marie Antoinette running around there, did you?


(More seriously: I'm having a hard time telling where the blade is supposed to be.)

 

My DH guesses that instead of Marie Antoinette's head, maybe a head of cabbage to rough chop for sauerkraut.

 

When the handle is pulled, the blade lowers between the boards.

 

Does the blade have a sharp or flat edge?

 

Not sure, all I have is the pic. I’m guessing it is sharp and it slices through whatever is on top of the boards.

 

You need to be tall to work that handle?
I prefer the idea of sauerkraut to the chopping queens heads

 

Yes, you need to be tall, unless it is sitting on the floor.

 

Maybe something to do with sugarcane ?

 

Well I doubt it is for cabbage.
What ever lays across the top has to be somewhat of a right angle shape.
There is no way I would try to hold a head of cabbage as that "blade" comes down.

I think it is a bender/shaper of some kind. Although the left side isn't perfectly straight, seems to have a little curve to it.

 

So, I'm new to the forum, and I am taking a test run on something I have zero expertise in, for the heck of it. So what is this thing?....
First, cabbages won't fit in the slot. The blade won't rise 'up' to allow enough space for a cabbage, or anything wider than the space you see. So the object had to be flat.
Next, there is clearly black oxidation on the 'blade' that extends along the full width of the "L" shaped surface, contrasting with the brown of the iron. That suggests the whole width of the blade surface was used, so the object was flat AND wide.
Next, what shape was the flat and wide thing? Probably L shaped because why else would you need that reinforced surface (looks like a metal plate over the wood which the blade would pass through.) If the flat wide thing weren't L shaped, it wouldn't fit, and the oxidation wouldn't be over the blade over the wooden slot posts. Plus the L has a little curve on on leg.
Next, the oxidation got there from something L shaped, flat and wide and MOIST. There are 'runs' over the bolt and wood that had to come from something dripping down. It might have come out of some other process a little wet. And the wet turns iron black, or cleans it, can't tell.
Next, if the wet wide flat L shaped thing had to be 'punched' over and over again, it would take two people to move it through the machine, and a third to pull the lever. I say punched, because the no sharpened cutting edge is visible. Not sure if a multiman operation is likely. Looks more like a one man machine. Insert, pull, and remove. Repeat.
Next, the lever was chest high. It's sitting on a table. You move it to the floor. So you 'press down' not pull down on the lever.
Next, was the wet, wide, flat L shaped thing hard or soft, or in between? If it was soft, then what are you punching? If it's hard, then you are 'slotting' or shearing something L shaped, and that would leave a slot at some distance from the ends if the width was wider than the blade. But the blade is wider than the thing, so it must have sheared an end off a metal L shaped piece if it was pushed fully down. A metal of any sort can be slotted or shaped with enough force, and it would be man powered here. Must be relatively soft and thin metal. You might wet to reduce friction, but not likely. Tin or copper roof panels maybe?
If it's 'in between,' it could be leather. Leather gets tanned and is wet when it comes out and if you flop it through and over the L supports, it would shear off what ever 'scraps' you want to remove, like tails or legs. Seems rather awkward to do that fast given the small slot.
More likely 'portable' than industrial, looks more agricultural than industrial too. Small operation. That's all I can see for this little challenge.

Best guess, metal roof panel shearer, or used in leather trimming in a saddle shop.

Have you tried searching the Patent office records online for similar cutters?

 

Pull down on that big wood handle & the blade will rise up to the top of the side 'guides' - not that I really think it is used for cabbage but the space between the blade & the bottom "V" would sure be big enough. JMO

 

I think the “blade” is at or near the top of its travel. I wonder if this is operated with hands and feet simultaneously?

 

The blade has to be at the 'bottom' of its travel - look at that long arm sticking up & the deep 'run' it can make if you pull down on it.

 

So you’re saying the blade is going to go up when you pull the handle down?

 

The blade is clearly up in the pictured position

 

How big is it?

 

two things in the picture support the blade can't go up any further: 1) there are no grooves in the blade guides above the blade (only below it), and 2) the fulcrum is on the very end where the metal bar and pin are opposite the handle end so the handle would have to go further up, not down. (Plus you can see the guy stretching to hold the handle up)

and, I recant on "wet" - that might be a red herring. In the closed position, the notch of the blade rests on the bolt in the center of the supports; in that position the wood may have caused the oxidation, as opposed to oxidation by operation, since the wood stays moist. And the white runny stuff, might just be pigeon poop. Depends on where it was kept in Mississippi, like a barn.

 

Welcome, @Dawnno , and thanks for sharing the detailed analysis!

 

With the way the "blade" is set up, wouldn't the right side (as we are facing it) go into the slot before the left? In other words, it wouldn't drop down straight.