Posted 7 years ago
forgegeeze…
(1 item)
I have had this thing for more than 20 years and still don't know what it is other than a conversation starter.
I have carried it around in a shirt pocket as my 'dumb question of the day' and found it cumbersome to carry or open.
The blade pivots on the copper rod bradded as the dragon's eye and only opens about 160 degrees.
The part that appears to be a handle has a grove under the blade but only the point farthest from the hinge touches.
The blade seems to be silver soldered to the brass backing and is edged, but not sharp.
It is beautifully crafted, but I have no idea what it was originally intended to do.
Any suggestions will be added to my thingamawhacker and whachamacutter collection of semi-descriptive engkish verbage,
Betel nut cutter .
It appears to be an antique betel nut cutter, part of the paraphernalia used in chewing betel nut (areca nut), a popular practice in Southeast and South Asia. Probably from Indian or Indonesia.
I agree! I just don't type fast enough....
Thanks guys, I've been asking other geezers in real Hardware stores about that thing for years.
I looked up the betel nut and found a picture of a cutter similar to this one.