Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 2)

[Kerry Beal]

That's what got Anna and I confused when we first saw this thing - it looked like one of those things to keep a roast warm - but we couldn't figure out the strange little holder. I also looked at it as something that could be repurposed to keep sugar work warm should I ever decide to go there.

Rotuts - you turn the whole mechanism to take the item closer to or further from the heat. One side will be under the heater while the other won't.

Yes I did see it in action. And some versions of this item have a mechanism to tip those little boats.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Creola]

Posted this over on the unusual and unknown kitchen gadgets thread to see who might hazard a guess about it.

Are there any sort of labels or tags on or under it?

[Kerry Beal]

Indeed - a hint would be TTM-SA.

[DesertTinker]

Indeed - a hint would be TTM-SA.

Ah, a raclette. Very cool toy. when's the first raclette party?? :wub:

[Kerry Beal]

Ding, ding, ding! Just need about $100 worth of cheese to make it work.

[DesertTinker]

Ding, ding, ding! Just need about $100 worth of cheese to make it work.

Eek! Guess you would need a whole (or at least half) wheel of cheese for it to fit properly.

[Kerry Beal]

Ding, ding, ding! Just need about $100 worth of cheese to make it work.

Eek! Guess you would need a whole (or at least half) wheel of cheese for it to fit properly.

Yup - at least a half. That's pretty dear in Canada.

[rotuts]

prop some cheese up on something else that fits in the slot a least once before it moves on ...

pics always appreciated

[thock]

Ok, a few months ago, I went to an estate sale with my partner. I went through the 50-cent bin in the kitchen, and came away with some interesting items.

I have no idea what the items on the left are, but the bunch was 50 cents. I theorize that they might be for crab legs (digging meat out) or for grapefruit, but I really have no idea. They're aluminum.

Agh, posted before I was finished...

I got the two little silver spoons for 50 cents and a dollar. I can't tell whether they're plated or sterling, but they were cute. I'm guessing they were for salt dishes, but I don't know. I'll probably use them for eating ice cream. Because, you know, the slower you eat it, the longer you get to enjoy it.

Edited February 10, 2013 by thock (log)

[ruthcooks]

Ok, a few months ago, I went to an estate sale with my partner. I went through the 50-cent bin in the kitchen, and came away with some interesting items.

I have no idea what the items on the left are, but the bunch was 50 cents. I theorize that they might be for crab legs (digging meat out) or for grapefruit, but I really have no idea. They're aluminum.

Agh, posted before I was finished...

I got the two little silver spoons for 50 cents and a dollar. I can't tell whether they're plated or sterling, but they were cute. I'm guessing they were for salt dishes, but I don't know. I'll probably use them for eating ice cream. Because, you know, the slower you eat it, the longer you get to enjoy it.

Items on the left look like shrimp de-veiners, but I've never seen them in aluminum.

[Kerry Beal]

Here you go aluminum shrimp deveiners.

[thock]

Items on the left look like shrimp de-veiners, but I've never seen them in aluminum.

Here you go aluminum shrimp deveiners.

Thanks, all y'all! I knew I could count on eGulleteers.

[andiesenji]

Nice nutmeg grater - I have one I use for Sap Sago cheese, which has to be grated finer than other hard cheeses...

Salt spoons are usually a bit smaller - those look like "demitasse" spoons - usually about half the size of a regular teaspoon.

[thock]

Ok, that makes sense, about the spoons. I'm guessing they're plate, and not sterling. I'll have to dig the magnifying glass out to see for certain.

The grater is stainless, and made in Sweden. This is only of interest to me because I have a Swedish friend who moved back to Sweden a while back, so anything Swedish catches my eye. I didn't see that the grater was from Sweden until I was laying the items out for the photo, though.

On another note, I was going through some of my things, today, and reacquainted myself with some items I'd forgotten I had, and some other items my mother gave me a while back. I have a three-piece Peter Rabbit youth flatware set that I remember using when I was a child. I also have a soup spoon with my first name engraved on it, and a toddler spoon and fork set that are silverplate. Those items I had when I was a child.

I also rediscovered a set of chopsticks, 5 pairs, in a box. It appears as if only one set has been used, or at least had the wrap keeping it together removed. I'm not sure if these are meant for everyday use, for decoration, or for special occasions. I got them either at a yard sale or a thrift store a long time ago. I'm half tempted just to display them. ETA: The box label has the words UTAGE IRODORI BASHI on it, along with some characters. I don't even want to speculate as to the nature of the characters, as I have no idea how to differentiate Chinese from Japanese. The chopsticks, however, appear to be Japanese style, with Japanese-style decorations. They're quite nice.

