I have no idea ... Do you ?

Mike in Berks

Hero Member
Jun 17, 2007
647
7
Detector(s) used
4/DB Spectrum XLT DFX
Found in a stone farmhouse yard. Any ideas what it was attached to ?
One end is smooth Other end is threaded
one side looks smoothed down a little other side looks to be a short
line like it was machine made.
IMG_8617_2.jpg
IMG_8618_2.jpg
IMG_8619_2.jpg
IMG_8620_2.jpg
 

Possibly an older hand forged dowel screw that has been broken and well worn.

Best,
Scott
 

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Are there any holes in it that would indicate that it held brush bristles?.. sorta like a gun cleaning brush?
 

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oledavidboy said:
That's odd.
What's that thing made of?
I'm not sure david i just tried the magnet test it's not attracted to it
creskol said:
Are there any holes in it that would indicate that it held brush bristles?.. sorta like a gun cleaning brush?
I did'nt plan on cleaning the grooves creskol but i'll poke around with a needle i guess an
let you know.
 

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Only a Guess But I'm
going to say a Purely
Decorartive Finial.

Simply because unless it's Drastically warn down,
I Don't think it would drill anything
& The end that's Broken appears to have maybe been Threaded

& Appears Tapered
 

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jeff of pa said:
Only a Guess But I'm
going to say a Purely
Decorartive Finial.

Simply because unless it's Drastically warn down,
I Don't think it would drill anything
& The end that's Broken appears to have maybe been Threaded
Well oledavidboy got me to do a magnet test it didn't stick
creskol asked about holes i just washed the grooves out no holes
jeff good idea i did take a closer look and this thing isn't made
for looking pretty very crudely made i'll try to get some closer photos
of the grooves tomorrow

thanks for the ideas everyone :thumbsup: i'm confident someone will know :)
 

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It is metal though right? You found it with your detector?
Maybe creskol is on to something.
Perhaps if bent bristles were twisted between two pieces of wire then fitted in the grove you wouldn't need holes for a functional pipe or gun cleaning brush. I lean that way especially with the threaded end.
 

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oledavidboy said:
It is metal though right? You found it with your detector?
Maybe creskol is on to something.
Perhaps if bent bristles were twisted between two pieces of wire then fitted in the grove you wouldn't need holes for a functional pipe or gun cleaning brush. I lean that way especially with the threaded end.
Yes it's metal and heavy for it's size and yes found with a detector in 2001
Found a general service civil war button and a shell casing with 2 primer marks
which was fired by a henry rifle id'd here on t net
I'm only familiar with modern gun cleaners
might it have been for the oiled/dry ? cloth for the - the last part of cleaning
the barrel ?
 

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Your asking the wrong person on that Mike.
But, even the civil war era cleaning brushes that Ive seen on the net look pretty modern to me.
Maybe that's homemade or something. I hope this isnt one of those unidentifiable ones. Hopefully some expert will know. Im gonna keep an eye on this one.
 

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I don't think it is a bit for a brace. I've never seen a tapered bit brace like that. As well, all of the brace bits are made of steel, which would not pass the magnet test.
 

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I also do not think it is a brace bit. If it were threaded how would you back it out of a hole? It would unscrew. I have some very old ones and they all work on a clamping mechanism nothing relating to the bit is threaded.
 

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texastee2007 said:
texastee2007 said:
looks like a badly worn and filled with crud, "brace bit."


here is a newer version....use to use a crank like device and do it by hand...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...03h&srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=21-96182565-2
thanks for the reply texastee
i had to google that after i logged out and fortunately i had some in the garage
seems like their made of a hard steel and i did the magnet test it stuck my item
doesn't i did measure the threaded part -4mm wide i hope that helps

oops i went to post this an i saw clovis posted you are correct clovis

i gotta hit the sack now was a long day this might be a tough one :)
 

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creskol said:
Are there any holes in it that would indicate that it held brush bristles?.. sorta like a gun cleaning brush?

