Hazard A Guess: Week of July 3, 2003

Hello from Hazard!

Confirmation on Item No. 682 as a fencing tool came from Harry Stoops of Fombell, Pa.

He not only has one (stamped Republic Fence), but has used it many times.

Stoops says it makes eye splices on the end of a wire and also splices pieces of wire together. After bending your wire into a loop, you make one turn over the longer wire end with the short wire end.

“The tool then ‘hooks’ over the long wire and the small cutout part is brought over to bear against the short wire,” Stoops writes. “Then, wrap the tool around the long wire four to six times to make a tight, neat splice.”

Many thanks for the final say on Item No. 682.

item No. 683 might have stumped readers for one week, but not for two.

We quickly heard from Don McCuen of New Galilee, Pa., who was right on target with his answer: It’s a “sheep shearing chair.” No, not for the shearer, but for the sheep to be shorn.

The sheep is placed in the seat in the position desired for starting the shearing, and is not changed during shearing. Instead, as the clipping progresses, the platform revolves.

Ethel Bartholomew of North Benton, Ohio, and Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Pew of Coshocton, Ohio, also wrote in with the correct identification.

This week’s item comes from Joseph Betz of Library, Pa. It measures 24 inches long and is approximately 3/4 inch in diameter. The clamp measures about 4 inches each way.

Think you know how it was used? Send your responses to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to: editorial@farmanddairy.com.