20 Questions Whatzit

[Private Lugnutz]

This vintage...er, um...instrument (see Pic 1) was inside the cardboard box (see Pic 2) among dial test indicators, screw pitch gauges, and the like in the top section of a perfectly preserved machinists’ chest (see Pic 3) that I ran into at the flea market this morning.

It’s not unusual to find odd, personal items in toolboxes, but this thing is, without any doubt, the strangest thing I have ever found in a machinists’ chest.

I am dying to give some clever, funny hints, but they would all give it away.

20 ‘yes or no answer’ type questions only.

Go!

 

[crerus75]

OK, I'll bite. This looks like fun. Does the device get filled with fluid?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Among other substances, yes.

19 Questions Remaining.

 

[Farmer J.]

Just got to ask this, someone is bound to, so I may as well.. Does it go in to any bodily orifice in any living thing?...!
J.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yes! (And look at you, Mr. 20 Questions Expert, combining two questions into 1 and combining all creatures inclusively!)

18 Questions remaining

 

[Farmer J.]

Ha ha.. good game..
Veterinary or human?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Human.

17.

 

[Farmer J.]

Just one question this time... Is it for getting rid of ear wax?.
Mrs Farmer J suggests, as it may be quite tiny it could be for flushing out ears, and the folding 'little scoopy thing' on the side is for scraping out the wax.. If so, she says (loudly) that it could be useful to use it on me!!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

No.

I should've provided a sense of scale (it's 7 inches long), but I'm going to count that as a question, and not touch the last part of your post with a 10 foot pole!

16 left

 

[Farmer J.]

If that thing is 7 inches long and made to go inside somewhere full of fluid it's not coming anywhere near me!

 

[Roberts210]

Is it for enemas?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If that thing is 7 inches long and made to go inside somewhere full of fluid it's not coming anywhere near me!

Is it for enemas?

No.

15 questions left - and given the process of elimination, it shouldn't be too much longer now...

 

[Roberts210]

For a woman to douche?

 

[FJ 432]

Up your nose. A sinus sprayer?

 

[outofbounds]

Is it for collecting samples?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

For a woman to douche?

DING! DING! DING!

It's almost an antique (c. 1922)!

What the heck it was doing in a machinists' box - same time period, too! - I don't think I want to know!

 

[Roberts210]

HEY! What do I win?
I have a good buddy who is a OBGyn... I've heard a lot of... tales about tails.

 

[FJ 432]

Does it smell like fish or a summer's day?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Does it smell like fish or a summer's day?

I wouldn't get that close to it with your nose!

 

[FJ 432]

I wouldn't get that close to it with your nose!

Fair enough.

Probably was a great joke that was brought out as jest in some machinist's shop.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha. Weirdest find I've had in a long time.

 

[crerus75]

Gotta tell you, this took an unexpected turn. I love that it's called a VAGEX. I guess subtlety wasn't invented until after 1922.

45 Clinton Street no longer appears to be a valid address in Newark. It's between a TD Bank and a parking lot, it seems. I bet I drove past that spot a dozen times years ago, blissfully unaware of the, umm, interesting products that were once sold from the offices of the Northfield Sales Company.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I love that it's called a VAGEX. I guess subtlety wasn't invented until after 1922.

Ha. I had the exact same reaction.

 

[Provincial]

I bet it is missing the optional moulded rubber outer sheath.

 

[leg17]

DING! DING! DING!
What the heck it was doing in a machinists' box - same time period, too! - I don't think I want to know!

Doesn't every machinist have one?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

HAHA! Honestly, I was wondering for a split second there if and how he might've been using it as a parts cleaner.

 

[outofbounds]

I was looking at the toolbox!

 

[Copymutt]

You could have posted this whats it on a medical forum and garage guys would still got the correct answer quicker!

 

[kuehjo]

Ummmm - believe it or not, I'm a colorectal surgeon... and I'm not sure I want to touch this thread either....

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You could have posted this whats it on a medical forum and garage guys would still got the correct answer quicker!

That's the truth! Only 5 questions!

Ummmm - believe it or not, I'm a colorectal surgeon... and I'm not sure I want to touch this thread either....

That's funny, because I wore latex gloves. I handle cadmium-plated tools every day without them, but put a 97-year-old VAGEX in front of me and I get all hygienic right quick!

By the way, look what it does when you pull that lever. Ouch!! Reminds me of my surfcasting treble hooks! Designed to resist being pulled out.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

Makes sense to me. After you feeler, then screw pitch, it's time to douche.

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

[gungatim]

absolutely the weirdest whatzit thread on this forum...you win the strangest tool find award for the year!

now I gotta find one for my wall of oddities...

 

[MadMechMaster]

Two initial thoughts, that looks like a miniature Clog Hog, and maybe he was employed in the manufacture of this device and kept it for reference.

 

[Sevenhills1952]

My wife says maybe that tool chest belonged to a machinist woman[emoji16]

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...maybe he was employed in the manufacture of this device and kept it for reference.

Interesting.

My wife says maybe that tool chest belonged to a machinist woman

Not impossible, but unlikely for the 30's and 40's (which is the age of the chest and most of the tools). Unless she worked at the Bklyn Navy Yard or something like that.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm in Philly for a college parents weekend, visiting #4, and, Mrs. Lugz, who always likes to put something obscurely extraordinary on every trip agenda, had us visiting the M'u'tter Museum. It's all about the history of medicine and medical devices. I was hoping to see this thread's device or some even more archaic version - and plenty of other horrific looking instruments, and it did not disappoint!



In fact, I suppose as an either naturally occurring or marketing-inspired aspect, the very small, humble museum really plays up the macabre.



If you're interested in antique, annotated skulls of executed criminals and soldiers, pins, buttons and screws removed from intestinal tracts neatly stored and itemized in handsome blueprint chests, or cute books, plush anatomical pillows, and other gift shop fare, visit it on 22nd between Market and Chestnut. I HIGHLY recommend it. More pics attached.

 

[Pexto]

What the heck it was doing in a machinists' box ...

In this case, let's refer to it as a toolbox, please!

 

[dzahm]

I doubt any of us medical people would have known what that was. (and my grandfather was an ob-gyn back in the day) - but I suspect that was even before his time. It IS interesting tho-

 

[DAustin]

Is the other end of that threaded like a paint roller so you can stand way back with an extension pole ?

 

[Moldyjim]

DING! DING! DING!

It's almost an antique (c. 1922)!

What the heck it was doing in a machinists' box - same time period, too! - I don't think I want to know!

Perhaps it was a female machinist? A rare thing back then but possible?

More likely a proud toolmaker keeping a sample of his work.

I still have a sample female adaptor for a spill- proof urinal. I designed and made the mold for it back in the 80's. Ps, the company is still producing them from the same mold today.