What is this thing?

July 31, 2005 7:49 AM

What is this thing?

This thing has been sitting on the kitchen counter at my inlaws' house for over a year, and noone in the family knows what it is. We are hesitant to throw it out because it may be important.

The two pieces are attached by a pin axle, and can rotate relative to each other. The disc part is mounted to a screw, and looks like the height can be adjusted.

Any ideas?

posted by alball to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Perhaps it's a piece of cabinet and/or drawer hardware?
posted by killdevil at 7:57 AM on July 31, 2005

Could be a cabinet lock, usually use them to keep small children out of cleaning products or other poisons. Most of the ones I've seen these days are plastic but it could be an older one.
posted by Captain_Science at 8:12 AM on July 31, 2005

"Maybe Over door hanger for hangars?"
posted by Morrigan at 8:17 AM on July 31, 2005

THe lady in that link doesn't know what it is but shes selling it for 10 bucks? What a nut case.

but yea... thats a tough one...
posted by crewshell at 9:18 AM on July 31, 2005

Yes, it's for holding coat hangers. I have something very like that in my Tumi suitcase. I can't tell you exactly where this attaches.

Hint for life: if you have something for a year and don't know what the hell it's good for, throw it away.
posted by Nelson at 9:21 AM on July 31, 2005

Better hint for life: if you have something for over a year and haven't used it, give it away.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:30 AM on July 31, 2005

It actually reminds me of one half of a mandolin, which is a professional slicer for fruits and vegetables. But it doesn't seem to exactly fit what I'm used to seeing. Look for the other half . . .
posted by jeremias at 12:02 PM on July 31, 2005

Even better hint for life: if you have something for over a year and haven't used it, sell it.

Hooray for capitalism.
posted by Count Ziggurat at 3:13 PM on July 31, 2005

Nelson was spot-on. It's a coat hanger thingie. It's supposed to maximize space by allowing mutliple hangers off of one hook.

yet another hint for life: if you have something for over a year and haven't used it, and then post on ask.mefi as to what it is... you have way too much time on your hands... :-)
posted by Lactoso at 3:28 PM on July 31, 2005

Response by poster: This has been sitting on the kitchen counter for a year or more, and has become an ongoing conversation piece. So no, I do not have too much time on my hands.

I am still looking for a definitive answer...can anyone provide a link to a page that shows how to use this thing as a coat hanger thingie?
posted by alball at 4:41 PM on July 31, 2005

alball, I was perplexed about usage the first time someone took a guess, but I thought for a minute and assume this is it:

You hang the loop end over a hook on the wall, so the L part hangs down and sticks straight out — then you just hang hangers from each little groove.

Just a guess. Can't imagine how you'd hang it over a door.
posted by rafter at 11:03 PM on July 31, 2005