A young man, while going through his late grandparents’ belongings, stumbled across a few intriguing metal items. Curious about their purpose, he showed them to a friend, but neither could figure out what they were—until some online research provided the answer.

These puzzling metal rods turned out to be nutcrackers from the 1940s or 1950s, specifically designed for extracting nuts from their shells. While they could handle any type of nut, they were especially handy for enjoying chestnuts.

Nutcrackers like these were often included in seafood tool sets, which also featured tools for cracking shellfish and picks for retrieving the meat. Occasionally, they came paired with wooden bowls that were designed to look like chestnuts.

Many of us might remember similar sets from our own homes, often tied to fond memories.

Did you ever use nutcrackers or picks like these? Feel free to share your favorite memories in the comments!