Anyone ID this hand tool?

[dannyr]

dug up in my allotment in Sheffield - about 20ins long rusted steel bar with heavy lead/pewter knob on each end

reminds me a bit of a foundry tool for tamping mould sand?

hope it wasn't a Sheffield gang wars (1930s) knobkerry - (I found a couple of buried bayonets once in my garden, and word was, they belonged to the infamous Mooney gang).

 

[steve355]

I can’t see the picture here in the wilds of the highland, but from the description it sounds like part of a fly press.

edit … pic now appeared, probably not but might be something like that.

 

[dannyr]

I can’t see the picture here in the wilds of the highland, but from the description it sounds like part of a fly press.

edit … pic now appeared, probably not but might be something like that.

I think I know which part of the fly press you mean, but it's a pretty slim steel bar (or rod), maybe even wrought iron (the true old stuff) - would likely bend if swung hard to press

but maybe something to swing?? as you suggest --- could swing it to twist a pair of thickish wires together??

 

[steve355]

I think I know which part of the fly press you mean, but it's a pretty slim steel bar (or rod), maybe even wrought iron (the true old stuff) - would likely bend if swung hard to press

but maybe something to swing?? as you suggest --- could swing it to twist a pair of thickish wires together??

Realistically it probably isn’t part of a fly press. As you say, perhaps for twisting rope or cable though.

 

[Linus]

It's a combination Swiss Army pitching/sand wedge?

 

[steve355]

Or a paternoster beam for sea fishing?

 

[dannyr]

che?

not a fisherman, see paternoster on web but not paternoster beam --- would that be at a certain depth, hanging a number of hooks? how would you keep it level - float each end? - quite heavy for all that and easy to tangle

 

[steve355]

che?

not a fisherman, see paternoster on web but not paternoster beam --- would that be at a certain depth, hanging a number of hooks? how would you keep it level - float each end? - quite heavy for all that and easy to tangle

Well some kind of fishing thing maybe.

 

[Just4Fun]

My grandfather was an old-school plumber from the days when plumber meant a man who works with lead. He had some tools like that, but I don't remember what they were called or how they were used. I think it was something to do with lead roofing rather than pipe work, but not totally sure.

 

[FirstMM]

Difficult to tell the shape of the ends, but possibly a pre-war curtain or towel rod?

 

[MarkAW]

A double ended golf club?!

 

[niall Y]

It is a long dummy for bending lead pipe. Mentioned in " Practical Plumbers Work" by Paul N Hasluck, ( 1910 )

 

[Adam W.]

 

[dannyr]

It is a long dummy for bending lead pipe. Mentioned in " Practical Plumbers Work" by Paul N Hasluck, ( 1910 )

thanks - you sound confident and seems like best answer to me, but I can only picture it being used in bending the very end of a pipe - I presume it's inserted and on removal helps ensure the circular cross-section?

I don't have a copy of Hasluck, so would be v grateful for your explanation.

 

[brocher]

I have found this link to the full text of Hasluck's! Practical plumbers' work, with numerous engravings and diagrams; ed. by Paul N. Hasluck.

And I have attached a screenshot of the relevant page about short dummy usage!

 

[okeydokey]

I continue to be amazed at the random knowledge and skills displayed by members of this forum and long may it prosper.

 

[dannyr]

Great - wonderful knowledge y'all have - thanks.

(and I do like the wild guesses)

so it's officially a "Double Dummy" --- go to the back of the class

 

[Just4Fun]

I checked about the tools like this that my grandfather had. My uncle, who used to work with him, still has at least one of these tools. Apparently grandfather called it a dolly, mainly used when doing lead flashing to work lead around downspouts and the like. He would hold the dolly on the inside of the curve and hit the other side with his wooden lead-dressing tools to form the shape he wanted. It was easier to have something to hit against other than the lead he was working.

 

[dannyr]

I checked about the tools like this that my grandfather had. My uncle, who used to work with him, still has at least one of these tools. Apparently grandfather called it a dolly, mainly used when doing lead flashing to work lead around downspouts and the like. He would hold the dolly on the inside of the curve and hit the other side with his wooden lead-dressing tools to form the shape he wanted. It was easier to have something to hit against other than the lead he was working.

panel beaters call the inside handheld anvil a dolly - does same job, but for steel

 

[paulrbarnard]

I have found this link to the full text of Hasluck's! Practical plumbers' work, with numerous engravings and diagrams; ed. by Paul N. Hasluck.

And I have attached a screenshot of the relevant page about short dummy usage!

View attachment 164792

That might as well have been written in Greak. No idea how it works