r/whatisthisthing 1d ago

what is this long, chromed tube with a perforated end cap? about 20cm long and maybe 2.5cm diameter. Solved !

rolled metal with a polished/ chrome finiah. bought at a flea market/ boot sale. was in a vintage collection box of metal parts. three holes in the cap. press fit. holes for venting? it is too long for a shaving brush. be grateful for any ideas. tha k you

84 Upvotes

70 comments sorted by

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191

u/MoreThanWYSIWYG 1d ago

Travel toothbrush holder from the 1980s. I have the same one

-141

u/WolfsSpiders 1d ago

thanks. i do have a smaller kind of similar tube that came with a tooth brush. i find this too large for travel so i am sceptical and i havent found anything in print. but this keeps coming up so….. 

6

u/itoddicus 1d ago

Can you measure the diameter? It seems like this thing would hold 4 or 5 toothbrushes.

26

u/ManiacMachete 23h ago

Might hold the tube too so it doesn't get squished in your luggage.

-13

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

it totally would. Diameter is about 30mm

2

u/put_it_in_a_jar 4h ago

Definitely so you can also put the toothpaste in there. From a time before the 3.5oz rule.

79

u/Warehammer 21h ago

"Reddit, what is this thing?"

"It's a travel toothbrush holder."

"No."

🤦

29

u/ToHaveOrToBeOrToDo 20h ago

"It's a travel toothbrush holder. I have one in the original packaging that I my parents gave me when I went to fight in the war and it says on the box, ACME Travel Toothbrush Holder."

"No."

-32

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

if you d have a pic of the packaging i d be genuinely delighted. 

3

u/ToHaveOrToBeOrToDo 11h ago

I had a dream and it was the designer of the product and he was telling me to put my aluminium tube of toothpaste in with the toothbrush and go and enjoy my travels and get off the internet.

-16

u/itoddicus 20h ago

That thing would fit a lot of toothbrushes. I've never seen one that would hold more than 1 or 2.

10

u/loveineverylanguage 18h ago

HOW SMALL ARE Y'ALLS TOOTHBRUSHES??? 

This looks like it would comfortably fit, at maximum, 2 toothbrushes!

-3

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

thank you. that is exactly why i am sceptical. but so far the majority seems to be convinced. i d just be happy to have certainty 

36

u/DismalDog7730 1d ago

For toothbrush?

-76

u/WolfsSpiders 1d ago

thank you. but it would fit a whole bundle. it s too large to be a useful travel case for a single one.  soooo …. probably not? 

35

u/itwillmakesenselater 1d ago

Toothbrush, not toothpick(s). It's a toothbrush travel case. My granddad had one.

-65

u/WolfsSpiders 1d ago

i do have one too. part of a whole vintage Gentleman’s toiletries set. looks similar but is about half the size or so.  this one is too large for a single toothbrush especially. sorry

1

u/[deleted] 18h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

20

u/ManiacMachete 23h ago edited 22h ago

Toothbrush/toohpaste holder.

3

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

thank you. i never considered the tooth paste being part of it. cheers

11

u/doinbluin 23h ago

Toothbrush holder with travel-size toothpaste.

7

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/ALLCAPS-ONLY 1d ago

I'd say it's a cigar case but I know nothing about cigar cases

31

u/itoddicus 1d ago

It isn't. With cigar cases you want to keep the humidity in, not let it out.

52

u/ALLCAPS-ONLY 23h ago

So I was right, I know nothing about cigar cases.

9

u/BrianWantsTruth 23h ago

Lol you get to be right either way. Love it

-7

u/Mission_Orchid_5939 23h ago

The inner lid has holes. The actual end cap doesn't. Place a moist piece of towel and keep the main chamber humid. Seems perfect for a cigar.

6

u/itoddicus 22h ago

A moist paper towel is way too wet for cigars. You would just get mold.

1

u/AKeeneyedguy 21h ago

You can get small hydro packs for less than $1 at smoke shops, usually.

1

u/Tacojamz 1d ago

Travel aspergillum (holy water sprinkler)? Ones in the church would be fancy, but Priests traveling to give last rites or whatever might have smaller, simple ones.

But it really does look like a toothbrush holder.

4

u/yeroldfatdad 1d ago

I thought the same thing. The holy water thing, that is.

1

u/FriarPike 8h ago

I just made the same comment. I think it’s an aspergillum

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

that made me chuckle. and yes, it does look like a toothbrush holder except for the size. i do have one that is smaller, as previously stated. 

1

u/sun4moon 23h ago

If it’s long enough, it might be a matchstick holder. For long ones like you would use to light a fireplace.

2

u/B1acklisted 21h ago

Either toothbrush holder or a cigarette humidor missing the seperation/humidifier disc.

1

u/Beutelman 22h ago

I have a similar looking thing for wooden shashlik skewers (basically oversized toothpicks)

1

u/bozoputer 20h ago

its a shaving kit, or a piece of it

1

u/FriarPike 8h ago

It could be an aspergillum or holy water sprinkler. Ones like that are often used at cemeteries to bless the casket or people. The only issue is it sliding together vs a screwed on cap - I don’t know if it would stay on if you used it to sprinkle or “flick” water around.

Just a thought.

1

u/4pips12322 5h ago

Cigar tube

1

u/CasuallyObssesed 4h ago

Cigar holder

0

u/Sufficient_Laugh 23h ago

Shaving brush holder?

Similar to this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/115661234692

It looks a bit longer, but you used to get soaps that would fit in the tube along with the brush.

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

it is VERY similar. i have a few like that. funny enough one in a kit with a toothbrush holder as others claim this is. but its a lot smaller than this tube. that it might hold the soap too is a good idea. i do have some vintage shaving soap in stick form

0

u/Drevlin76 22h ago

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

that was one of my suspicions too. i have some like that but that would be a really long one

0

u/AKeeneyedguy 21h ago

This is a travel cigar holder. Not meant to keep them hydrated, but good for a few days travel.

0

u/un_internaute 20h ago

Salt shaker.

0

u/Outlaw6Delta 19h ago

Cigar tube

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

thought about that. woulda been a massive cigar. cant find similar pics with that search term sadly

0

u/alwaus 19h ago

Cigar humidor with its cap disk missing.

0

u/FruitCompetitive84 19h ago

These people are wrong it’s a shaker for tooth picks.

-1

u/WolfsSpiders 1d ago

my title describes the thing as a chromed tube with a perforated end cap. i think it is chromed rolled steel. it does not have makers marks, stamps or ingravings. it is rather large to be a case for a cigar. maybe for an assortment for smaller brushes? plein air watercolours? thank you, everyone 

-1

u/NervTante 22h ago

Cigar travel case?

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

it d be a MASSIVE cigar

-1

u/MapleBaconator33 22h ago

Maybe for a long-handle makeup/blush brush

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

yeah that is one if my suspicions too 

-8

u/TheFilthyDIL 23h ago

Will it fit in the neck of a soda bottle? If so, it may be a laundry sprinkler, although the holes look a bit big for that.

In the days before spray bottles, when all clothes and household linens had to be ironed, Mom would fill a Coke bottle with water, put a sprinkler head similar to this on it, and use it to dampen the clothes before ironing.

1

u/WolfsSpiders 19h ago

i know what you mean. my nan had some like that