16 Things Very Few People Know the Real Purpose Of

When we were small children, our parents would answer our “why” questions. But now when we see something unusual, we’re more likely to post our questions online.

This is exactly what the people from this Bright Side compilation did. They posted photos of their finds in Reddit threads and satisfied their interest.

1. “My mom asked me to ask.”

Answer: “It’s a blade holder for a slap chop or something similar.”

2. “I ordered a solder flux but got this instead from Amazon. What is it?”

Answer: “They’re corner protectors for ratchet straps.”

3. “Found this under my bathroom sink hanging around the pipe. What is this?”

Answer: “This style of clips is often used with a metal or wooden stake as plant support — especially for orchids.”

4. “Anyone know what this is? It’s from Japan.”

Answer: “It’s a sugar dish.”

5. “Found this in my grandfather’s house. No clue where to begin.”

Answer: “This is an attachment kit for treadle sewing machines in the late 1800s.”

6. “What are these aluminum pieces? They’ve been in my high school’s robotics room for years and no one has any idea what they’re for. They don’t connect together in any way either.”

Answer: “They’re corner connectors for the C-channel.”

7. “What is this wooden tool that looks like a juicer?”

Answer: “That’s a rice mold.”

8. “A thing my boyfriend got with his new phone case”

Answer: “It’s to wrap up headphones or the charger.”

9. “They were sent to me from Rome, Italy, unasked. There are 8 of these in 2 different sizes.”

Answer: “These are motorcycle front axle covers.”

10. “At work, an older man came up to me and said, ’Nice ink. I know what those are.’ Is there a meaning behind these I don’t know?”

Answer: “Look up ‘Freemasons eye of providence moons’ on Google images.”

11. “What is this strange-looking piece of furniture for? It’s about the size of a footstool.”

Answer: “It’s an ergonomic kneeling chair. Knees go on the pad on the right.”

12. “Object from the ’50s, solid wooden handle, circular metal circle things attached”

Answer: “It’s a bad knife sharpener.”

13. “Staying at a rented apartment — why does the vent have a green light inside it?”

Answer: “It’s likely a UV-C sterilization lamp. It kills germs/viruses as they pass by. It also can help prevent mold and whatnot from building up on the coil.”

14. “What is this metal thing with what seems like a handle at the top?”

Answer: “It looks like a firewood carrier.”

15. “Seen built into the counter of a kitchen in a high-end home. What is this item used for?”

Answer: “It’s an electric hot water bath/double boiler.”

16. “Found in an elderly woman’s bathroom — 6 pieces stacked and a hole in the bottom...”

Answer: “It’s used for watering house plants.”

Have you ever found something you couldn’t understand the purpose of? Tell us about your finds in the comment section below!