Whaler's Chopper

Description:

After the whale skin and attached fat, together called blubber, was hauled aboard the mother ship for processing in large strips, it was chopped into small pieces with different tools to expose more surface area to the melting heat of the boiling oil in the try-pot. This chopper was one of those tools.

Related Event: Expansion and Reform

Subject:

See more items in: Work and Industry: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Cultures & Communities, Work, Natural Resources, Transportation, On the Water exhibit

Exhibition: On the Water

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Related Web Publication: http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater

Related Publication: On the Water online exhibition

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 1990.0018.085Catalog Number: 1990.0018.085Accession Number: 1990.0018

Object Name: chopper

Physical Description: wood (part: handle material)ferrous metal (part: chopper material)Measurements: overall: 2 1/4 in x 35 in x 8 in; 5.715 cm x 88.9 cm x 20.32 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-bddc-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_859455

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