Sorry the pictures are so fuzzy. The lighting was not good, and I didn't have my "real" digital camera with me in the house.

I also have, packed away someplace, two rice bowls and accompanying chopsticks that my dad brought back from Japan before I was born. He gave them to his parents, and I got them when they were paring down possessions. I want to get them out and display them, too, but I would like to have something protective to display them in. I don't have any furniture that fits the bill, at the moment, so it may be a while before I can indulge that desire.

Edited February 11, 2013 by thock (log)

[jjahorn]

My wife bought me a set of 6 small glass bottles recently (seem to be from 1890-1910). The look very nice and I thought I would use them for whiskey, but there is a catch.

They have glass stoppers, and 2 of them are stuck. There is liquid in the bottles, and I've pulled and wiggled, but they won't come up.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking that heating it might loosen it, but I don't want to break them.

[thock]

You might try twisting as you pull. You might also put them in the freezer, overnight, then hold them by the neck to warm the neck, then twist and pull. The idea is to warm the neck, only, and not the stopper.

[kayswv]

My wife bought me a set of 6 small glass bottles recently (seem to be from 1890-1910). The look very nice and I thought I would use them for whiskey, but there is a catch.

They have glass stoppers, and 2 of them are stuck. There is liquid in the bottles, and I've pulled and wiggled, but they won't come up.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking that heating it might loosen it, but I don't want to break them.

What about putting a little oil around the edge of the stoppers and let it seep down the side to see if that will help you pull out the stoppers?

Kay

[andiesenji]

This happens a lot in laboratories. I have had this happen many times and I too have purchased antique bottles with "frozen" stoppers.

Buy some glycerin - mix it half and half with very hot - not quite boiling - water. Stick the top and neck of the bottle into the mixture and leave it until it cools to a "comfortable" temp.

You should be able to see if the liquid has penetrated the ground glass joint. If it has, try gently twisting the top.

If still stuck, heat the liquid again to near boiling, repeat the process.

Sometimes it has taken me four or five repeats but eventually the joint will loosen.

[jjahorn]

Thanks for the tip about the glycerin.

I tried it out, but had no luck. I did 8 cycles, and thought I was getting some progress because I saw some air bubbles, then I realized the bubbles were coming from the metal ring around the neck - not from the glass stopper.

[thock]

Have you tried the freezing, then warming the neck thing? Maybe now that you've done the glycerin thing, it will help.

Oh, just thought of something. Maybe boiling the bottle and using a hot pad to hold it will help whatever is inside to expand, possibly loosening the cap. If you submerge the whole bottle, it might work.

Edited February 19, 2013 by thock (log)

[Smithy]

Have you tried the freezing, then warming the neck thing? Maybe now that you've done the glycerin thing, it will help.

Oh, just thought of something. Maybe boiling the bottle and using a hot pad to hold it will help whatever is inside to expand, possibly loosening the cap. If you submerge the whole bottle, it might work.

I like the idea of getting trapped air to expand and help push against the stopper, but I'd be leery of subjecting glass that old to actual boiling water. Along those lines I suggest gently heating the bottle only - not the stopper - in warm liquid. The trapped air will expand gradually. In addition, as the bottle warms the neck should expand in diameter. If you can keep the stopper cooler than the bottle you may get that joint to release, or at least loosen enough to let Andie's glycerine trick work.

[BeeZee]

Sis gave me her used Krups Espresso machine, wasn't up to snuff for her Sicilian hubby. So it's sort of a "junk heap" acquisition, I wasn't going to buy one, but for free...

[Smithy]

Thanks for the tip about the glycerin.

I tried it out, but had no luck. I did 8 cycles, and thought I was getting some progress because I saw some air bubbles, then I realized the bubbles were coming from the metal ring around the neck - not from the glass stopper.

Jjahorn, have you made any more attempts? Had any success getting those stoppers out?

[jjahorn]

I tried cooling and warming just the area, and the glycerin again, but all I did was chip the corner of one of the stoppers. I've given up. They will stay in my whisky cupboard and look nice. I'll upload a picture next time I have the camera around.

Thanks for asking.

[judiu]

(bump) Isn't it yard sale weather anywhere yet?