Inherited a box of utensils and this scary-looking clamp was inside. It opens like scissors but has spiked plates on the ends. Looks medical?

A Piece of Culinary History

If it is indeed an antique ice tool, it’s a small but fascinating reminder of how daily life worked before modern conveniences. Ice delivery was once a regular service, and specialized tools were essential in the kitchen.

Instead of something scary, you may actually be holding a practical relic from a time when even keeping drinks cold required a bit more effort.

Before tossing it out, you might consider cleaning it up — it could make a unique conversation piece or even a decorative nod to vintage kitchen history.

Sometimes the most mysterious finds turn out to be clever solutions from another era.