If you’ve ever gone treasure hunting in your grandparents’ home, you’ve likely dug up some unusual objects that leave you scratching your head.

Recently, an online user shared a photo of some metal instruments that – if not for the nut-shaped bowl they sit – look like little weapons.

Netizens jumped in with their thoughts, sharing various uses for these odd objects, one even suggesting it’s used to “locate cavities.” Keep reading to learn more about this unusual tool!

We’ve all heard of a nutcracker, not the ballet with the dancing Sugar Plum Fairy but the metal tool designed to crack the shells of nuts.

The tool, which resembles pliers, typically consists of two hinged metal levers or arms, usually serrated, which are connected at the top.

The nut is placed in the jaws of the nutcracker, and pressure is applied by squeezing the levers together, which then cracks the shell, allowing access to the edible part inside.