Please help identify a (boring) mystery item!

[IrishAyes]

Because it was raining when a local church held a parking lot giveaway of personal and household items, there wasn't anyone else around to ask when I found this. (Apparently I'm the only one in town who doesn't mind a downpour when the price is right!) It's made by Remington and is shaped sort of like a foot bath except it's not big enough for most adults. I haven't found anything similar online as yet.

It held something akin to hardened wax with a slightly pleasant smell. At home I plugged it in and heated the wax so I could pour it out. Not only am I curious as to the exact original 'beauty' purpose, I also want to figure out an alternate use before I consider tossing it. Any guesses or ideas would be appreciated. Even though I cleaned the wax out thoroughly, the taste would probably make the thing unusable for a winter bird bath, wouldn't it?

Now for some of the other goodies I scooped up: A very nice heavy cable cardigan good enough for Sundays and FOUR pair of new St. John's Bay sandals and boots in my size; an electric roaster that works just fine, thank you; 5 antique glass bottles; several pieces of bakeware including a perforated pizza pan, all in good shape - I'm a very selective picker; a perfectly good scroll mouse and other electronic odds and ends; several insulated carriers that will be perfect for frozen food or electronics storage; and maybe best of all, a name-brand aircraft rolling suitcase that you wouldn't believe me if I told you the manufacturer. There were several nice purses as well that I know all sorts of alternate uses for, such as a mail catcher. Oh, and all kinds of garden pots I can use next spring.

I really hated to leave behind the two nice bikes but I already have one and they wouldn't fit in the car anyway - or yes, I would've hauled them away too. In the pouring rain, and I wouldn't care if the whole town had been watching.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. Well, just a guess

but beauticians have containers to warm up wax for bikini waxes, mustaches, eyebrows, whatever. Ouch. But since birds don't taste things, I am not sure that water would be affected by the residual wax....although I would heat it and wipe it out several times first.

Sounds like a great haul. I guess you were lucky it was raining so no one else was there to grab any of it.

[IrishAyes]

2. Your answer's probably correct.

Yes, I will continue to scrub it well before trying it out as a birdbath this winter. I didn't know birds don't taste things!

Even though the shoes were new - 2 still had tags - I'll spray the inside with Lysol before wearing them. And I didn't feel greedy because the parking lot bonanza had started several hours before I found out about it - although the rain had too. I just don't fret over anyone afraid of a little rain. I'd look at them as if they were the crazy ones.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Wax also doesn't mix with water,

especially in the cold, so it should be ok. Birds do not smell or taste (with two exceptions that I have heard about---Turkey Vultures and some seabird...petrols or shearers). That is why they will suggest pepper spray on bird seed to get rid of squirrels without chasing the birds away, although I have never been tempted to do it for fear of harming the birds in other ways from the hot pepper. That is also why you don't have to worry about a mother bird rejecting a baby if you touch it, since they are not working on scent.

[safeinOhio]

5. Any thing at all like this

http://www.amazon.com/Remington-HS-200-Paraffin-Hands-Feet/dp/B00005B6ZZ

[IrishAyes]

10. Somewhat, thanks!

[happyslug]

6. Remington firearms or Remington typewriters?

Last edited Sun Sep 14, 2014, 11:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Remington and Sons went bankrupt in the 1880s breaking them into those above named companies.

If Remington Firearms then it may be firearms related. If Remington typewriter then business relates. Dupont owed Remington Firearms and has owed them since at least WWI till Dupont sold Remington Firearms in 1993 and presently Remington Firearms is owned by Cerberus Capital Management.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Arms

Remington typewriter was tied in with business. It was the preferred typewriter from Remington's invention of the Typewriter in 1869 till the 1960s. Remington Rand (as it was then called) then fell to number two to IBM in business application only (non business typewriters was an area neither IBM nor Remington were ever big in). In 1955 Remington Rand merged to become Sperry Rand and is part of Unisys Corporation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Rand

I bring this up for Remington could be either and depending on which Remington made the item can help determined what it was made for.

In 1937 Remington Rand came out with the electric razor. That was sold off in 1979 to Remington Products. A third "Remington" off shoot. This has most of the personal care product.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Products

Thus something marked "Remington" could be something to clean guns with and be tied in with Remington Firearms (Hot water was the only way to get rid of the residue from Black Powder in the days of Black powder, so the tub could be for soaking guns).

