19th-Century Hog Scraper

Hog Scrapers: Making Pork Rinds since the 19th Century
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This hog scraper has a story to tell. It was used to scrape the bristles off the outside of a butchered hog hide. Though it is difficult to see in the scan, the broad side of the hog scraper has four dull metal blades that function much in the way a modern shaving razor blade does. This particular hog scraper was manufactured in North Carolina and was likely partially handmade and partially machine crafted. It was probably used by a craftsman in the state sometime in the 1800s. This particular object is unique because of the sturdiness and detailed craftsmanship involved in its creation. The handle was likely made in a machine, most likely a machine that made table or chair legs. However, the joints on the object look hand-placed. The original hog scraper is in the collections of the [North Carolina Museum of History](http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/) (Accession # 1966.66.426