Hazard A Guess: Week of Sept. 11, 2008

Hello from Hazard!

We had to skip a week because of the Labor Day holiday (the early deadline passes before many of you have even read your paper), but we’re back in action this week.

Welcome to the many people who are reading Hazard for the first time. You know who you are: You picked up a free copy of Farm and Dairy at the Farm Science Review. We hope you like what you’re reading and hope you’ll become loyal Hazard-ites.
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Back to business. When we last met, we had to repeat Item No. 842, originally shared by Russell May of Lowell, Ohio. You came through with a passion to let us know that it was a tobacco grinder.

Our thanks to the following readers for sharing their response with Hazard-land: Dave Kier, Grafton, Ohio; Ron Hook, Masury, Ohio; Sam Troyer, Millersburg, Ohio; Richard Pollard II, Loudonville, Ohio; Barbara Kovach, Coshocton, Ohio; Gailey Henderson, Williamstown, W.Va.; Jon Powell; Elizabeth Chilcote, Mount Gilead, Ohio (who writes that her grinder has stumped just about everyone she’s showed it to); and John E. Daniel Sr., Zanesville, Ohio.

We must confess several readers thought it was a meat grinder, but this particular gizmo was used for tobacco.

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We had one more correct identification of Item No. 841, which was the big cutter used on big blocks of cheese. Thanks to Barbara Byler of Middlefield, Ohio, for sharing her response.

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Item No. 842 comes from Cecil Huck in McConnelsville, Ohio, who admits its a mystery Hazard item (meaning he doesn’t know how it was used). So, of course, who else can he turn to, but the faithful followers of Hazard a Guess.

It is on a long handle, not the original. The head of the tool has a 5-inch lever, which you push down to close and lip up to open. The prongs are 2-1/2 inches long. The whole head of the tool is only about 6 inches long. There are no markings, but Huck says it looks hand-forged.

All right, you guys, what is it?

Write to: Hazard a Guess, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460; or via e-mail to: editorial@farmanddairy.com.

And if you’ve got a Hazard-ous item in your shed, barn or basement, send us a photo or digital photo file, along with a complete description of the item and its use. You can use the contact information above, or even send a photo via our Web site.