March 2015 Mystery Tool A
A. Corn stalk cutter used in lieu of a hand-held corn knife when shocking corn. This allowed the worker to carry more stalks by having both hands and arms free. Item shown is missing a footplate and leather straps. Identified by Stephen Clemens, Mazeppa, Minnesota; Jo Gwinn, Helena, Oklahoma; John Wilding, Hermann, Missouri; Jackie Shanks, Garden Prairie, Illinois; Larry Whitesell, Tipton, Indiana; Bob Wittersheim, Saline, Michigan; James O. Wills, Lead Hill, Arkansas; John Seibert, Fountain, Minnesota; Bill Bracy, Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Dennis Bryant, Weston, Missouri; Leonard Keifer, Gaithersburg, Maryland; Harry Stubbs, Paola, Kansas; P.T. Rathbone, Marsing, Idaho; Gary Studebaker, Larwill, Indiana; Ken Hunter, Allerton, Illinois; Timothy Potaczek, Cornell, Wisconsin; Richard Bader, Middletown, New York; Dick Kates, Oakland, Iowa; Kenny Rutz, Pocahontas, Illinois; Urias J. Schrock, Medford, Wisconsin; Don Wolter, Brodhead, Wisconsin; Al V. Wheeler, Yorkville, Illinois; Ralph Farnsworth, New Haven, Vermont; Roger Madden, Sebastopol, California; and Harold Jehle, Baldwin City, Kansas. See patent no. 471,889. Photo submitted by Jackson County (Minnesota) Historical Society.
Patent no. 471,889: Stalk cutter. Patent granted to James W. Parker, Palmyra, Wisconsin, Sept. 8, 1874. This patent is an improvement on his original patent dated 1874.
March 2015 Mystery Tool B
A. Leatherworking bag punch used to make an elongated opening in leather for a buckle tongue. Identified by Angela Fields, Paris, Missouri; John Wilding; Larry Whitesell; DJ Hucker, Hopkinton, Iowa; Bill Bracy; Gary Studebaker; Joseph Kuepfer, Milverton, Ontario, Canada; Dick Kates; Urias Schrock; L.J. Bolhuis, Aplington, Iowa; and Lyle Schwarzrock, Poplar, Montana. Photo submitted by Ron Boldt, Platteville, Wisconsin.
March 2015 Mystery Tool C
A. Saw vise (or clamp) used when filing handsaws to prevent vibrations while sharpening saws. Identified by C.J. Shortridge, Dagsboro, Delaware; John Wilding; Richard Major, Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania; Larry Whitesell; Bob Wittersheim; Larry Ruebush, Good Hope, Illinois; Bill Bracy; Dick Kates; and Leon Huff, Columbia, Kentucky. See patent no. 288,376 for a similar piece. Photo submitted by Stan Koehn, Wichita, Kansas.
Patent no. 288,376: Saw clamp. Patent granted to George N. Stearns, Syracuse, New York; Edward C. Stearns, Delilah Stearns and Avis Mead, executor of Said Stearns, deceased, Nov. 13, 1883.
March 2015 Mystery Tool D
A. Unidentified. Photo submitted by Steve Sylvester, Centuria, Wisconsin.
March 2015 Mystery Tool E
A. Unidentified. Photo submitted by Richard Bader, Middletown, New York.