Dental (TOOL) question.... is this 'dental silver'?

[Richard]

104 grams, about 3.66 ounces.

Great! And the dimensions are 2x0.75x0.75", or...?
(I'm really curious now.)

5/8 x 5/8 x 2"

(.6275x.6275 x 2" long)

When I put the jaws on it (micrometer) the end cuts align VERY straight with the jaws so doubtful that the ends were cut by hand. It appears to be very squared up.

 

[Richard]

Also, there is a VERY 'smooth' feel to the smooth/shiny portions.

 

[ponytug]

5/8 x 5/8 x 2"

(.6275x.6275 x 2" long)

When I put the jaws on it (micrometer) the end cuts align VERY straight with the jaws so doubtful that the ends were cut by hand. It appears to be very squared up.

That would put the density at about 8.1g/cm3, close to steel (7.86), almost exactly M2 tool steel, and much lighter than silver (10.5). Sorry.

Densities of the elements (data page) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Density of Steel

Here is a photo of a dental hygienist sharpening a tool on a block of steel with a groove.

All the best,

Peter

 

[dmccarty]

Since the Mystery Metal is not silver, there is only one other possible answer...

The Mystery Metal is obviously of Alien origin, and the Alien Mystery Metal, is used as a marker, known as the AMMM(Alien Mystery Metal Marker) in the trade.

The AMMM(Alien Mystery Metal Marker) is placed in fields by an advanced party of aliens....

A follow up team of aliens find the AMMM, retrieves it for future use, Waste Not Want Not is a universal saying, and a pallet is left behind

Just Say'n.

 

[Richard]

and a pallet is left behind

Hmmmm...... there IS a field nearby....

 

[Richard]

Here's a close up of the end where you can see the two channels in it.

Maybe used to deburr something? Be nice if we had an old time dentist here.

 

[Richard]

Next pop-quiz... This one also puzzles me. Let's call this 7 1/2" long and 7/8" (outside diameter) on the tube.

Look FAR left, there is a screw on cap. Let's take it off. (comes right off even after 30 years in the dirt)

Here's the cap in front.... it's a cover. Look at the 'knob' on the far left. It reminds me of a nose sprayer AND it's spring loaded. Let's look at the tip a bit closer...

Here's the tip. You can just see the spring under it (that is still intact) allowing the tip to compress in just a bit and then spring back out. The tip does NOT lock in any way, simply spring loaded.

Let's go to the next threaded piece, roughly halfway down.

On the backside of the left piece....is essentially, a piece of material, felt, sponge.... SOMETHING. I'd liken it to maybe a spy movie where the good (or bad?) guy has some ether hidden in this easy to hide tube assembly (maybe if you slide it up your hiney) The white part, soaked in ether so when they capture you they can unscrew the top, have you hold still while sticking the plunger into your nostrels to administer said ether into your lungs. Ok, I don't think that works very well but it DOES strike me as some delivery tool and this is the storage of said whatever is being delivered. You can see an attachment/holder piece at the base of the white part. This whole assembly moves against the spring located in the very top.

However, let's now look at the far RIGHT piece.....the handle. It ALSO has a spring in it. I don't really know why since everything on the left seems operational on its own. Also, on the far far right, is yet another threaded cap (this one is currently stuck). Could this be where the spys load this up with either or maybe moonshine?

This is some kind of metal that has been chromed. I can make out the name "Trilite" on it. I can't yet make out the word next to Trilite. It is also made in England


FOUND IT! Trilite Inhaler

Trilite inhaler • Museum of Health Care at Kingston

 

[Richard]

Last what I belive to be a pestle (of Mortar & Pestle fame) It's a frosted (presumed glass). Squared handle and the blunt end.

Now, the dental picks, scrapers.... I might have a rare use for so I'll put those into my toolbox. I'm scratching my head wondering what I might ever use this for.

Looks near pristine although there are several spots where there's a brownish tint where again, it was buried for 30 years. I haven't really cleaned it though. Pulled it out of ground, put under faucet and dried it off. That's it.


If it is NOT a pestle, then I'm clueless. Maybe this is the tool parents give baby girls so they can hold it and practice hitting their brothers over the head with it so by the time they're adults, they can graduate to the roller pin??

 

[ponytug]

Glass pestles were common, but that is an uncommon shape. Normally, they are quite wide and rounded on the end. Coors, of beer fame, dominated the market in the ceramic mortar and pestle markets later.

I think that your metal block had two grooves, one to sharpen straight dental pucks and one to sharpen curved dental picks.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Richard]

Wife says we're going to try to clean this mess up back in the woods (it really should be done, thee are HUNDREDS of beer cans strewn about where they were tossed into the shed (in bags?) and when the shed got smashed they blew everywhere. It's really a pile of junk. Her cousin next door (who's father along with my wife's father would be the ones who this all belonged to) anyway her cousin laughs and says "let someone clean it up after we're all dead & gone"

That is exactly what his father would have said. I don't agree with that sentiment at all but this IS going to be a big task for us. Have to clear a 'road' to the area. There are several 5' rotted out rotary cutters, a square bailer, push mowers and PILES and PILES of corregated steel which was the roof of the shed and the cover on some "buildings" they had there to keep things out of the rain.

There is a LOT of this metal which of course, also makes it a bit dangerous to be walking around so you don't slip on it or slice a leg on it.

mixed in and buried with all this junk....are these dental tools. Though I can't find any more in the same 2x2 foot area, there certainly might be more located simply 12 inches away or deeper in the same dirt I've been finding them in.....and of course these buggers have sharp, pointy ends on them which could put a good scratch or impale you should you hit them the wrong way.

There are tires, long conduit, toaster oven, tv, bed frame..... their private junk dump.

I really don't care for that mentality and am at a loss as to why two educdated men would do that on their own property (one a dentist, other a pharmacist).

The more I find back there, the more I scratch my head on their thought process.

(in part because on yet ANOTHER part of the farm was their OTHER junk pile where they tossed junk into a ravine, to include washer/dryer type stuff and other things I've NEVER (after living here for near 30 years) I've never walked into area to investigate.... it really bothers me to find all that crap.