1

Found in an old garage. Thin layers of copper not very weighty A: It’s a decorative ball

2

What’s the orange thing on this motorbike? It’s attached to the front brake and hooked to the handle A: Disc locks are quite small and either easily forgotten by the owner or not noticed by a potential thief. If you move a bike with the disk lock attached you can easily damage the brakes. The cable hooks round the disc lock and over one of the levers as a reminder to the owner that it needs removing before they ride off. Also it indicates to anyone trying to steal it there is a lock on the wheel.

3

Kitchen utensil I’ve had forever I just don’t know what it does or how to use it. A: Corn stripper

4

What kind of antique scissors are these? A: Bettlenut scissors

5

What is this small round object poking out of the wheel arch of this Adelaide City bus, I’ve not seen it on any other busses A: It’s a guided bus

6

It is about 12 inches long, made of wood, and wrapped in leather. Maybe something to do with boots? A: It’s a boot jack

7

Thought this might be for candles but the holes are rather small and I don’t know why one side is elevated above the other. Any ideas? A: Looks like a manorah (sp?)- like the Jewish Hanukkah thing

8

Found in an old house built in 1914, the little gold pins spin if you pull the red cord through. Made by siemens btw. A: Razor blade sharpener

9

What is this green round object found in my grandparents garden. It is made out of plastic with a round plate and a separate cylinder on top of it and two straw like pipes both on top and bottom. A: That’s a slug trap.

10

What is this small rubber thing I found in my throat when I coughed up a loogie after I woke up this morning? Earring for scale A: A gum massager that broke off of a powered toothbrush.

11

Flying over the Rocky Mountains I noticed horizontal lines across the snow on many mountainsides. What would cause snow to melt/accumulate in this pattern in the mountains? A: Snow fences to control wind drifted snow in avalanches prone areas.

12

I see these in tarmac pavements (sidewalk) everywhere. Always wonder what they are, what their purpose is. Possibly UK specific. They are approximately the size of a 10p piece. A: They are surveyors nails.

13

Found in deceased WW2 Veterans Toolbox, no clue what it is but the guy loved woodworking. A: It’s a fire starting kit

14

What is the purpose of this thing in the middle of the ashtray? A: Matchbook holder

15

Friend was given about 100 of these. About 30mm wide and 30mm tall. We think they may be to do with sewing but Google turns up nothing. A: The large hollow in the middle is to store the knotted end of the cord or drawstring. I have never seen this particular design, but I’ve seen similar ones.

16

What is this structure under a jetty? A: It is an art installation.

17

I found in the trunk of my car? it’s dry and brittle. falls apart when you touch it. A: Looks like a dried whelk egg case.

18

Steel rod sticking up from living room floor, it’s about two inches tall and can be moved left or right. A: It’s the gas fireplace globe valve.

19

Concrete tower about three feet tall with a metal ring attached to the top. Another concrete block next to it, but shorter and no metal attachments. Found outside a home (adjacent to the street) in a historic district in Georgia, USA. I’ve seen similar things in front of other homes in the area. A: This is from back in the horse and buggy days. The tall “tower” with the ring on top is a horse hitching post. The shorter block is a mounting block, to help someone getting in or out of a carriage or getting on or off a horse.

20

Found in a work room. Filled with the small copper cap things shown at bottom and dispenses them out of the end. End is squared and sharp. A: Percussion caps for a muzzle loader firearm.

21

Moving into a new apartment and found this on the wall. It seems like a plastic plate that’s just hollow inside the opening. What could this be for? A: It’s a port for hiding cables in wall

22

Found in backyard outside Atlanta GA. Hard and clumped together A: It looks like some kind of oak gall, possibly an oak apple gall.