Beside some potato/carrot slicer, used for fancy-shaped bits in chopsuey.
This thing is what we all know and love as that which transforms buko (coconut) or melon meat into worm-like strings for juice and desserts. It is fashioned out of old large cans, probably once containing cooking oil.
Spring Vegetable Oil, I'm guessing?
Someday I would like to do a Here is Your Life on such things. Guy Smiley was such a hero to me as a child. The segment was a superb way to make people more curious about everyday objects.
Other "Can Reincarnated" sightings:
Houses
Watering Cans (from my garden blog, grater-making description)
Percussive Instruments
