What is it?

I found this in the garden yesterday (pictures on link below). It's made of lead and looks like a large rivet. The dome is 2" in diameter and 1" deep, the length is 4.75" and the shaft is 0.75". At the end is a small steel pin, it is loose but will not pull out. There's something loose inside as it rattles when shaken. Anyone got any ideas? I was a bit reluctant to pull the pin too hard or cut it open!

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Reply to
Dave
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looked just like this, but it was made of wood.

The shaft unscrewed, and needles were kept inside it.

Reply to
Anne Welsh Jackson

looks like a darning mushroom..

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

I remember wooden darning mushrooms, but the diameter was bigger. This seems too small for that purpose.

Dave

Reply to
Dave

For darning small holes?

Reply to
Anne Welsh Jackson

In message , Dave writes

Reply to
Tim Lamb

Brilliant! Homemade, do you think?

Reply to
Ariadne

Lead seems to be a rather unlikely candidate for a bradawl :-)

I think I might be tempted to call the bomb disposal people before you move it around too much..... ;-)

Are you certain it's lead?

Reply to
Frank Erskine

Wicked! There's nothing VERY like it here!

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Frank Erskine- Hide quoted text -

Reply to
Ariadne

In message , Frank Erskine writes

Ah! Missed the lead bit. What about sash window weight? Something to do with curtains?......

regards

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Reply to
Tim Lamb

Might be an old plumb-bob.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Or part of the old-fashioned kit for making thread from fleece (before spinning wheels). I can't remember what they are called now :-(

Reply to
Martin Bonner

Not with a pin, surely. .

Reply to
Ariadne

Mushroom duck decoy anchor? (If you've got a soft bottom, so to speak. :-) )

Reply to
Rod

Drop spindles. But I very much doubt that's what it is.

Reply to
S Viemeister

Try whipping it and see if it keeps up like a top.

As long as it isn't a bomb...

Reply to
Ariadne

I'm still none the wiser as to what it is. However, it's not a bomb! I pushed the pin and it went inside, made the hole slightly bigger and it fell out. The pin is about 2.5" long square shaped but heavily rusted and thicker than the bit sticking out. It may have been tighter before it rusted, but can't see it being a bradawl as the continual turning would have weakened the lead inside. The plumb line, another possiblility, but why have the domed head and not just a cylindrical shaft.

Thanks for all the replies.

Dave

Reply to
Dave

Quick thinking Ari ...

How about this:

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Reply to
Derek Geldard

It's very pretty but is it really lead?

Reply to
Ariadne

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