🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Need help identifying.

[Cantstopdigging]

Hello Forum,

I found what I think is an 1800’s hand tool. This was found at an 1800's cobblestone house. It appears to have been forged by a blacksmith. I don’t think it’s a splitting froe because it’s blunt on all sides (no sharpened edge). It’s also much smaller. The handle would have to be thin too 5/8”?
Thoughts anyone? Thanks for looking.

 

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[Blackfoot58]

Hello Forum,

I found what I think is an 1800’s hand tool. This was found at an 1800's cobblestone house. It appears to have been forged by a blacksmith. I don’t think it’s a splitting froe because it’s blunt on all sides (no sharpened edge). It’s also much smaller. The handle would have to be thin too 5/8”?
Thoughts anyone? Thanks for looking.

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It is quite similar to a froe, but I agree about it being too small.

 

[ARC]

part of forged strap hinge... similar to this.

 

[Cantstopdigging]

Thanks ARC. I would agree if it had mounting holes. I cleaned it up, to see if it had holes in it, and it does not.

 

[ARC]

Thanks ARC. I would agree if it had mounting holes. I cleaned it up, to see if it had holes in it, and it does not.

Perhaps there are no mounting holes FOR.... it was not yet holed.

 

[Cantstopdigging]

Since this was found at a cobblestone house, I began thinking could this be a masons tool? It was also a very large working farm. Could this have been a farming tool?

 

[ARC]

Personally... and not to dash your hopes of this being "more" than a strap hinge... but i think it is a "lost in manufacturing" strap hinge... OR one that is not holed yet.
Remember... these were hand forged... they were not stamped out or fully created all in the same day or time... and i would think the option of "where" the holes needed to be were an attribute to these that was left up to the purchaser beings every application of them had its nuances to proper / ideal hole placements.

Just my wag.

And.... i do not think this is a tool... but hey.

 

[releventchair]

A pintle to be mortared in place to hold a fireplace/hearth crane or a small crane hook?

Not an old picture...But it shows a piece held in the fireplace wall at top of crane to hold it and allow it to swing.

 

[Tpmetal]

Perhaps there are no mounting holes FOR.... it was not yet holed.

Also some of these were pounded into wood or stone(its not the right shape for stone but might work on a decent wood post or in-between brick mortared in) but my thoughts were the same as you. Some kind of hinge or something

 

[Cantstopdigging]

Well we might never really know, but I'm going to consider this closed. Some sort of hinge.

Thanks for looking everyone!

 

[Blackfoot58]

Personally... and not to dash your hopes of this being "more" than a strap hinge... but i think it is a "lost in manufacturing" strap hinge... OR one that is not holed yet.
Remember... these were hand forged... they were not stamped out or fully created all in the same day or time... and i would think the option of "where" the holes needed to be were an attribute to these that was left up to the purchaser beings every application of them had its nuances to proper / ideal hole placements.

Just my wag.

And.... i do not think this is a tool... but hey.

Interesting thought. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks

 

[pepperj]

A pintle to be mortared in place to hold a fireplace/hearth crane or a small crane hook?

Not an old picture...But it shows a piece held in the fireplace wall at top of crane to hold it and allow it to swing.

I'm on the same thought pattern as you are RC.
I have dug a few of these type of items from cellar hole environments, and I can't see where there would be more than one having no holes.
The thickness also would stand up to time from sitting in a mortared joint.

 

[pepperj]

Personally... and not to dash your hopes of this being "more" than a strap hinge... but i think it is a "lost in manufacturing" strap hinge... OR one that is not holed yet.
Remember... these were hand forged... they were not stamped out or fully created all in the same day or time... and i would think the option of "where" the holes needed to be were an attribute to these that was left up to the purchaser beings every application of them had its nuances to proper / ideal hole placements.

Just my wag.

And.... i do not think this is a tool... but hey.

I can see the part of the strap hinge theory, but I have some reference to the not drilled part.
I have dug a few of these, and probably have a few still in barn timbers.
If one looks at the taper of the end of the shaft it was that way, so it could be driven into the side of the timber for hanging a gate/door.