It could be something to do with business, Remington Rand was big in medical office supplies so something like a tub might be related to medical treatment.

Remington Products was big into personal care, mostly shavers but into other aspects of Personal care, which can include foot care thus the small tube.

Thus all three "Remingtons" could have produced this tub for different or related activities. Just a comment, you may have to determine which Remington produced the tub before we can determine its true use.

[IrishAyes]

9. Very interesting info.

But the item now seems likely to have been a wax warmer for hair removal or arthritis application.

Except of course, it will be a bird bath this winter. Now all I have to do is get a big stand for it that can be put near the outdoor electrical outlet. Somewhere the dogs can't get to it when they go out. It surprised me, but the smooth coat JRT turns out to be happy down to 40 degrees, and even then she wants to stay out quite a while. Last winter (her first) even the snow didn't seem to phase her too much.

[happyslug]

12. I suspect "Remington Products" or its predecessor parts of "Remington Rand".

You had some strange concepts being tried prior to WWI and some of those concepts survived till WWII. Wax was big during that time period, and that is the time period where Remington Rand ventured into personal care products.

I do not see it was a product of Remington Firearms, but I can NOT eliminate it completely. Cleaning weapons in the days of corrosive primers was a big item, and that required soaking them to get rid of the residue of the primer (which caused metal to rust badly).

Mostly curiosity as to which descendent of E.I. Remington and Sons actually made this product (or if someone else by the name of Remington made this product).

[IrishAyes]

13. I'm afraid I wouldn't know.

[happyslug]

14. You have to look at how the word "Remington" is written

Remington Firearms tends to look like this, and has since about 1900:



Remington Typewriter was a bit more blocker:



http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/rem-portables.htm

http://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2011/04/typewriter-logos.html

Remington Razor a bit thinner:



Other then by the font used to print "Remington", I can see no other way to tell who made the tub,

[Eleanors38]

15. Remington Arms was using tape-drive computers to

Control milling and design work by the 1960s. Perhaps the association with typewriters, then Rand and various business machines, had some early impact on modernization and diversification.

[happyslug]

16. Remington, through its Parent DuPont, always had access to Military Contracts.

In the 1960s, the Congress had decided it was time to close down the Government owned Armory in Springfield and turn to private contractors for weapons. Colt had purchased the rights to the AR-15, so when the AR-15 was adopted as the US Rifle, Colt obtained the Contract and the Springfield Armory was closed (The Springfield Armory is now a Community Collage and a Museum of firearms).

This cause a problem, for with the closing of the Springfield Armory, all production capacity to produce the M-14, the M16 predecessor were sold. Thus when the M16 ran into trouble there was no way to produce the M14 (Only produced 1967-1964 and except for troops going to Vietnam never did replace the M1 of WWII and Korea fame), thus the US was looking at reverting to the M1 during the times of problems with the M16 (The problem was passed off as the result of a change in type of powder used in the Ammunition fired by the M16, but the real problem was the the bore of the M16 was NOT parkerized, as had been the case with the M1, M14 and the Russian AK series of weapons, thus the M16 needed to be taken out of the field and rebuilt with new barrels and bores, but in period 1966-1967 the only readily replacement weapon was the M1 from WWII).

Anyway, back to Remington. In the 1960s the US Army as looking at a replacement for its Model 1903 Sniper Rifles which were "done" i.e. to old to rebuild. The US Army said it did NOT use the M1903 in Vietnam, but Janes Weapons said the it was used. Technically the \ M1 sniper rifles had replaced the M1903 in that role, but it was found NOT to be ideal. A variation of the M14 was then introduced, in the form of the M21. It was found do be very good BUT it was not a bolt action with its inherent increased accuracy. At that point Remington managed to get the Army to adopt its Model 700 Bolt Action rifle as base for the M24 series of Sniper Rifles. From what I have read, many in the Army preferred using the Winchester pre 1964 Model 70 Bolt action rifles for it had a "conventional" Mauser Bolt that actually held onto the Cartridge as it feed the round into the chamber. The Remington Model 700 (and the WInchester Model 70 post 1964) used a simpler bolt that just push the round into the chamber. In most situation no difference between the two methods, but if moving rapidly while operating the bolt if the bolt was a Model 700 Type action the round could drop out of the weapon before the bolt was closed (This was impossible with a Mauser type "Control Feed" bolt). Thus many in the Army wanted a Mauser Type Action (which the pre 1964 Winchester Model 70 was) but Remington, citing its better control over weapons technology won out and the Remington Model 700 became the basis for the M24 sniper system. This also killed the Winchester pre 1964 Model 70 action for several decades (the pre 1964 model 70 action came back in the 1990s when computer designed equipment made it profitable, prior to 1964 such actions involved a lot of hand fitting).

