MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Stanley]

Not a cross cut, its a rip saw and the pattern used in pit sawing. Nice clue.....

[plaques]

Stanley's got it. It was a saw that Mrs P and myself used to dispatch a 50 ft beech in the garden that had died. The wood lasted nearly 10 years. Next please.

[Tizer]

Nobody seems to have mentioned Plaques using the phrase `top dog'. The top dog was the man who got the cleaner job when pit sawing, standing above the pit; his mate, perhaps an apprentice, was the underdog, standing in the pit and getting covered in sawdust.

[Stanley]

I said it was a nice clue.... Try this one...

[Gloria]

Was I right about the moleskin Stanley???

[Tizer]

A hydrometer of some kind.

[Stanley]

Sorry Gloria, yes, spot on. A small folded pad lasted for ever and gave a lovely finish to a wiped joint in lead pipe.
You're right Tiz. Any speculation as to what it was used for? Clue.... it has NALFLOC on the stem.....

[Tizer]

I mentioned it to Mrs Tiz this morning and she immediately said "Milk!" and reminded me of your dairy job.

[plaques]

People must be reading OG with their blinkers on.Some really interesting stuff in Stanley's other subjects which will give you a clue.

[PanBiker]

Indeed, that's why I haven't posted

[Stanley]

You are all being so polite and stepping back to allow others to have a go first. The answer is of course in 'Steam Engines and Waterwheels'.... Mrs Tiz was getting very close, it's not for milk but for testing the specific gravity of boiler water to calculate the dissolved solids in parts per million. This gives you something to base the amount of water treatment on. This in turn cuts down on scale in your boiler and makes for more efficient running. NALFLOC was the trade name for the division of ICI which dealt with chemicals for water treatment.
Next for shaving.....?

[Stanley]

Try this one.... The clue is in the red line at 20C.....

[Marilyn]

Jam thermometer, showing setting point?

[Stanley]

Dead right Maz but a very specialised use.... What was it for....

[plaques]

Most metrology labs took their reference at 20C /68F. With the thermometer being made from stainless steel (rust resistant) and roughly 1" wide its probably associated with the hydrometer measurements that you had on the other day.

[Stanley]

Sensible P but no nearer, I think I shall have to knock this one on the head, it's too esoteric. It's a special thermometer that sat on the edge of the tray holding developer when wet processing prints. The tray was sat on a thermostatically controlled heat pad and the thermometer let you see that you had the levels set correctly.

Try this one....

[Cathy]

Chamois leathers. You've probably had them for decades and looked after very well.

[Stanley]

That's right Cathy. Any idea what I used them for?

[Cathy]

Drying washed windows?

[Gloria]

Cleaning filthy dog. Dunk leather in very hot water, ring out thoroughly and rub over wet and muddy dog.......instant clean and pretty dry dog?????

[Wendyf]

I found this lump of iron in the field while playing with my new metal detector. It's 6cm across the broken side, 2cms deep and quite heavy. I think I have worked out what it is.....does anyone else know?

[Cathy]

A spear head.

[Gloria]

Tooth off a plough???

[Wendyf]

Nope, it's quite a solid little item and not sharp enough to be a spear though it could make a lethal weapon if it was thrown in anger! Think more on the domestic side of life...........perhaps the lady of the house hurled it from the window whilst having a hissy fit!

[PanBiker]

I'll hazard another guess, if not a plughshare lets try the tip of a soleplate from a smoothing iron, (dashing away with)?