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30 Interesting Tools That Only People In Very Specific Fields Get To See (New Pics)

30 Interesting Tools That Only People In Very Specific Fields Get To See (New Pics)

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If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. But with a proper arsenal of work equipment, you can approach any problem in a variety of ways. The sign of a good tool is that it does the job it was built for very well. But you’d be surprised by just how specialized they can get. It’s mind-boggling!
The r/specializedtools subreddit is a fascinating online community that documents some of the most bizarre, most niche tools that have ever been created. From steno machines and nuclear power plant demolishers to cyanometers (which measure the blueness of the sky) and beyond, it’s seriously incredible to see how inventive humankind can get. It’s so fascinating to learn all about the inventions and we couldn’t help but share the most interesting pics with you, dear Pandas.
Scroll down, upvote the pics that impressed you, and let us know which of these tools wowed you the most. Were there any that you knew about? Were you surprised to learn about any of these? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so grab your digital ink quills and swing by the comments. Meanwhile, you’ll find Bored Panda’s previous article about the sub right here.

#1 Scania P360 With A Penetrating "Scorpion Stinger" That Can Penetrate A Building To Deliver Water Directly Into A Fire Without Putting Firefighters In Danger

Scania P360 With A Penetrating "Scorpion Stinger" That Can Penetrate A Building To Deliver Water Directly Into A Fire Without Putting Firefighters In Danger
613points

#2 Beach Cleaning Robot Designed To Pick Up Small Pieces Of Garbage Hidden Beneath The Sand!

Beach Cleaning Robot Designed To Pick Up Small Pieces Of Garbage Hidden Beneath The Sand!
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493points

#3 A Sliding Chair To Help Disabled People Into The Sea

A Sliding Chair To Help Disabled People Into The Sea
402points

Most of these tools are interesting because they’re very rare. Or, rather, only people in very specific fields get to see and use them on a regular basis. For the rest of us, it’s like a visit to a museum full of (slightly alien) artifacts.

However, you could probably argue that every single profession demands that people use specialized tools (or, in this day and age, software, too). When you sit down and have a good long think, you might realize that you do a lot of things every day that most people have no clue about. You, on the other hand, are so used to it all that you barely notice it. We’re all experts in our own little fields. And our tools are unlike anyone else’s. 

#4 The Cyanometer. A 230 Year Old Tool Used To Measure The Blueness Of The Sky

The Cyanometer. A 230 Year Old Tool Used To Measure The Blueness Of The Sky
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397points

#5 Cleaning The Solar Panels

Cleaning The Solar Panels
308points

#6 The Spider, An Aerial Lift For Getting Into Tight Spots

The Spider, An Aerial Lift For Getting Into Tight Spots
307points

The r/specializedtools subreddit is massively popular. Created in mid-February of 2015, it has grown a lot in the nearly-8 years since its founding. At the time of writing, the community was home to nearly 1.6 million redditors.

The unusual photos are probably what draws people in. After all, it’s hard to resist finding out the story behind some mysterious object that comes across our internet feeds. It’s like a splinter in your mind: you have to figure out what it is, what it does, and why it looks like it does. Curiosity is a very human emotion—and it’s a difficult beast to control.

#7 A Shoe Testing Machine From The 1940s

A Shoe Testing Machine From The 1940s
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293points

#8 This Thing To Clean A Kitchen Hand Whisk

This Thing To Clean A Kitchen Hand Whisk
286points

#9 A Tool For Testing Smoke Alarms. It Covers The Unit Snugly Then Releases A Puff Of Smoke, From There A Bloke On The Control Panel Can Tell Whether It Is Working Properly Or Not

A Tool For Testing Smoke Alarms. It Covers The Unit Snugly Then Releases A Puff Of Smoke, From There A Bloke On The Control Panel Can Tell Whether It Is Working Properly Or Not
272points

The team of moderators who run the whole show has a small list of rules that the community members should follow. You would think that people would only post specialized tools on a subreddit that’s called r/specializedtools. Alas! That’s not the case. Some folks either post pics without any tools or share photos of tools that aren’t specialized.

However, tools don’t have to have just a single purpose. You should be fine as long as you don’t post something generic like a computer that can complete a seemingly endless number of tasks. In short: the more niche, the better.

#10 This Is A Steno Machine, Used For Recording Words Verbatim At Speeds Over 225 Words Per Minute. Used In Court Rooms And Legal Depositions

This Is A Steno Machine, Used For Recording Words Verbatim At Speeds Over 225 Words Per Minute. Used In Court Rooms And Legal Depositions
258points

#11 A Stainless Steel Pallet Jack For Use Inside Clean Rooms

A Stainless Steel Pallet Jack For Use Inside Clean Rooms
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247points

#12 Temporary Traffic Light

Temporary Traffic Light
239points

Moreover, the sub’s mod team asks its members to avoid reposting photos that have been recently shared by other redditors. There’s also no room for any offensive content. Treat others kindly, be polite.

Meanwhile, when making a post, be sure to explain exactly what the tool or device does. Don’t opt for clickbait. Oh, and don’t use the subreddit as a means of promoting any products that you sell or profit from.

#13 A Whole Set Of Non-Sparking Beryllium Copper Wrenches For Working With Hydrogen. Anyone Want To Guess The Cost?

A Whole Set Of Non-Sparking Beryllium Copper Wrenches For Working With Hydrogen. Anyone Want To Guess The Cost?
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234points

#14 This Truck For Servicing Street Lamps

This Truck For Servicing Street Lamps
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234points

#15 Remote-Controlled Special Excavator To Demolish Cooling Towers Of Nuclear Power Plants

Remote-Controlled Special Excavator To Demolish Cooling Towers Of Nuclear Power Plants
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232points

You could argue that without tools, we aren’t human. However, there are quite a few species that actually use tools as they see fit. For instance, chimpanzees are capable of making spears to hunt other primates.

Meanwhile, orangutans have been known to make improvised whistles from bundles of leaves in the wild. They use these to ward off predators, according to Live Science.

#16 Jig For Chalking The Hip And Waist Widths For The Pleated Section Of A Kilt. Also Has Guide Lines For Accurate Alignment To The Tartan Pattern

Jig For Chalking The Hip And Waist Widths For The Pleated Section Of A Kilt. Also Has Guide Lines For Accurate Alignment To The Tartan Pattern
228points

#17 Network Cable Comber

Network Cable Comber
223points

#18 Mountain Index For Identifying Nearby Peaks In Rocky Mountain Np

Mountain Index For Identifying Nearby Peaks In Rocky Mountain Np
213points

However, it’s not just primates and apes that can use tools. Crows, for example, craft their feathers, twigs, and leaves into tools. They’re also known to drop stones in pitchers to raise the water level inside of them so they can have a drink.

#19 Paper Crumpler For Padding Boxes To Ship

Paper Crumpler For Padding Boxes To Ship
209points

#20 DIY Door Painting Frame

DIY Door Painting Frame
204points
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