Remington had produced the last Model 1903 Springfields, the Model 1903 A4s during WWII. US infantry doctrine at that time required the ability to use rifle grenades and while it such grenades could be used with the M1, it was complicated. The Model 1903 Springfield had better accuracy and easier to use rifle grenades with, thus every WWII infantry squad was suppose to have 10 M1s, 1 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and one Model 1903 Springfield (Some squads varied from this, my Father's squad had two BARs in Normandy and no Springfields).

Winchester and other arms makers produced other weapons, but Remington was the big weapons maker. Remington fell on hard times in the 1970s to 2010 do to the switch in firearms buying. Prior to 1970 it was 9 rifles or shotguns for every pistol sold in the US. Today, it is 6 rifles or Shotguns for every 4 Pistols sold. Thus Colt and Smith & Wesson saw a huge jump in sales, while Remington and Winchester saw just a slight increase in sales.

Winchester's sales were so poor the they ended up being sold off and then closed down. Remington, being larger, has survived was had been sold off by Dupont, showing how the sale of rifles and shotguns had gone down.

Remington still has extensive military contracts, mostly for small arms, as does it former parent Dupont. Thus, unlike Winchester, Remington is still in business for it was quicker to pick up new technology.

[Eleanors38]

17. Thanks for the historical run-down! Have you seen the industrial film

"One at a Time" (1969)? Surprising footage of how computers designed and fabricated parts, up to and including carousel tool selection.

[happyslug]

18. Winchester was to well known a name NOT to revive, but as a company it is NOT what it use to be,

Last edited Wed Sep 24, 2014, 11:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Except for a holdover from the 2012 Model year, all Winchester Model 70s sold NEW today use pre 1964 "Control Feed" Bolts:

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/category.asp?family=001C

On January 16, 2006 U.S. Repeating Arms announced it was closing its New Haven plant where Winchester rifles and shotguns had been produced for 140 years.[5] Along with the closing of the plant, production of the Model 94 rifle (the descendant of the original Winchester rifle), Model 70 rifle and Model 1300 shotgun were discontinued.

On August 15, 2006, Olin Corporation, owner of the Winchester trademarks, announced that it had entered into a new license agreement with Browning to make Winchester brand rifles and shotguns, though not at the closed Winchester plant in New Haven. The production of Model 1885 falling block action, Model 1892 and Model 1886 lever action rifles are produced under licensed agreement by Miroku Corp. of Japan and imported back to United States by Browning.

In 2008 Fabrique Nationale announced that it would produce Model 70 rifles at its plant in Columbia, SC. In 2013, assembly was moved to Portugal.

In the summer of 2010 Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal (FN) resumed production of the Winchester model 1894 and the evolution of the Winchester 1300, now called the Winchester SXP.[8][9]

A number of gun cleaning kits, Chinese folding knives, tools, and other accessories are also now sold under the Winchester trademark.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Repeating_Arms_Company#Decline_and_fall

Now the above comment from Wikipedia has some errors in it, the Model 1894 was NOT a descendant from earlier Winchester. Yes the Model 1866 and 1873 had been level actions like the Model 1894, the design was completely different. In 1881 Marlin had come out with its 1881 level actions rifle, which could do something no Winchester of that time period could do, fire the standard ammunition used by the US Army, the 45-70. The Winchester 1866 and 1873 (and the stronger Model 1876) could NOT handle that round. The level action was to weak (You could have the gun shot the bolt into the head of the shooter).

Thus Winchester approached John Browning to design a new level action that could fire the 45-70 Round. Browning had sold Winchester his single action rifle design (the Model 1885) and had shown he knew how to design a firearm. Thus Browning came up with the Winchester Model 1886. Not only was the action STRONGER then the 1866, 1873 and 1876 models, it was also CHEAPER to make.