:icon_thumleft:......i will go for the rifle/pistol barrel polisher....its looks very similar to the one i use to have...till the end broke off (as this one did perhaps????)...to use,wind oiled cloth around the twist....then screw onto extension rod...then push down barell to clean... ??? ::)
 

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this morning i got my gun cleaning kit out and you can see it looks very similar
even the threads match up 4 mm wide
honestly i never imagined this would get solved but i'm sure creskol nailed this one :notworthy:

thanks creskol and thanks to everyone else for helping me with this :icon_thumright:
i think what i have is a vintage broken gun barrel cleaner where as they wrapped material
around the item pushed it through the barrel and repeated the process

i'll always remember what PBK said " we're all in this together " :thumbsup:
IMG_8635_2.JPG
IMG_8636_2.JPG

thanks Mike
 

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Update: ........
I tried to get some input on this item last night. I went to our local Cabela's
and they didn't know anything except someone to contact. Tuns out i know the
guy and he's an expert on firearms. Sooo, i went to his shop this morning and
he had a looked at it.
He said he never seen anything like it and showed me what was used in the
early days. He added if anything it "might" have been used on an early pistol.
And "maybe" it was foreign made. That's where you come in Crusader :icon_sunny:
You seem to agree with jeff that it was finial and not a gun cleaner.
The guy also said it could be brass or copper. Could be bronze like you said Cru ?
The guy and me have been attending public auctions for many years and both
of us have never seen a finial like this item.

With that said (sorry for the long read) i'm hoping someone here can find me a
photo of an example close to what i have be it a finial a gun cleaner or whatever it is.

thanks in advance Mike
 

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CRUSADER said:
Mike in Berks said:
Update: ........
I tried to get some input on this item last night. I went to our local Cabela's
and they didn't know anything except someone to contact. Tuns out i know the
guy and he's an expert on firearms. Sooo, i went to his shop this morning and
he had a looked at it.
He said he never seen anything like it and showed me what was used in the
early days. He added if anything it "might" have been used on an early pistol.
And "maybe" it was foreign made. That's where you come in Crusader :icon_sunny:
You seem to agree with jeff that it was finial and not a gun cleaner.
The guy also said it could be brass or copper. Could be bronze like you said Cru ?
The guy and me have been attending public auctions for many years and both
of us have never seen a finial like this item.

With that said (sorry for the long read) i'm hoping someone here can find me a
photo of an example close to what i have be it a finial a gun cleaner or whatever it is.

thanks in advance Mike

The sort of finial (for want of a better word) I was thinking of was part of a bronze statue/sculpture. Probably not mass produced. Something that jumps to mind is a Narwhal:
http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/ubuntu-11-04-will-be-natty-narwhal-20100817/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68781313@N00/336546559

Its a wild guess, I know, but you get the idea.
that Narwhal letter opener is neat Crusader but it has a sharp point for opening envelopes
mine has flat tip as shown though
 

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CRUSADER said:
Mike in Berks said:
CRUSADER said:
Mike in Berks said:
Update: ........
I tried to get some input on this item last night. I went to our local Cabela's
and they didn't know anything except someone to contact. Tuns out i know the
guy and he's an expert on firearms. Sooo, i went to his shop this morning and
he had a looked at it.
He said he never seen anything like it and showed me what was used in the
early days. He added if anything it "might" have been used on an early pistol.
And "maybe" it was foreign made. That's where you come in Crusader :icon_sunny:
You seem to agree with jeff that it was finial and not a gun cleaner.
The guy also said it could be brass or copper. Could be bronze like you said Cru ?
The guy and me have been attending public auctions for many years and both
of us have never seen a finial like this item.

With that said (sorry for the long read) i'm hoping someone here can find me a
photo of an example close to what i have be it a finial a gun cleaner or whatever it is.

thanks in advance Mike

The sort of finial (for want of a better word) I was thinking of was part of a bronze statue/sculpture. Probably not mass produced. Something that jumps to mind is a Narwhal:
http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/ubuntu-11-04-will-be-natty-narwhal-20100817/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68781313@N00/336546559

Its a wild guess, I know, but you get the idea.
that Narwhal letter opener is neat Crusader but it has a sharp point for opening envelopes
mine has flat tip as shown though

No, that wasn't my point. I don't think yours is a letter opener. I just googled a Bronze Narwhal to see if any sculptures popped up. All I'm saying is it went on a sculpture of any discription but a Narwhal jumped to mind.
seems possible gives me something to work on thanks much
 

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Just throwing this in there

uni5.jpg

Point Being can't even Rule out a
Unicorn Weathervane or Gate Decoration.

at this point
 

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