there are a few items that serve no clear purpose in the game or have been heavily nerfed.
1. Heavy Leather ball. leatherworking. enough said.
2. Gnomish battle chicken. Does 1dps for 1 and a half minutes. can use it 1 time ever haf an hour. usable after level 20. (because of engineering skill cap.) Since the last patch at 1.20. I sent it against a level 5 scorpid which had a little more than 60% life. The chicken expired before the scorpid did.
3. Goblin jumper cables. worked a grand total of 2 times out of 18.
4. Cables Xl. worked a grand total of 3 times out of 8.
5. Gemmed belt leatherworking. it works every 1/2 an hour to add someone 200+ hp... vs a similar belt of the same level green that starts you off with + 100 hp and +5 dps.