Tool Quiz
We have a winner! Fellow Texas blogger and author of the Glovebox Stories series, Deborah, correctly identified the device as a film leader retriever. For those of you who cut your teeth in the digital photography era, back in the old days cameras used something called "film." If you need more background than that, check with Wikipedia. Anyway, one of the drawbacks to using film is that it is possible to inadvertently roll the film completely into its canister before you've used all the exposures. This little tool allows you to reach inside (in a non-destructive manner, Foo) and pull the end of the film back out so it can be reloaded into the camera. Interestingly, several of you commented on the "clicking" nature of the device, and that is exactly how you can tell when the film is in the right position to be retrieved: the leading edge clicks each time it's rolled past the device, and once you hear a solid click, you roll the film backwards to jam it against the device, close the device over the film, and gently pull it out. With luck (it never worked on the first try for me), the film leader comes with it. It's another one-trick pony of a tool, but it saved several rolls of photos for me over the years.
Update: OK, I can tell that you really don't have a clue, so here's a hint: this device has become practically obsolete due to changes in technology over the past few years. (Man, I might as well spell it out!)
The first person to identify this device and its use will receive untold glory. No, really.
It's a glutenating transducer. I'd recognize it anywhere.
Posted by: Jim at December 19, 2006 01:20 PMA "clicker" for dog-training purposes??
Posted by: sherry at December 19, 2006 01:32 PMStephen, are you in the habit of dismantling clicker toys? I'll bet your kids love that! ;-)
Jim, thanks for playing; we have a lovely parting gift for you, which, unfortunately, is lacking in untold glory.
Sherry, don't let Stephen lead you astray. He's a known toy demolisher.
Posted by: Eric at December 19, 2006 01:46 PMIt's a money clip. That clicks. No, it's a clip to insert in the back of a painting to hold it snug against the frame and allow it to hang nicely against the wall and, and, and...I've no idea. 8-}
Posted by: Gwynne at December 19, 2006 03:15 PMI looks like the door that you put on the water heater after you light the pilot.
Posted by: Robert at December 19, 2006 03:54 PMYou folks are quite creative in a sadly mistaken sort of way.
Posted by: Eric at December 19, 2006 04:21 PMPaint scraper. With integrated belt clip and automatic finger pincher.
Posted by: Brian at December 19, 2006 06:55 PMIce scraper???
Posted by: Janie at December 19, 2006 08:03 PMIt's a toboggan for newts.
Posted by: Jim at December 19, 2006 08:12 PMOh, I guess I missed the big technological changes that made ice obsolete and eliminated the need for newt sleds.
Posted by: Eric at December 19, 2006 08:24 PMThat's because you live in Texas. Here in the snowy east we know all about it.
Posted by: Jim at December 19, 2006 08:28 PMThis has been driving me crazy, but isn't it the tool used to retrieve a film leader that was wound back into the 35mm cassette when you need to swap film before the whole roll is exposed.
Posted by: Deborah at December 19, 2006 09:29 PMDeborah, it was your comment on the hawk photo post that gave me the idea for this quiz...and you're exactly right!
I've had this film leader retriever for more than 25 years, and I've needed it only a handful of times. But it's one of those things that, when you need it, you really need it. Good job!
I'll update the post when I find time and explain more about it to those poor souls who've never encountered a classic tool like this. ;-)
Posted by: Eric at December 19, 2006 09:36 PMIt's been about 25 years since I used one myself. Never owned one. But I had access to a darkroom if I needed to fix a roll of film. My problem was usually the opposite: sometimes I failed to roll all the film up inside and would shoot the same roll twice!
Posted by: Deborah at December 19, 2006 09:51 PMYou go, Deborah!!
Posted by: Janie at December 20, 2006 01:22 AMI guess I was doing it wrong. The only way I knew to get the film out of the canister was to use a churchkey to pop off one of the ends.
Posted by: Foo at December 20, 2006 08:32 AMNot wrong, Foo, just...um..."differently accomplished." Yeah, that's it.
Posted by: Eric at December 20, 2006 09:00 AMHow much better is life, that I can have a film roll the size of my toenail that has 500+ exposures?
Posted by: Scott Chaffin at December 21, 2006 10:23 AMAbout the publisher
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That's a tool? Reminds me of the innards of one of those little alligator click toys.
Posted by: Stephen Shores at December 19, 2006 12:30 PM