r/whatisthisthing • • Mar 23 '26

Announcement The r/TraceAnObject subreddit exists to identify objects to help solve child abuse cases. New cases from Europol were posted recently. Please see if you can help.

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171 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing • • 9h ago

What is this paint can filled with rocks?

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335 Upvotes

It had a strong chemical smell. Left in my house by the previous owner.


r/whatisthisthing • • 8h ago

Open Random concrete square platform in the floor of home basement

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48 Upvotes

I work at a group home, which is an actual residential house that was remodelled to meet CRA standards (not sure if that’s relevant, but just in case). This spot in the house’s basement has always confused me. The sealed door is weird on its own—although I think I have a vague idea abt why it’s there—but I have no idea what the deal is with the square next to it. It’s the same material as the rest of the floor and is flush with it. About the right length and width for me to stand on it with my feet shoulder width apart. There is a mini freezer a few feet away from it, but I think it was installed some time after I noticed the platform. Haven’t noticed anything else running near the platform that I’d associate with needing it, and there are no others like it in the rest of the basement


r/whatisthisthing • • 1d ago

Solved! Found this while hunting in Utah, large cylinder tank with pointed end and what appears like a hollowed out inside

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1.8k Upvotes

I saw this thing while I was hunting for deer in the wasatch mountain range near mount nebo. I thought it could be an aircraft fuel tank? I saw a couple F35’s doing fly overs while I was there, probably coming from Hill AFB


r/whatisthisthing • • 8h ago

Open Metal object, heavy. Convex on one side. Concave on other. Found upstairs in farmhouse amongst collectibles from 1950’s. Shed at farmhouse is full of vintage farm implements and tools. Owner’s do not know what it is.

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9 Upvotes

Rusted on one side. Edges are smooth.


r/whatisthisthing • • 23h ago

Open Rubber tipped nib thing with white plastic notched handle.

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125 Upvotes

This item has shown up at our house and no-one knows what it is. Rubbery fixed non rotating chamfered pointed great rubber tip with a white plastic connecting body. No springs within.

Google image search is being unhelpful.

Anyone have an idea?


r/whatisthisthing • • 8h ago

Open Small green pellet that transfers blue dye

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6 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing • • 1d ago

Open Machined steel tool, 4”, with spiral groove and knurling

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46 Upvotes

Sold as paper drill from 1950s, but I can’t find a match online or figure out how it functioned. Was this made as a bit for a drill press? As part of a hand tool? ETA: the short cylinder that “caps” the assembly has two different internal diameters, one that matches the shaft precisely, and one that is larger. This might be a clue to function? ETA: the fixed end is stamped with the number 187; no other markings. Last pic shows the wooden case.


r/whatisthisthing • • 1d ago

Solved! Found this outside my work. 7” long. Plastic. One end screws off and there is are LEDs with batteries in that end. Has two notches of different widths cut out on sides.

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319 Upvotes

Title describes the thing. Found this outside my work. 7” long. Plastic. One end screws off and there is are LEDs with batteries in that end. Has two notches of different widths cut out on sides.


r/whatisthisthing • • 2d ago

Solved! Small colourful plastic rings/seals collected from Australian beaches?

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4.0k Upvotes

My local beach cleaning group has collected dozens of these over the past few years. No one can identify what they’re from! (Including various AI chatbots.)

They’re solid plastic, possibly part of a pull tab/ring, and at least some of them seem to have come from Colgate-Palmolive products. Are they from soap? Shampoo? What do they look like on the actual product?

It’s driving me crazy!!

Solved: https://plastic-bottles.ready-online.com/en/page/body-care-plastic-bottles.html


r/whatisthisthing • • 2d ago

Found at estate sale 7in bone cylinder with etchings of face along with grid of characters, wood base, and carved wood topper of seated human with drum or pottery with affixing hole in both topper and cylinder. Total height about 10 inches, very light

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157 Upvotes

My dad got this at an estate sale. No one there knew what it was or where it came from. The deceased former owner was a world traveler with items from everywhere so that doesn't narrow it down. It's light enough that it's possible it could have been worn with a cord through the holes in both the cylinder and they topper. The cylinder looks to be bone and everything marked on it is etched in. The topper and base are light but solid wood


r/whatisthisthing • • 2d ago

Solved! What are these small steel fishtail shaped things

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152 Upvotes

Found on street in California, in a location where (a) teenagers sometimes hang out and (b) electrical utility work was done. I asked some electrical linesmen and they did not know what they were. I thought they might be cutting or grinding teeth from some machine, but in that case they should be identical, but they are slightly shapes.


r/whatisthisthing • • 3d ago

Solved! Lightweight fibrous blob found on beach in South Africa

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2.6k Upvotes

Got this from a friend who found it on a beach in South Africa a few years ago. It is very lightweight, dry, fragile, and chalky. Has a fibrous texture almost like gypsum. Google AI suggested some sort of fat blob, but it is not waxy or soap like or greasy. It has a small barnacle attached and seems to be organic not synthetic. Other suggestions from Google are: dried golf ball sponge, dried geodia sponge, or some sort of coral. Would love a human expert to weigh in!

