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That is my thought too. My grandpa had fids for splicing rope that are about that size and shape. They were carved hardwood and made by a friend of his, but it looks like metal is more common.
I got the word when looking up song lyrics.
"The pricker s in the lubbers hole"
a pricker is an awl used for shredding rope
a marlin spike is used for holding or untying
A fid is for spreading and splicing.
The Ballad Of Tommy Gibb
(C) 1999 John C. Wiseman
There was a hardy seaman, his name was Tommy Gibb
You'd never find a better swab to batten down your jib
But Tommy had a problem the other men would mock
For now and then he'd get caught up in all his sailor talk, He'd say:
CHORUS:
Keelhaul the lanyard, the quarterboard ahoy
The pricker's in the lubber's hole, the boatswain's on the buoy
Frap down the fardage, the anchor needs a nut
The futtock's up the mizzenmast, so stow the scuttlebutt
The crewmen didn't understand a word that Tommy said
In fact they thought that Tommy ought to toddle off to bed
But Tommy shouted, "Hurry, lads, the seacock's up the boom!
We'll hike the vang and overhang the poopdeck if there's room!
Cast off the pigstick and break the bowsprit line;
Hard alee the selvagee and bail the brigantine;
The aft spar is listing - a fish will put it right;
The twiddler's stuck upon the truck - we'll reeve it down tonight!"
CHORUS:
(slowly, with as much dignity as possible)
They reefed up the boom crotch and hove the scuppers to
They cranked all the winches
(pause for winches/wenches joke of some kind)
And dampened out the flue
They spliced every main brace and gave the loose leach air.
(Fermata, then a tempo)
Then every one of them succumbed to common mal de mer.
I'm no expert, but a quick google search and all clock weights seem to be a single piece and made of metal. I didn't see any that had wood or that appeared to be two separate pieces like this does.
My title describes the thing. Suggested ideas elsewhere, including a naval rope knot picker (similar to a later marlin spike) or a firearm pan brush, missing the horsehair brush, which would attach once unscrewed.
Could they be rescue spikes for walking on ice? The loops at the ends are where you are supposed to have a piece of string to hang them around your neck. If you fall through the ice, you can use the spikes to rescue yourself and drag yourself up from the water. These have nice handles too. But they could be sharper, though.
Image search says it may be... a Ring Sizer ( not likely), a "Steel sharping tool"(less likely), or a "Beer Tap"(not even remotely).
IMO these maybe from an old ceiling chandelier. ((father fetched))
Weight hangers makes the most sense to me. Maybe for a curtain draw string. Seem too large for a light switch hanger. Could be anything though! Even a boat!
Every yad I can find images of shows a little hand on the end with the index finger pointing. ChatGPT thinks these are plumb bobs, but I don’t think that’s right either.
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Look like "nostepinne", used to wrap a skein of yarn into a ball..
Thank you. I can see they are similar - but feel the weight of the brass makes them relatively too cumbersome for such a use.
I've also never seen a metal one, they're usually wood. Brass might be too slippery, you need a bit of friction to hold the yarn in place.
Marlinspikes for knotting possibly.
Or a fid. There are some fancy fids out there
https://www.tooltique.co.uk/shop/antique-basket-weavers-bodkin-fid-or-awl-ebony-handle-good-condition/
I was thinking they were fids as well!
That is my thought too. My grandpa had fids for splicing rope that are about that size and shape. They were carved hardwood and made by a friend of his, but it looks like metal is more common.
TIL the word “fid” thanks
In the navy "how's your fid?" Was a dirty greeting. Now I get it.
I got the word when looking up song lyrics. "The pricker s in the lubbers hole" a pricker is an awl used for shredding rope a marlin spike is used for holding or untying A fid is for spreading and splicing.
The Ballad Of Tommy Gibb (C) 1999 John C. Wiseman
There was a hardy seaman, his name was Tommy Gibb You'd never find a better swab to batten down your jib But Tommy had a problem the other men would mock For now and then he'd get caught up in all his sailor talk, He'd say:
CHORUS: Keelhaul the lanyard, the quarterboard ahoy The pricker's in the lubber's hole, the boatswain's on the buoy Frap down the fardage, the anchor needs a nut The futtock's up the mizzenmast, so stow the scuttlebutt
The crewmen didn't understand a word that Tommy said In fact they thought that Tommy ought to toddle off to bed But Tommy shouted, "Hurry, lads, the seacock's up the boom! We'll hike the vang and overhang the poopdeck if there's room!
Cast off the pigstick and break the bowsprit line; Hard alee the selvagee and bail the brigantine; The aft spar is listing - a fish will put it right; The twiddler's stuck upon the truck - we'll reeve it down tonight!"
CHORUS:
They reefed up the boom crotch and hove the scuppers to They cranked all the winches (pause for winches/wenches joke of some kind) And dampened out the flue They spliced every main brace and gave the loose leach air. (Fermata, then a tempo) Then every one of them succumbed to common mal de mer.
CHORUS, repeat last line
Clock weights?
That could be it with the loops on the end. Clever!
I'm no expert, but a quick google search and all clock weights seem to be a single piece and made of metal. I didn't see any that had wood or that appeared to be two separate pieces like this does.
Could be plumbobs, they appear that they should be hung given the rings on the back. Could also be for something like a grandfather clock.
Ceiling fan switches that would hang from a chain?
My title describes the thing. Suggested ideas elsewhere, including a naval rope knot picker (similar to a later marlin spike) or a firearm pan brush, missing the horsehair brush, which would attach once unscrewed.
Burnishing rods for jewelry a much nicer version of this one here and also this lovely brass one
That's what i immediately thought but someone said fancy ceiling fan pulls which makes sense bc the rings in the end but who knows
Could they be rescue spikes for walking on ice? The loops at the ends are where you are supposed to have a piece of string to hang them around your neck. If you fall through the ice, you can use the spikes to rescue yourself and drag yourself up from the water. These have nice handles too. But they could be sharper, though.
Ceiling fan switches that would hang from a chain?
Image search says it may be... a Ring Sizer ( not likely), a "Steel sharping tool"(less likely), or a "Beer Tap"(not even remotely).
IMO these maybe from an old ceiling chandelier. ((father fetched))
https://preview.redd.it/fdnuxa90j86g1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e5138da8aae5f87de08c39d87998da6e8d37f7e
https://zelena.ua/balmuir-parklane-nozh-dlya-bumag.html?srsltid=AfmBOooOcDpIp6NxXr6ItcumyPQMNTfKKnhkMbeXZcd7LZegAMz--BnP
Translates to paper knife, i think they are letter openers
Aren't those supposed to be flat like a knife blade but less sharp? And why the rings in the end?🤔
Letter opener
They look like bobbins to make lace.
Weight hangers makes the most sense to me. Maybe for a curtain draw string. Seem too large for a light switch hanger. Could be anything though! Even a boat!
Marlinspike for unmaking knots that have bit down. The tip is removable for separate tip styles and sizes for different rope diameters.
https://preview.redd.it/k75fn0e01e6g1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=cdccf9ff3421941a1731c96744821decb4122b3d
These are part of a chandelier or lamp like this. They're called finials
Torah pointers?
Edit: nvm those all appear to have little hands pointing on the end of them.
Every yad I can find images of shows a little hand on the end with the index finger pointing. ChatGPT thinks these are plumb bobs, but I don’t think that’s right either.
Loyally feel that struggle when trying to untangle yarn like wtf why is it so hard
they look like the ones people's use for lace making.