Puzzling 18th century pocket item. Need some opinions

[earl]

Brass 18th century pocket slicer or cutter with a hand crank. The platform inside the tube raises and lowers with the crank. The crank has a cutter blade as it loops around.   need some help on this one.   thanks alot,  earl

[sapphire]

Not knowing the dimensions I'm hazarding a guess on a cigar holder 

http://www.rkta.com.au/publish//specialty/js11feb/jewellery-1.htm

# 58

AN EDWARDIAN SILVER CURB-LINK ALBERT CHAIN AND CIGAR-HOLDER, graduated chain with 'T'-bar and swivel, silver cigar-holder case, W.Neale, Birmingham 1901, with 9ct gold-mounted amber cigar holder. Chain width 7.25 mm. Length 31.5 cm. Weight 28g. Case length 70 mm. Est $180-220

[mariok54]

Do you mean 18th century, or the 1800s? It doesn't look like an 18th c piece.

Am I right in guessing that the arm is attached to a screw, and that as the arm turns one way then the screw lifts or lowers the platform?

I have no idea, but I'm wondering what might have come in a tube shape that needed cutting....??

I have absolutely no idea why, but for some reason I'm thinking of chewing tobacco    But probably light years out.

[mart]

You used to have to cut both end of a cigar before you could smoke it. I was rolled from whole leaf tobacco !!  Looks like you inserted the endss and snipped it Its the perfect shape !!

[waywardangler]

sushi slicer...

[sapphire]

sushi slicer...

"Sushi" disturber!!
 

[waywardangler]

Shush!!!!

Actually, mart was real close, real close...

http://cgi.ebay.ie/RARE-CLIFTON-ANTIQUE-TOBACCO-COIN-CUTTER-TURNS-CUT-/110654909019
"THE ITEM IS TUBULAR WITH DENT TO LOWER SECTION FROM AGE/USE
TOP HAS A HANDLE IN BRASS ATOP A "SHARP" STEEL CUTTER BLADE
THE MECHANISM WORKS ON BASIS OF A TUBE OR JOINT OF TOBACCO
BEING PLACED INTO THE TUBULAR COMPARTMENT (first lowered down ready)
AS THE BRASS HANDLE IS THEN TURNED AROUND
THE CONTENTS IS RAISED TO THE STEEL BLADE - AND "CUT" OFF INTO
SHAPE OF A COIN SLICE - FOR USE - KEEP TURNING - IT KEEPS CUTTING SLICES"
OK, I am not shouting but the ebay seller that this was copied from was.

[waywardangler]

What were cigar "coins" used for?

[sapphire]

Chewing tobacco !!  Pop in a 'plug' and chomp away !! 

Gotta love that reference to a 'joint'   

[waywardangler]

Really? Chew a coin of tobacco? So some of the plugs came in a roll and you put it in a coin cutter and cut off a coin and put that slug in your mouth and chewed it? And that is why I never took up tobacco of any sort.

As a side note, I bought a STAR brand leather pouch for plug tobacco at an estate sale recently and there is still an unused plug in the pouch. I bet that is aged to perfection!

[sapphire]

Oops!! Think I was a little off there


"Simply slice up into small coin like pieces and place into your pipe"


Twist or Rope tobacco

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=543649

"Tobacco was once sold in long spun bunches called ropes or twists. You can still get them as a specialty item."

[KC]

sapphire, won't say what that looks like....

Remember seeing pics of tobacco like that!

Tobacco was and still is a big industry!

[mariok54]

If I had been right with a chewing tobacco container/slicer I'd have gone out and bought myself a lottery ticket! But I was close!  Amazing!

I can't quite work it out ... What does it look like, KC?   

[sapphire]

OK, now I am going to say it.........

You two are both shit disturbers!!
 

[waywardangler]

Was your morning constitution disturbed, sapphire?