Spotted this U-shaped tool with multiple metal blades in my grandmother’s baking bin. It has a wooden handle but looks like some kind of strange knuckles.

close combat. However, their purposes, materials, and construction are vastly different.

A knuckle duster is designed to protect the user’s hand while delivering forceful blows. Conversely, a pastry blender is designed for gentle, consistent pressure to mix ingredients. The blades of a pastry blender are dull and intended to interact with food, whereas knuckle dusters have no such culinary application.

Vintage pastry blenders may exhibit a variety of designs, often reflecting the era in which they were made. Some might