Spotted this U-shaped tool with multiple metal blades in my grandmother’s baking bin. It has a wooden handle but looks like some kind of strange knuckles.

2. Meet The Pastry Blender: The Classic Baker’s Secret Weapon
The tool is known as a pastry blender, a classic implement used for combining fat into flour to create dough. Its role in baking is crucial, as it helps achieve the flaky texture desired in pastries like pie crusts and biscuits.
Originating in the early 20th century, the pastry blender was invented to replace the less efficient methods of using knives or fingers to cut butter or shortening into flour. Its unique design allows for controlled pressure and movement, producing consistent results without overworking the dough.