What is it?

Aug 17, 2008 22 Replies

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

The shaft unscrewed, and needles were kept inside it.

looks like a darning mushroom..

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

Dave

For darning small holes?

Brilliant! Homemade, do you think?

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?

Wicked! There's nothing VERY like it here!

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Frank Erskine- Hide quoted text -

In message , Frank Erskine writes

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

regards

>

Might be an old plumb-bob.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quick thinking Ari ...

How about this:

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It's very pretty but is it really lead?

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