EDIT: this is the first time I’ve ever posted on Reddit and I definitely did not expect it to get this kind of attention! For those of you who haven’t been through the rollercoaster of a comment section, or are concerned about my safety, here’s some more information:
- I received this “gift” in a box of rocks and shells from a friend and I had no reason to even consider gloves at the time, but I thank you all for the suggestion!
- I have never been to South Africa and don’t live near the ocean and thus have very little experience with this sort of thing.
- for those suggesting toilet paper/wet wipes, yes it is possible, but please note that this thing did not burn.
- I’m more inclined to think (and hope) that it is a dried sponge of some sort. I have a jeweler’s loupe and it is very porous and less papery, and some sections look like dense bread

Thank you to those of you taking the time to be helpful rather than calling me stupid and asking me why I touched the thing with my bare hands-I truly had no reason to be concerned (until now).

EDIT 2: solved! User SA_Underwater suggested dried sea sponge, and I am inclined to optimistically agree based on the porous structure (like bread) and the fact that it didn’t burn.

A few other credible users with waste management and experience mentioned toilet paper, fatbergs, and wet wipes. Yes those are disgusting options and no one wants to admit they’ve been displaying toilet paper as decoration for 2 years, but it didn’t burn like dried paper would, and while it had a fibrous exterior, the inside was porous like a sponge.

Thank you everyone!


r/whatisthisthing • • 2d ago

This thing is made of brass, it's about 4 1/2 inches tall, weighs about 5 ounces, looks like if you remove the screws the bottom would come off where the screen is.

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54 Upvotes

A friend got this at a flea market because she thought it looked pretty cool, the seller did not know what it was either.


r/whatisthisthing • • 2d ago

Open What is this, found on beach. Wood, very very hard, 8" long, about 2" thick, brown color

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74 Upvotes

Sinks when placed in what. No matched via Google or AI. Likely marine?


r/whatisthisthing • • 2d ago

Open Is this an old car frame rail? It is about 6-7 feet long and made of iron. It has bolts holding it together I found it in the side of our river bank. It was light enough for me to flip upwards but I would think about roughly 50-75 pounds is the weight

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17 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing • • 3d ago

Open ! It consists of an elongated section (~6 inch) that appears to be made of rigid, transparent plastic, with a ribbed end. A metal cross sits on top of it with flat guard separates the two parts, somewhat like the crossguard of a sword.

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988 Upvotes

It was bought with a tabernacle from a religious reliques seller.


r/whatisthisthing • • 3d ago

Solved! Heavy metal gear thing roughly 5” across with protruding screws on both ends

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246 Upvotes

My father found this in his garage. No idea what it is or where it came from. A bit dusty but overall looks unused


r/whatisthisthing • • 3d ago

Open Black hard plastic part, about 3.5 cm tall, hollow rectangular base with a round twist-lock nozzle and a small hole through the center. Unused spare part, found in Japan.

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20 Upvotes

Found this unused part at home in Japan. It looks like a replacement part for some appliance or household product.

- No markings or text on it

- Nothing moves, not electronic

- The round end has two small tabs, like it twists to lock into something

- Small hole goes all the way through

- Inside the rectangular part there are 4 small pins

It may be from an Amway appliance, but I'm not sure.

Any idea what this is?


r/whatisthisthing • • 3d ago

Open Rigid magnetic metal rod, approximately 6 inches long, with a curved hook at one end and a 90-degree bend at the other

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60 Upvotes

Found this on a bookshelf while cleaning. It is approximately six inches long, rigid, and attracts a magnet. Both ends are blunt, and the rod has a round cross-section. One end curves into an open loop, while the other bends approximately 90 degrees. It does not appear to be an automobile part. Its location didn’t provide any clues about what it came from because my wife found it in a “catch all” spot. Does anyone recognize its purpose?


r/whatisthisthing • • 4d ago

Solved! At an Airbnb, white multiple round dome flat topped things in ceilings, even as tall at 12 feet high

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358 Upvotes

Hello! I’m staying at an Airbnb and I’m curious what these are? There are multiple scattered in every room even two like 4 feet apart from each other and very very high up on walls. Since they’re all high this is the best one I could get. Ignore the brown dots on this one as the other ones don’t have that (probably moisture or something).


r/whatisthisthing • • 4d ago

Solved! Weird metal thing, no clue what it is

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269 Upvotes

Maybe about 2 inches long? Not heavy at all. It's been floating around my family's house for years and I only thought about it now. I don't even know who it could've come from.

EDIT: Solved! Cloth clamp for a picnic table.


r/whatisthisthing • • 4d ago

Solved! Two little red plastic knobs found in an electronics accessory box.

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660 Upvotes

Two little round plastic knobs I found in a box I was unpacking after a move full of miscellaneous electronic items. These were in a small non-descript white cardboard box and little foam baggie which looks like it's a pack-in accessory for some type of electronic device.


r/whatisthisthing • • 4d ago

Solved! Cap or top with a hook/ring attachment. 1 inch diameter and .75 in height excluding hook

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121 Upvotes

Found in an old tool box. It has some type of grove indented in it.


r/whatisthisthing • • 4d ago

Solved! Cat threw it up and I have no idea what it is. About 1.5 cm, silicone or soft plastic, flexible.

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227 Upvotes

Indoor cat threw up this piece and I don't know it's source. Yellow, flexible, looks like the tip of something? Doesn't seem to be from the automatic feeder, a toy or a vacuum cleaner.

Any suggestion appreciated!

Solved! Picture of the original part in the comments. Thank all of you for helping! Cat is ok and now it is verified he puked all of the missing piece.