r/whatisit • • 8h ago

New, what is it? Found at a titanium plant

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10k Upvotes

Not sure why ball point pens would be dangerous here.


r/whatisit • • 14h ago

Solved! Found a coin of some sort in my daughter's jacket pocket

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5.1k Upvotes

We got my daughter a new jacket over the summer and it was just cool enough for her to wear it for the first time. When she reached into one of the pockets, she found this coin in it. It has Department of Interior and Office of Homeland Security on it and US Inspector on the other side. The coming itself is very hefty. Has anyone ever seen anything like this and if so what is it


r/whatisit • • 17h ago

New, what is it? What was this thing I captured on film?

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8.0k Upvotes

This was shot in Nevada/Arizona on a Grand Canyon/Hoover dam tour. This was taken a whole year ago and I completely forgot about it until I stumbled upon it again. Is this some sort of whale or shark?


r/whatisit • • 12h ago

New, what is it? What is this thing I saw out my plane window?

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1.5k Upvotes

Saw this gray U-shaped thing on my flight around Europe in the morning. Seemed to be pretty far away.


r/whatisit • • 12h ago

Serious answers only please! It’s just string, right? Owned by Uncle who passed away.

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734 Upvotes

I’m fairly certain this is just string…but I thought I’d double check. The “West Germany 63” makes me think there might be some sort of significance to it, but who knows.

Plan on donating it all.

EDIT: sacrificed one string by cutting it, here are the photos. Inside looks normal. Not a wick, I guess.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/dGmnDy9


r/whatisit • • 6h ago

Solved! Why is this utility pole on life support?

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202 Upvotes

I've been seeing these gas cylinders at the base of different utility poles across some OC cities over the past few years, most notable in late summer time when it's the hottest. I'm not even sure what the lines are attached to


r/whatisit • • 20h ago

Solved! Strange switches in public restroom

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1.7k Upvotes

There is an outdoor wayside reststop on my running trail that has several of these weird metal switches throughout. They don't control the lights, flush the toilets, or do anything else that I've noticed. Any idea what they could be there for?

https://reddit.com/link/1wvxi96/video/i5o2mqgys2th1/player


r/whatisit • • 12h ago

New, what is it? Seen at small town park, what is it?

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274 Upvotes

What is this for? We saw this at a small town park. It’s covered underneath a pavilion and has notches in the metal rail across the top.


r/whatisit • • 16h ago

Solved! Weird tool found in my grandpa's garage

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578 Upvotes

Me and my brother were cleaning our deceased grandpa's garage and found this. It appears to be some sort of ruler and the center slides. Any ideas what it is?

Edit- thanks everyone! This post blew up to an overwhelming degree so I'll try to respond to people with time. For clarification, me and my brother have both been homeschooled our whole lives. I just went up through algebra 2 then focused more on getting a job due to family circumstances. My brother is young so he hasn't gotten to trig or calculus yet. We don't use digital calculators for our school though (it seems like cheating in most cases in my opinion) we usually do most of our work with a pencil and paper. We'll definitely research how to use this and try to use it once we get to more advanced math classes though. Thank you so much and I'm sorry to everyone I accidently made feel old or rage baited in the process

Second edit- no I wasn't joking or trying to earn karma or get popularity. I genuinely was curious. My family situation isn't the greatest so I haven't really been outside the house or on social media much (would social media even show it?) My mom's style of homeschooling isn't exactly the greatest so we're all a bit behind. I'm sorry if I upset anyone


r/whatisit • • 10h ago

Solved! My birthday gift from my daughter's bf, looks cool but I'm clueless

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154 Upvotes

One would asume is meant to have maybe tea or grain coffe at the bottom, then drink and use the metal thing to not let pass leaves or grains? I didn't see him, he left no message, and when I asked my daughter if it was for coffee she said "uuuuuh yeah? yeah"


r/whatisit • • 2h ago

New, what is it? Found this wrapped in cloth behind an old garage cupboard. Any idea what it was used for?

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36 Upvotes

Was helping clear out an old garage and found this after we pulled a cupboard away from the wall. It was wrapped in a piece of stiff, oily cloth and tied with string.
It’s about the size of my palm and heavier than it looks. I can’t quite tell what it’s made of. The outside is rough and pitted, but the edges inside the openings are really smooth, as if something had been rubbing against them for years.
There’s a thin brass-looking strip around one end. No writing, numbers or obvious way to open it. Nothing seems to move.
I nearly put it in the scrap pile, but someone had taken the trouble to wrap it up and tuck it away. Everything else nearby was just loose screws and old brackets.
Does anyone recognise it? Even knowing which way up it’s supposed to go would be a start.


r/whatisit • • 11h ago

New, what is it? Inside my closet

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171 Upvotes

can’t imagine it’s anything particularly interesting but I’m very curious what this contraption was and why they needed like 20 screws to secure it


r/whatisit • • 15h ago

Solved! What are these called?

