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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173 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 9h ago

Solved! A bag of small numbered wooden blocks and fruit stones found in a Goodwill

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574 Upvotes

Found this bag in a Goodwill and couldn’t figure out what it was. Small wooden blocks were numbered with Roman numerals on their broad sides with I, III, IV, and VI. Inside the bag were peach pits or other seeds from a stone fruit.

A lot of teaching supplies were nearby so I figured it may have been some kind of educational tool or game. I didn’t purchase the item.


r/whatisthisthing 3h ago

Solved! Small black USB drive sized objects with USB circuit board inside, but will not fit into a slot due to design

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183 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 1h ago

Solved! What is the purpose of the indents in the walls of this former railway tunnel?

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Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 6h ago

Solved ! Shipped to me instead of what I ordered. Made of plastic and opens when compressed

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87 Upvotes

Ordered some shaped sandwich cutters on tik tok shop, this arrived instead


r/whatisthisthing 8h ago

Solved! My car tire was punctured by this metal piece on the road. I pulled this entire piece out of the tread which is why it’s bent. Maybe an awl of some sort? It’s sturdy and weighty for its size, has an etched diamond grip mid shaft, and has two metal wire looking pieces coming out of one end.

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60 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

Solved ! What is this black plastic clip on my drying rack with small oval holes? It can’t be for hangers as they’re too close together for that

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497 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 5h ago

Solved! Black plastic cover/clip found in the footwell of a Fiat 500

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8 Upvotes

It was in a car I inherited and I don’t think it’s part of the car but I’m not sure before I toss it. Made of cheap black plastic.


r/whatisthisthing 1h ago

Likely Solved! Small plastic knob, green, ~11/32” (between 8mm & 9mm) diameter, fluted with small male threaded end. Found while picking up my brass casings at an indoor firearm range.

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Upvotes

Visual description: First photograph is an image of a small green plastic knob on a cut piece of spruce, facing the "front" of the knob. Second photograph showing the same green plastic knob, mostly sideways, showing the fluted section as well as the shorter threaded section, also on the end grain of a cut piece of spruce wood. Third photograph showing the same green plastic knob sideways in front of a US.Customary System wooden ruler with the left side of the knob at the number three mark and the right side between 5/16" and 3/8", also on the end grain of a cut piece of spruce wood.


r/whatisthisthing 19h ago

Solved! Heavy ferrous metal object with a bolt in the center from electrical or industrial equipment

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83 Upvotes

Heavy metal object with a large bolt in the center. Bolt does not screw all the way in, exactly 1" of the thread is left exposed. It weighs almost 18 lb.

I picked this up at an estate sale where the owner was an electrician, possibly a lineman or some other related trade.

ChatGPT said it was likely a part from a large welder or another industrial machine involving magnetism, but I am curious what it might have been.


r/whatisthisthing 20h ago

Solved! What is this palm sized circuit board with led display, it was found in my IT parts closet and I can't remember where I picked it up.

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52 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

Solved ! What is this can found at a thrift store? Spirit of Excellence. Not full very light and something inside rattles.

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2.7k Upvotes

Looking for any information or leads on what this can is. Can says skunk works but not much else for identifying. Found in Alaska at a thrift store


r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

Small 3.5ml plastic container with blue liquid

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50 Upvotes

Someone I live with found this outside our house. We live semi-rural so it’s unlikely to be a strangers, but none of us recognize it.

It’s clearly marked 3.5 ml, if that helps.

I know someone on this subreddit found something similar and decided it was a medicine ampoule, but theirs was glass. I’ve never seen an ampoule in plastic.


r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Open ! Trying to identify the object embedded in this bone I found on my beach in PNW. Looks like a bullet but with an orange thing in the middle.

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1.7k Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved ! What is this blade like object on a urinal!?

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1.8k Upvotes

Seen in a victorian era pub / club in Preston, Lancashire.

The only explanation I can think of us it to scrape mud off your boots?


r/whatisthisthing 5h ago

Open Uncovered in hole near broken drainpipe - metal bracket, 6” wide

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0 Upvotes

Digging a hole at the front of my home (UK) to uncover broken drainage pipe (lump of clay pipe in lower left of pic) and this lump of metal is in the ground. Multiple holes. About 6” wide. Length unknown as I haven’t been able to excavate down to its base. What on earth is it?


r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

Solved! Metal item curiously shaped, found on the floor in my bedroom

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61 Upvotes

My bedroom is a bit congested and the floorspace is sparse. I also have a computer in a semi-assembled state, and other electronics, and lots of books. None of these have a small part like this


r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

Solved! Cast Iron, open one end with the cast lugs (26cm high, 16x22cm open end), found near a farm in Surrey, UK

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142 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

Solved! what are these small cup sort of things made of paper in a jar?

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155 Upvotes

found sitting on a piece of furniture out for trash in NYC


r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved! White wire rack, sits at an angle, was left inside the dryer in my new apartment

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651 Upvotes

I moved into a brand new apartment (first tenant ever with all new appliances). This was inside the dryer when I moved in. Not sure what it's for. Any input is appreciated! Thank you :)


r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved! Tiny pink circles all around my house, mostly in my bedroom

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1.1k Upvotes

They are flat, don't disintegrate in water, and I can't rip them with my nail


r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved! What are these gray-painted, hook looking things on the outside of the window?

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322 Upvotes

Walking downtown and looked up to see these. I figured they could be used to run a clothesline or something, but it's a commercial building, not an apartment, and they're placed on the top part of the window, which I don't believe was meant to open.


r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved! What is this velcro and neoprene thing?

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183 Upvotes

About 2 feet long.

Has an elastic going over a hole, and two movable velcro straps.

Could be part of something bike/helmet related-- husband thinks it showed up around the same time.

Very old, very fat Thom Merrilyn, for tax/scale (he's on a r/dechonkers diet; this is lighter than when we got him!)


r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved ! What is this thing I found in a box at a deceased relative garage? It's 60cm long, very heavy, and is attached to a three-phase motor.

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193 Upvotes

r/whatisthisthing 2d ago

Solved! What is this thing? It looks like a small crane on top of a truck that connects two parts of a field(?) it's approximately the size of three traffic lanes and at least 5m tall. It hasn't moved in at least a week.

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881 Upvotes