Pipe tamper ?

[robfinds]

Had this a while back, think it's a pipe tamper/cleaner. Do any pipe smokers out there know ?.

Hh Robert.

 

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[woody50]

Hello Woody, this is a better picture, the length is just under 2 and a half inches as shown on the first picture.
HH Robert.

Hey Robert, thanks for the photo. Yes I can now see that the size is right, it looks just about like Crusaders!, Ivan Salis things so also, so I have to say it could be. I have to look around and find mine, maybe I can determine it better then. These are also pipe cleaners/stampers...

The first photo that I have displayed here was a photo that I received from someone sometime ago. I do think they are all pipe tools though. You can see what we have found over the years, mostly in Holland at our site, go to http://www.wf4.nl/Engels/index/indexengelspijpacc.htm

Pity that we have not put the dimensions on the site though...

 

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[woody50]

Sorry it's a bit blurred.

No problem Rob. So to see this photo is taken from the end of the object, the cross member is held in clay? The end of a pipe tamper (to compress the tobacco) is round and flat, if this is one it has been broken off (not likely because of the use of it), or someone used it as a tool to pry something up and it broke off.

Lets see, you have pipe stampers and pipe nail/cleaner, or a combination of both. The stampers that I have seen all have a round flat working surface to stamp the tobacco into the pipe. A pipe nail/or cleaner , here in Holland called a wroeter, always are a pretty sharp tapering tool, with a point or a small flat surface for scraping the pipe bowl out. ( I have also much earlier smoked a pipe). Some tools are a combination of both such as can been seen in the hammer pipe tool below that I found some time ago.

 

[woody50]

I would say yes its the right size -- they vary a bit in size and shape by the owners whim --like I said before giving up the foul habit --I was a pipe smoker from 13 to 45 years of age --so thats what 32 years --I've seen many differant kinds of pipes and smolkng items to go with them -- from long stemmed clay church warden pipes to german student pipes to wooden modern brair bowls --to mercheem pipes from turkey --- traveling all over as I did I saw many differant types and styles from many differant cultures as well.

pipe tamper is it then, i'll store it away correctly now

Not so fast Cru the plot thickens !. Just had an email from Paul Murawski of valued history. He's the guy that wrote "Benet's Artifacts of England & the United Kingdom current values. He thinks it may be a Roman tile cutter. He gave me an ebay item number to look at 120417400992 it certainly looks the same.

try Nigel Mills, he's better. Paul has lots of error in the book (I know the guy who found most of the stuff pictured)

What error's that's a big accusation Cru

Ask him, he admits it

Prices or ID

Both, its only to odd ID, I15-0309 is an example.

Crusader, is the I15-0309 a reference to an item in the book? If we don't have the book we can't see it....

 

[woody50]

Its the end of a pastry jigger.

I myself tend to think this is the object (only broken), but the top is in the first original photo pretty wide. But in the second photo the top of this object it appears to be thin, which is good to be used as a pastry jigger to make straight jagged lines. Only the size makes me doubt it, or do you think (Cru) that the size of the object in the photo you offered is about the same size...?

 

[woody50]

Sorry when you said tubular I thought it was hollow Guess it could be a pipe tamper.

looks like one with the strike across the top!

Shaun7,
What function does the strike across the top serve?

to strike a match!
see mine

Hmm, I don't know why they would put such a rasp pattern on your find for striking a match. For striking the old Sulfur/phosphorus matches? (those with the two colors). Why, you can strike them anyplace, so don't need the rasp. And the replacement matches (safety matches) could not be lit on this rasp pattern. A side photo would show more I guess...

 

[woody50]

Don't get me wrong, I would love it to be a rare Roman tile cutter, but in all honesty I don't think it is. It just does not look Roman to me, why because of it's colour. Simply put it's not green enough, even badly corroded Roman finds tend to have a green tint. The patina of this find says to me 17th/18th Century. On the plus side it's provided some lively debate, what an hobby we have, lets all enjoy it !!.
HH Robert.

Hi Robert, I have found many Roman objects, but almost none with corrosion on them, and not many either with a green tint. Maybe we search in a different ground type? But this object is in my eyes NOT ROMAN.

 

[ivan salis]

the raspy end pattern can be used inside on the bowl walls as a scraper for cleaning the bowl as well as a striking surface for a strike anywhere type match

 

[Unicorn]

Could it be a candle snuffer

 

[woody50]

the raspy end pattern can be used inside on the bowl walls as a scraper for cleaning the bowl as well as a striking surface for a strike anywhere type match

Don't really think so, the extension with the rasp part are just to short and its very unhandy to scrape something with an object like that, holding the object on the side. Most nails are pointed...

 

[woody50]

Could it be a candle snuffer

Got a photo? I have never see such a candle snuffer..... but I have not seen everything...

 

[Unicorn]

Sorry Woody but I dont have the means to post a picture.

 

[IronSpike]

I think Woody has some valid arguments as to why the relics most likely wasn't originally designed to be a pipe tamper. It's not to say it couldn't have been used as one. I also used to smoke pipe and would sometimes use a match for some of the functions described (even a plain old nail would work just fine). For a pipe smoker the pipe cleaner is toughest to replace when really needed.

Based the grip design and the ridged top I'm leaning towards the pastry jigger/crimper idea.

 

[robfinds]

This is a picture of the thingy besides a complete pastry jigger I found a while back. Although only a small jigger, see how robust the metal had to be to support the spigot to fit the cutting wheel. The metal at the bottom of the thingy is very flimsy in comparison. And if it's not complete you can only guess it would have tapered down even more.

