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Found when cleaning out the garage. It slides to open up as shown in the photos.

Photo 1

Photo 2

blahdiblah
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Jason
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  • Are there any significant markings on it, a company name, or even model number? – MonkeyZeus Mar 29 '22 at 15:34
  • No markings of any kind including company name or otherwise unfortunately. – Jason Mar 29 '22 at 15:35
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    Is that white dust residue on the top of the plates? Maybe you're supposed to stick it in wet concrete and telescope the tool vigorously to bring air bubbles out of concrete? – MonkeyZeus Mar 29 '22 at 15:39
  • That looped handle is starting to look more like a hitch. Can you tell if the paint-wear is gentle (repeated use by hand) or mechanical (metal to metal contact resulting in metal scratches)? – MonkeyZeus Mar 29 '22 at 15:43
  • I honestly don't see a good way to effectively use that tool by hand without pinching fingers numerous times. I'm gonna guess it's an attachment for something bigger. – MonkeyZeus Mar 29 '22 at 15:49
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    no indications of wear more than what can be noticed in the photo. no other residue noticed anywhere. It is possible it was never used as well. The only idea I had was it could be used to drag in the lake to remove weeds but that seemed a bit of a stretch – Jason Mar 29 '22 at 15:59
  • A google search on ‘lake weed cutter’ reveals a wide variety of gizmos but nothing looking like that. – Jon Custer Mar 29 '22 at 16:37
  • It may be that the "closed" position is purely for storage. If so, then this might possibly be designed to rotate while being towed to aerate/mix the top couple inches of soil. – Carl Witthoft Mar 29 '22 at 16:59
  • when handling it and looking at it I would agree the closed position is more for storage than functionality – Jason Mar 29 '22 at 17:04
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    I've no idea either, but that isn't a very 'grab-and-rough-about' friendly handle. You wouldn't want to be stirring cement all day with a handle like that, you'd want something heftier & no square corners. Having said that, the slide mechanism is going to have a lot of drag in it for a repetitive operation. It doesn't look old enough to be pre-nylon bushes etc if it were. That leaves me with only one suggestion - Marge Simpson's hair brush. [sorry;) – Tetsujin Mar 29 '22 at 17:38
  • I can't see how this could be pulled in any way. It appears that pulling by the handle with any amount of resistance against the "rake" portion would catch the metal plate and close it up. Maybe it's for homemade pasta. Hang it from the ceiling by the loop, expand it out, then hang the pasta on all the zigzag hooks at the bottom so it can dry. – FreeMan Mar 29 '22 at 17:45
  • I was thinking it was a rope making tool but the one we used only had 9 hooks , that would be a bugger to turn, I don’t think it so though. – Ed Beal Mar 29 '22 at 19:37
  • One possibility (if you don't have a chimney) is to use it as a baler for leaves or coarse grass cuttings. Squishing the handle forces the plate down and draws the bars in. – Andrew Leach Mar 30 '22 at 11:07
  • What an excellent title! – Wayne Conrad Apr 01 '22 at 15:19

1 Answers1

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It's a NEUMAN chimney cleaning tool from 1929

This chimney sweep tool is shaped rectangularly to match the inside shape of the chimney, and the expansion adjusts to match a range of chimney sizes.

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To convince a spouse to keep it, you can rebrand it as a uniquely re-purposed flower stand:

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Value $103

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/838043669/vintage-orange-chimney-sweep-sweeper

and https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-chimney-sweep-cleaner-scraper-173534122

No additional brushes or bristles are needed. The zig-zagged bottom is the brush. According to its 1930 patent, "The lower ends of the scraper bars terminate with transversely disposed fluted portions 6, which portions form contact brush elements for engagement with the four walls or" the chimney."

enter image description here

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More details in the patent, at https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/bf/ca/9d/c4c933a9e6bf2c/US1775969.pdf

P2000
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    ...So, would this have had some kind of brushes attached to the ends of those zig-zaggy things? Or did you just scrape metal on brick directly? – Darrel Hoffman Mar 30 '22 at 13:35
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    @DarrelHoffman I imagine it would be used as-is to get the bulk of the soot off the inside of the chimney. Then you can use a brush if you don't think there is already enough mess everywhere, from my limited experience cleaning a chimney above a coal fire. – Andrew Morton Mar 30 '22 at 15:47
  • Did the etsy seller that you linked lower their price from $103 to $79 since you posted or why are you saying value is $103? – Dean MacGregor Mar 30 '22 at 17:18
  • @DarrelHoffman according to the patent (see above, I added) the ends are the brush. – P2000 Mar 30 '22 at 20:22
  • @DeanMacGregor yes it was listed $103 Canadian – P2000 Mar 30 '22 at 20:23
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    This was a good answer and got my +1. Now with the link to the patent, it's an even better answer, but I can't give it another +1. Please accept this pat on the back instead. – FreeMan Mar 31 '22 at 12:57