✅ SOLVED Curious if anyone may know what this was used/made for

Robotics

Jr. Member
Feb 20, 2016
62
12
Central Virginia
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White's DFX, Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Found this at a location that at one time had a blacksmith shop/barn located. Also a grist mill not to far from it. Lots of horse shoes, square nails and melted lead all over the place.

This item was about 6 inches in the ground near blacksmith location.
Nothing fancy, but was curios if anyone may know what this was used for. I picture a strap of some sort going thru the top of it, but who knows.

Any idea's? and Thanks :)
 

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Dog chain clip.
 

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As said a million applications. WWII back packs had them, tents from the 40s & 50s that were a close match to military GP tents had a bunch that clipped the sides to the top for examples. Search the area you found it again /more. You might find some more relics from the same period that'll help you determine the age. Is it brass? After the 70s you pretty much only saw the chromed base metal ones floating around.
 

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Hi, pretty sure it isn't brass. I think its iron(?) Its very heavy and solid. I think I have searched the area out. Nothing but square nails, horse shoes and blobs of lead. Cant even find one coin (probably due to all the nails scattered about) :(
Thanks for your response.
 

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Hi, pretty sure it isn't brass. I think its iron(?) Its very heavy and solid. I think I have searched the area out. Nothing but square nails, horse shoes and blobs of lead. Cant even find one coin (probably due to all the nails scattered about) :(
Thanks for your response.
You might try making a magnet stick with magnets from trashed harddrives to clean the surface trash. If nothing else, the lead recycles & You can pick up some money on the square nails selling them to the artsy fartsy folks! I've got three ladies that'll buy em up as fast as I can come up with em! Same with horseshoes!
 

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You might try making a magnet stick with magnets from trashed harddrives to clean the surface trash. If nothing else, the lead recycles & You can pick up some money on the square nails selling them to the artsy fartsy folks! I've got three ladies that'll buy em up as fast as I can come up with em! Same with horseshoes!

Wow I had no idea there are people out there that would buy square nails. I have saved some, cleaned them up and have them around to show off, but I have thrown at least 50 if not more away.
I like the magnet stick idea. Seen that a few times on You Tube videos. Think I will make one.

So far I have saved just about all the horse shoes I have found. Many still have a few nails in them which one day I will put a hack saw to them and hopefully get them knocked out.
Do you know of any tricks as to getting nails out of horse shoes without damaging the shoe or slot they are in?

Thanks
 

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Wow I had no idea there are people out there that would buy square nails. I have saved some, cleaned them up and have them around to show off, but I have thrown at least 50 if not more away.
I like the magnet stick idea. Seen that a few times on You Tube videos. Think I will make one.

So far I have saved just about all the horse shoes I have found. Many still have a few nails in them which one day I will put a hack saw to them and hopefully get them knocked out.
Do you know of any tricks as to getting nails out of horse shoes without damaging the shoe or slot they are in?

Thanks
Sure! Grab a piece of leather or suede. Try that old old pair of boots that have seen over 100,000 miles. wrap the shoe & clamp it in a vice. Use nippers or a cut off tool. Nip the nail off leaving a little. If you have one use a softface hammer to tap the nail back through. It might require hitting it at angles to rock it back & forth in the hole till you get enough of the head showing & you can grab it to pull / wiggle it out. If you're not so worried about the patina, try putting a little citric acid paste or vinegar around the nails, the hit em with a light buffing on a brass wire wheel on the grinder.

I had a bucket of square nails & dropped 15 in plastic bags for the garage sale. This lady walks up & asks how much? Not thinking, I blurted out $10, then said for you $9. She grabbed all the bags. Since she's passed the word around to her craft friends. When they call, I give them the friends & family deal 20 for $8 :laughing7: I just hope they don't find out all they have to do is get up off the sofa & they can find more than they'll ever use.
One of the guys I hunt with makes little man statues by brazing them together. He just pulls prices out of his hat & probably 80% of the time they sell.

Ya gotta just think out of the box a little & most of all, Have fun with it!!!!:icon_thumright:
 

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Thanks boogeyman! Good info on the shoes, and I do have some old leather sitting around doing nothing. Now I have a use for it (as long as I can locate it :laughing7: )

Neat story on the nails. I have a friend who rents space at a local flea market every year. Maybe I will give him some of the nails and see what he can do with them next time he hits the market. Had no idea there would be anyone out there that would actually use these for something. (I wasn't thinking out of the box :) )

Thanks again for all your time and info/help!
 

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Thanks boogeyman! Good info on the shoes, and I do have some old leather sitting around doing nothing. Now I have a use for it (as long as I can locate it :laughing7: )

Neat story on the nails. I have a friend who rents space at a local flea market every year. Maybe I will give him some of the nails and see what he can do with them next time he hits the market. Had no idea there would be anyone out there that would actually use these for something. (I wasn't thinking out of the box :) )

Thanks again for all your time and info/help!

Glad to help!! Just when you think you got people figured out they throw you a curve and do the opposite.:laughing7:
 

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