Based on your description — U-shaped metal frame, multiple metal blades, wooden handle, found in a baking bin — it’s almost certainly a:
🥧 Pastry Blender (also called a Pastry Cutter)
What It Is
A pastry blender is a hand tool used in baking to cut cold butter or shortening into flour when making:
- Pie crust
- Biscuits
- Scones
- Crumble toppings
Why It Looks Strange
It has:
- A U-shaped metal frame
- Several curved or straight parallel metal blades
- A wooden handle on top
It can look a bit like a claw or small “knife rake,” which is why it sometimes confuses people.
🧈 What It Does
You press and rock it into flour and butter. The blades:
- Cut the fat into small pieces
- Create a crumbly texture
- Help form flaky layers in baked goods
Cold butter pieces melt during baking and create steam pockets — that’s what makes crusts flaky.
How to Tell for Sure
It’s likely a pastry blender if:
- The blades are thick and dull (not sharp like a knife)
- The spacing between blades is about ¼–½ inch
- It fits comfortably in one hand
If you’d like, you can describe:
- How many blades it has
- Whether they’re curved or straight
- Approximate size
And I can confirm 100%.
