Kitchen Tool?

or medieval torture device?

Bob del Grosso was kind enough to send me an email today asking me if I had any idea what this was...

The concept of which drove me nuts all day, as well as some chefs here. I was walking around campus all day with a picture of this "device" asking every chef, instructor, and stewarding personnel I could find if they had any idea what it was.

So far a general consensus of folks has been its one of three things:

A) A device used to open shellfish and mollusks

B) A device used in Ice Carving

C) A medieval torture device (You'd be surprised at how many times I head that throughout the day)

The one thing that leaves a lot of questioning is the clasp looking piece at the head of the handle.

Thanks to Tyrone B for finding this oddity in his kitchen aboard Mercy Ships and driving us land lovin cooks bonkers with it. Why suffer insanity alone when you can share huh Tyrone?

Heres a few more shots of the "Mystery Tool"..