Strange Looking Tool Has Internet Stumped Over What It Actually Is
At first glance, the objects looked intimidating. Some online commenters even joked they resembled tiny weapons or dental tools. Others offered more imaginative theories, including one tongue-in-cheek suggestion that they were designed to “find cavities.” But as it turns out, the truth is far more wholesome — and tied to a classic tradition many younger Americans may never have experienced.
Walnuts in a Black Bowl, Photo Credit: Pexels
The puzzling tools are nut picks, a once-common companion to the traditional nutcracker. Long before pre-shelled nuts lined grocery store shelves, families cracked their own walnuts, pecans, and almonds at home. The nutcracker — a sturdy, plier-like device — would split the hard shell, but that was only half the battle. Extracting the edible nut meat without crushing it required a second tool, and that’s where the nut pick came in.
Nut picks are small, pointed instruments designed to reach into the tight crevices of cracked shells. With a careful hand, they allow users to pull out intact pieces of nut meat that cling stubbornly to the shell’s interior. Over the years, these picks were made from metal, wood, or even plastic, sometimes featuring decorative handles or ergonomic grips for comfort.