HH Robert.

 

[IronSpike]

In these pics it also appears (IMO) that the thingy is broken at the end and not complete. I don't know that it's a pastry jigger, however some of the posted examples remind me of such. I know you indicated it isn't broken and you are in the best position to judge with relic in hand. If a piece is missing I guess it could be a smaller jigger wheel. Maybe even a wheel for glass cutting?

What was the verdict on the tile cutting idea?

 

[robfinds]

In these pics it also appears (IMO) that the thingy is broken at the end and not complete. I don't know that it's a pastry jigger, however some of the posted examples remind me of such. I know you indicated it isn't broken and you are in the best position to judge with relic in hand. If a piece is missing I guess it could be a smaller jigger wheel. Maybe even a wheel for glass cutting?

What was the verdict on the tile cutting idea?

To be honest for what it's worth, i dont think it is. Although someone did sell a broken one very similar to mine on ebay as a Roman tile cutter. if it's broken it's very clean.

 

[One mans trash...]

Every time I look at this, I come back to some sort of control. Something like the valve control on this gas light:

 

[woody50]

This is a picture of the thingy besides a complete pastry jigger I found a while back. Although only a small jigger, see how robust the metal had to be to support the spigot to fit the cutting wheel. The metal at the bottom of the thingy is very flimsy in comparison. And if it's not complete you can only guess it would have tapered down even more.
HH Robert.

Yes I can see that, but your jigger seems fat compared to others I have seen. I guess it would depend upon what you are cutting. Pastry is pretty soft and does not have to be pressed down hard.

Something else then. Have you ever though about a key? Does not have to be a normal key type, but one with a simple head on it.
On the handle side, on the ends I think the design is there only for decoration, that they don't have any function.
Hmm... maybe if we keep thinking enough we will find out what it is. You never know if we come back to a pipe tamper...
You think the end is not broken, it sure seems unregular to me though... It just feels like there had to be something on the end...

 

[robfinds]

This is a picture of the thingy besides a complete pastry jigger I found a while back. Although only a small jigger, see how robust the metal had to be to support the spigot to fit the cutting wheel. The metal at the bottom of the thingy is very flimsy in comparison. And if it's not complete you can only guess it would have tapered down even more.
HH Robert.

Yes I can see that, but your jigger seems fat compared to others I have seen. I guess it would depend upon what you are cutting. Pastry is pretty soft and does not have to be pressed down hard.

Something else then. Have you ever though about a key? Does not have to be a normal key type, but one with a simple head on it.
On the handle side, on the ends I think the design is there only for decoration, that they don't have any function.
Hmm... maybe if we keep thinking enough we will find out what it is. You never know if we come back to a pipe tamper...
You think the end is not broken, it sure seems unregular to me though... It just feels like there had to be something on the end...

Correct pastry is soft, so why do finds like this always seem to be broken on one end. The end were the wheel should be if there pastry jiggers , heavy handed bakers ?.

 

[woody50]

This is a picture of the thingy besides a complete pastry jigger I found a while back. Although only a small jigger, see how robust the metal had to be to support the spigot to fit the cutting wheel. The metal at the bottom of the thingy is very flimsy in comparison. And if it's not complete you can only guess it would have tapered down even more.
HH Robert.

Yes I can see that, but your jigger seems fat compared to others I have seen. I guess it would depend upon what you are cutting. Pastry is pretty soft and does not have to be pressed down hard.

Something else then. Have you ever though about a key? Does not have to be a normal key type, but one with a simple head on it.
On the handle side, on the ends I think the design is there only for decoration, that they don't have any function.
Hmm... maybe if we keep thinking enough we will find out what it is. You never know if we come back to a pipe tamper...
You think the end is not broken, it sure seems unregular to me though... It just feels like there had to be something on the end...

Correct pastry is soft, so why do finds like this always seem to be broken on one end. The end were the wheel should be if there pastry jiggers , heavy handed bakers ?.

Thats a good question for sure. I don't really know. Only I would think the longer a object is the more chance it has to get caught by a plow, and if its sitting at that moment too fast in the dirt it will break I guess. For instance I don't think you could ever find a sword in a plowed field, if it would get caught up by a deep plow it would surely break (I think)...

 

[robfinds]

This is a picture of the thingy besides a complete pastry jigger I found a while back. Although only a small jigger, see how robust the metal had to be to support the spigot to fit the cutting wheel. The metal at the bottom of the thingy is very flimsy in comparison. And if it's not complete you can only guess it would have tapered down even more.
HH Robert.

Yes I can see that, but your jigger seems fat compared to others I have seen. I guess it would depend upon what you are cutting. Pastry is pretty soft and does not have to be pressed down hard.

Something else then. Have you ever though about a key? Does not have to be a normal key type, but one with a simple head on it.
On the handle side, on the ends I think the design is there only for decoration, that they don't have any function.
Hmm... maybe if we keep thinking enough we will find out what it is. You never know if we come back to a pipe tamper...
You think the end is not broken, it sure seems unregular to me though... It just feels like there had to be something on the end...

Correct pastry is soft, so why do finds like this always seem to be broken on one end. The end were the wheel should be if there pastry jiggers , heavy handed bakers ?.

Thats a good question for sure. I don't really know. Only I would think the longer a object is the more chance it has to get caught by a plow, and if its sitting at that moment too fast in the dirt it will break I guess. For instance I don't think you could ever find a sword in a plowed field, if it would get caught up by a deep plow it would surely break (I think)...

So would a sword always break in the same place if hit by the plough, I once found part of the handle of a Viking sword, but thats a different story.