Trousse/tool set mystery
 

Looks like a Chinese trousse, but its a tool set. What the heck was it used for? Consists of small knife, tweezers;ball shaped with notch, chisel. Any guesses?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...oussetoll2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...roussetool.jpg

Detail of slot on side of tweezers. The chisel fits in there. Not sure if its meant to.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_1314.jpg

Bullet extractor
 

Looks like a kit used for removing bullets (Balls) from wounds, my guess.

I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest that it might have something to do with opium.

Any signs that the tweezers could have been used for casting lead musket balls? Tweezers for casting, chisel to remove sprue, knife for knife's sake.... :shrug:

A bullet mold...
 

Is more massive, so it doesn't deform when molten lead is poured into it.

The first pic is of a bullet extractor; the second a bullet mold.

I'm inclined to believe that tc is onto something here. The 'mold' does look like, when closed, it would have a hole into which to pour molten lead. And lead's melting point is half that of iron.

I know that there are some (one-sided) scoop-type bullet extractors, as well as forceps, screw and gimlet-type, but it seems like an extractor that is expected to close around a bullet (naturally deformed by its impact) within a wound would be rather uncomfortable and hard to manage, given that the tool itself and certainly the room needed to wield it would likely be wider than the wound itself. The item shown doesn't look like it could be manipulated in the sense of scissoring it open and closed. It looks like you could somehow tie it closed, pour in the lead, let it cool, then pop it open.

I don't think it is a bullet mould, because of the diminutive size of this piece, and the "tweezers" is awkward to hold and close. You have to hold it near ball, to keep it closed. Medical use would be difficult for the same reason. Please see the new pics. I have a common ink pen placed for perspective.
I had an opinion from a friend, that perhaps it might be used to repair tack; horse riding gear. ??
Thanks,
Stephen*
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0359.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_0376.jpg

It is rather small....
 

Perhaps a nose picker?

I have a similar Chinese utility knife with a set of similar looking tweezers but no file. I was told the tweezers were for pulling out beard hairs, but I am not sure how reliable that story was. I have never seen the file included. I presume it was for sharpening.
Josh

Do the pieces fit exact in the scabbard? If not it is most possible they are not the original pieces of trousse.
Few days ago I saw a trousse with unrelative pieces

Is that a file? It looks more like a chisel. I don't see any rough surface for filing on the sides.

closest thing i've noted was a set for picking up pearls & other beads
http://www.widgetsupply.com/tweezers/jewelers/543TW.jpg

Hummm.
Maybe it's a oyster eating trousse. The chisel to open the thing, the knife to cut out the oyster meat and the tweezers to pick up any pearls left over. :D

And where is the lemon squeezer? :D