Trousse/tool set mystery

Nagawarrior · 24th April 2008, 03:02 AM

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?

Detail of slot on side of tweezers. The chisel fits in there. Not sure if its meant to.

Montino Bourbon · 24th April 2008, 03:23 AM

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

David · 24th April 2008, 04:28 AM

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

t_c · 24th April 2008, 05:54 AM

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....

Montino Bourbon · 26th April 2008, 03:33 AM

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.

dennee · 26th April 2008, 04:58 AM

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.

Nagawarrior · 26th April 2008, 05:33 AM

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*

Montino Bourbon · 27th April 2008, 05:44 AM

Perhaps a nose picker?

josh stout · 3rd May 2008, 05:54 AM

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

Yannis · 3rd May 2008, 12:24 PM

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

David · 3rd May 2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josh stout

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

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

kronckew · 3rd May 2008, 05:23 PM

closest thing i've noted was a set for picking up pearls & other beads

Nagawarrior · 4th May 2008, 12:04 AM

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.

ariel · 4th May 2008, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagawarrior

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.

And where is the lemon squeezer?

24th April 2008, 03:02 AM	#1
Nagawarrior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Inland Empire, Southern California USA Posts: 160	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? Detail of slot on side of tweezers. The chisel fits in there. Not sure if its meant to. Last edited by Nagawarrior; 24th April 2008 at 03:13 AM.

24th April 2008, 03:23 AM	#2
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 301	Bullet extractor Looks like a kit used for removing bullets (Balls) from wounds, my guess.

26th April 2008, 03:33 AM	#5
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 301	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. Attached Images

26th April 2008, 05:33 AM	#7
Nagawarrior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Inland Empire, Southern California USA Posts: 160	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* Last edited by Nagawarrior; 26th April 2008 at 06:27 AM.

27th April 2008, 05:44 AM	#8
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 301	It is rather small.... Perhaps a nose picker?

24th April 2008, 04:28 AM	#3
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,123	I'm going to take a wild guess and suggest that it might have something to do with opium.

24th April 2008, 05:54 AM	#4
t_c Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: ca, usa Posts: 92	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....

26th April 2008, 04:58 AM	#6
dennee Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: College Park, MD Posts: 186	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.

3rd May 2008, 05:54 AM	#9
josh stout Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 407	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

3rd May 2008, 12:24 PM	#10
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	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

3rd May 2008, 05:23 PM	#12
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	closest thing i've noted was a set for picking up pearls & other beads

4th May 2008, 12:04 AM	#13
Nagawarrior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Inland Empire, Southern California USA Posts: 160	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.