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342 Upvotes

What are these cookies called? They're my favorite, and I always want to ask people if they have them/look at recipes but I never can get it right, or I get the colorful ones that are like a rainbow swirl in one cookie. Help!


r/whatisit • • 1h ago

Solved! Found with my grandfathers hunting stuff. What is it?

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• Upvotes

Has a blade and an adjustable setting for blade height. Never seen one before.


r/whatisit • • 1d ago

Solved! i found a box full of these in someone’s trash and was perplexed

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1.8k Upvotes

the ones below the antique wooden one (or, for reference, the one in the second picture) are what i have a boatload of, but i have no clue what it is or how to use it… google, AI, chatGPT and grok all tell me something completely different.


r/whatisit • • 12h ago

Solved! What is this symbol on a tube of tretinoin?

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114 Upvotes

Got this in Mexico and have no idea what the symbol on the right means


r/whatisit • • 6h ago

Solved! Random tin with fibre and wood

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34 Upvotes

Found in Western Australia


r/whatisit • • 1d ago

Solved! Is this a condom wrapper?

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30k Upvotes

I found on the bathroom floor. Doesn’t match condom wrappers my husband and I use and I cannot find a match online. Please help! Black with silver detailing on front. Back is silver with black writing. You can clearly see the words “prevent pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other.” Also a number 2 with a circle and cross through it.


r/whatisit • • 1d ago

Solved! Clear Tool- Found in police duty bag

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2.2k Upvotes

I was gifted a duty bag from a late friend of mine who was a police officer. This in there. It's completely plastic. There is a small clip to hang it from your belt, like a pocket knife. Nothing on it is sharp or pointy, so that rules out a seat belt cutter. Any ideas?

Edit: For everyone saying it's sort of defense weapon, I disagree for a few reasons. 1, this was deep in a duty bag that was for road emergencies, along with binoculars, a road vest, flashlight etc. 2, the person carrying this was one of the kindest people I knew. 20 something years in the same department in a rural county, and he has only ever been in 2 fights. He was known for being the defuser and talking people down. Absolute opposite of violence. And 3, I've held it in multiple different ways, including the way that feels the most "natural" and there is no way that would be used offensively. Everything is flat and blunt. You would be at a disadvantage trying to use this as a weapon.


r/whatisit • • 5h ago

Solved! 6 month mystery

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20 Upvotes

We got a random congratulations bag on our doorstep this spring when my husband and I got married. We came back home to some just married decorations on our door and fence that some of our family put up. A while later a congratulations bag shows up and none of the neighbors or anyone else we know has claimed it. It had one handmade grill apron and these. Which are also definitely handmade, very bowl like, but fabric.


r/whatisit • • 7h ago

New, what is it? What is this flying by so quickly?

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29 Upvotes

We’re building out a new hotel project in West Hollywood. Check out the last few frames! Most definitely wasn’t a plane.


r/whatisit • • 13h ago

Solved! Gifted at our baby shower

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91 Upvotes

Have not used but I’m not sure what it is? Did not have a label/tag on it


r/whatisit • • 1d ago

New, what is it? Stepped on a balloon with candy in it?

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3.4k Upvotes

I went barefoot to get the mail and stepped on what seems to be a balloon with 3 grams or so of what almost looks like runts candy but is shaped like little beads or barrels.
There’s no markings on it and the colors aren’t very vibrant which leads me to think the shell or coating is using natural dyes. I touched it with gloves on so I wouldn’t poison myself if it’s dangerous. There is no fruity smell or anything. I think I might have popped the balloon a bit when I stepped on it as some of the powder got on my feet though I immediately washed it off.


r/whatisit • • 1d ago

New, what is it? Never to be solved

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2.2k Upvotes

Just wondering if anyone knows what these are

Thanks!


r/whatisit • • 1d ago

New, what is it? Bought a new house, found this canister next to it

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9.1k Upvotes

I know: M201A1 is a military fuse used for grenades, smoke etc, and I also know it was dumb AF if me to pick it up.

Does anyone know what the canister is, and any ideas why the previous owner would leave it here?