This item, from The Patagonia Museum‘s George Proctor collection, is a Stanley No. 70 Box Scraper that was used to remove inked or woodburned labels from wooden crates, allowing them to be reused. It was adjustable, allowing it to be pushed or pulled by its handle.Â
This artifact is missing the small blade and tightening screen; however, it remains a nice example of an early recycling tool. Stanley Tools began producing them around 1877. They were used until cardboard for shipping boxes became dominant in the 1950s.