Winchester then asked Browning to redesign their whole rifle stock. Browning did so with the Model 1892, which replaced the Model 1873 (the Model 1866 had been replaced by the model 1873, and given the success of the Model 1886, the model 1876 stopped being produced for everything it could do, the model 1886 could do better and cheaper). The model 1894 was a close copy of the Model 1892, except designed for the then new and more powerful smokeless powder round 30-30 Winchester (The model 1873, 1866 and 1892 had been designed around the 44-40 round, a weaker round that used older and weaker black powder).

Winchester did make level actions after the 1894, but they were replaced by the Model 70 Bolt Action rifle after 1920 (For example the model 1895, that Theodore Roosevelt used in Cuba) OR variation of the 1886 (for those people who for various reasons stayed with the black powder 45-70 when it was replaced by the Smokeless powder 30-40 Krag in 1892 OR the 30'06 round when that round was adopted in 1906).

It appears Winchester produced post 1964 Winchester Model 70 till 2013, then shut down that plant and moved it to Portugal. Portugal had produced Mauser Rifles prior to the 1950s and seems to retain the ability to do so afterward, for those rifles were kept as "War stocks" till the 1990s.

Remington sold a Mauser Control Feed Rifle from 2006-2008 with an action made in Serbia. Remington still has an agreement with that firm to sell its weapons in the US. Serbia MADE Mauser 1898 models till 1965, and rebuilt as late as 2000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_798

http://mauser98k.internetdsl.pl/gyougoen.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zastava_Arms

Please note the model 1898 action is considered SO Strong, that it has been used for .50 Caliber Machine Gun ammunition (in fact the US Army obtains a series of these made for Germany in 1918 as an anti-tank weapon, and used them for .50- caliber development till WWII, when the excessive use and increased budget, made them "unsafe" and replaceable).

Winchester had saw this during WWI, thus after WWI Winchester came out with its Model 70 in 1936

The Control Feed Winchester was made from 1936-1964, then a bolt like the Remington Model 70 was used from 1964 to 2006. From 2008 Winchester has returned to using ONLY pre 1964 actions, but as noted above as late as 2012 those post 1964 actions were being produced.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_70#Military_Use

This revival of the Winchester Model 70 is mostly the result of increase use of computers to make and fit the parts. If the parts are close enough, you minimize any hand fitting needed and thus the costs. Thus after all of the above, we are back to Computers and how they have made it possible to produce things at much cheaper prices by cutting back the amount of skilled labor needed. The hand fitting had to be done by SKILLED LABOR not someone off the street. Today, it is a lot easier to get someone off the street to do the jobs for the parts are made with that close of a tolerance.

Technically the Model 70 was derived from the Winchester Model 54, introduced in 1919. The differences involved both the trigger (improved in the model 70) and the introduction of modified safety. The actual safety was NOT changed, but HOW the safety was put into and out of use was changed, so that scopes could be used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_54

Thus I am happy that such a company name is back, but we have to remember it is NOT the Winchester of even the Vietnam War Era.

Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal (FN) now owns the name of Winchester Firearms. FN also produced Mauser 1898 actions, thus going back to a version of the 1898 (and many consider the best version) not a big step. FN now controls the Name Winchester.

Please note FN was founded to produce weapons, but received its biggest boost when John Browning, having demanded royalties for his designed and being REFUSED such royalties by both Winchester AND Colt, when to FN to produce his designs. FN also had the exclusive right to sell Browning's later Machine Gun and Pistols designs. Thus FN, which PAID Browning a Royalty, now owns Winchester who had refused to do so.

Thus I am sad Winchester is no longer an American Company, but at the same time it is own by a company that was willing to pay for what it wanted to produce.

[cbayer]

7. Wow! What a great haul.

I agree that the first item is probably for softening wax for hair removal. Also, sometime wax is used as part of a hand treatment.

[IrishAyes]

11. Speaking of hauls

The lady who ran the first event wants to hold another one. I only found out about the first one quite late. Hopefully next time I can get the date sooner and be on hand earlier.

[LiberalEsto]

8. Heating wax for arthritis?

My mother-in-law used some kind of device to heat wax that was applied to her hands t ease some of the pain from her rheumatoid arthritis.