The Mystery of the Homemade Mace in the Bushes

The first time I saw the image on Reddit, this spiky wood ball on a pole lined with screws that looked like it had come out of a medieval battlefield, my mind just thought, okay… somebody was trying to build a weapon, or possibly the most extreme gardening implement ever.

The OP came from r/whatisthisthing, the subsection of Reddit that attracts random strangers to come together to try and solve mysterious objects. In this instance, some new homeowner had pulled it out of their bush in the front yard—screws sticking out of a wooden ball on the end of the pole. Essentially, a DIY mace. And the question seemed easy: what in the world is this thing supposed to do?

Let’s not get carried away here. There’s no need for any wild fantasy theories. Just looking at this design and thinking about how people make things when they are bored or trying to save money is enough.

It’s Shaped Like a Weapon, But Probably Isn’t

Yes, it really does look like a mace. I don’t disagree with you there. You could definitely imagine some knight in chain-mail shaking it around. But who hides a DIY weapon in the bush out front? I feel like if someone were to create a weapon, a sharper/heavier object would be much better. The screws sticking out of a ball is terrifying, but it isn’t exactly practical for self defense.

Much more likely, this was created for another kind of job. A practical one perhaps. Something satisfying a specific need.

A DIY Lawn Aerator

This appears to be reasonably logical, and was far and away the most upvoted suggestion in the Reddit post. A lawn aerator is any tool that leaves small slits on the soil surface and allows air, water, and nutrients to better reach the roots. Lawn aerators generally have jagged points that easily push through the turf and down into the soil. However, there are many budget options. Screws sticking out of a ball of wood? Just roll it or push it into the ground and yes, holes would be created. Not the most efficient design but for a small yard, it would work.

And to be honest, if I have seen my neighbors turn junk garage stuff into “tools,” this is just the type of contraption I would expect from them. People will make a gadget out of anything to avoid another purchase.

Rodent Deterrent

Another hypothesis is that it’s not related to grass at all, but rather what lives in the shrubbery.

What if someone wanted to shake a shrub without putting their hands in it? This would make sense if you live in an area where snakes or wasps like to lounge. The screwball could be used as a prod or poke stick to shake nests or discourage critters.

I personally have never felt the need to swing a screwball at a bush, I have used a broom handle for the same purpose in dark recesses of a shed. I get it. If you live around dicey wildlife, you may want to use something with more bite than a stick.

A Prop or Random Art

It might not be made to work.

Play props, Halloween costume items, or an art project gone astray, all move stuff from point A to point B. The metal object with the sharp edge is probably from a haunted house, a middle ages dude, or some random art project in the yard.

A friend of mine made an enormous paper mache dragon head for a play, and over time, the neighbors thought it was some haunted object — in the yard. It happens.

Ice or Snow Breaker

This takes some outside-the-box thinking, but it’s not impossible.

Someone suggested it might have been for smashing ice or breaking compacted snow. Swing down on it and the screws would chip it away. Ice chopping or hitting, but improvised.

I grew up in a snowy area where I saw a ton of “tools” like this. Shovels, crowbars, or even frying pans as a last resort. So yes, a stick labeled to smash snow seems plausible.

So What Is It?

We will probably never know. But judging by the construction, it likely fits into one of these categories:

• Yard tool, either aerator or pest stick
• Annual or seasonal tool, like an ice breaker
• A prop, decoration, or craft project that was hidden and forgotten

The neat thing about these mystery items is they represent the ingenuity of humans. Someone had a purpose for making it, even if that purpose is forgotten now.

So next time you are looking around your own yard and find something kooky, don’t assume you’ve discovered a medieval weapon. Consider the item. Chips and dings can tell you a whole story.

And I promise you, the kookiest objects will have much more interesting stories.