OH MY, ……. I sure didn’t expect that many responses …… cause I figured someone would identify it pretty quick like.
It is a “self adjusting” …… nut cracker …. which will “crack” the shell of any size nut from a tiny Hazel nut to a big ole Black Walnut, …… without crushing the nutmeat inside.
Here is how it works:
Looking at the 1st photo above, the handle is to the left and down, the cracking “jaws” are closed and the “self adjusting” slider bar (with the big holes in it) has slid to the left, …. which is at maximum height or the position for cracking the smallest nut or nut shell fragment that still contains a piece of nutmeat.
Looking at the 2nd photo (see below), when the handle is raised to the vertical position the “self adjusting” slider bar slides to the far right …… and the lower part of the cracking “jaw” (the part with the round depression in it) drops down to the lowest position ….. and the “nut” to be cracked is placed in that depression. There is plenty enough room to place even a 2” long Butternut (White Walnut) on its end in the round depression of the “jaw”.
With the nut resting in the depression of the lower “jaw” ….. and as the handle is pulled to the left and down …. the “self adjusting” slider bar slides back to the left …… which raises the lower part of the cracking “jaw” upwards (with the nut in it) …… until the nut touches the upper cracking “jaw” …… which stops the slider bar from moving any further ….. thus trapping the nut between the 2 “jaws”. Then, as the handle is pulled on downward the “cam” lug on the handle shaft forces the upper “jaw” downward about ¼ inch ……. which is enough to “crack” the toughest shell on any nut.
And it is quick too, ……. it will crack them just as fast as one can place a nut in position and crank the handle down and up. Even if you are “cracking” a box full of mixed ….. Hickory nuts, Butternuts, Pecans, English Walnuts and/or Black Walnuts. It “self adjusts” each time it is “cranked”.
