Posted 8 years ago
Finneas
(1 item)
Found in Oklahoma on an old farm site. That's all I know!
The site wants me to add more info, but that's all I have!
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It would seem to be just a wood splitting wedge.
That was my first thought. After further inspection the pol seems to be curved and not from pounding. Also, the flares on the side are cast, not expanded from hitting with a sledge. I'm still not convinced it's a usual splitting wedge.
What I do when the site yells at me, is....
I don't have anything else to say about it, but because C.W. wants more information, I've just wasted 3 seconds of your time if you're still reading this. And if even now you are still reading it, you're still wasting your time. LOL. Blame CW.
Usually something like that. :)
Anyway, are the flared-out sides also sharp? Could it have been part of something that cut the ground? What context was it found in-- dirt of a field, in an old barn, sitting in the dump?
Found amongst some other metal parts; a brake caliper, an old wrench, a Md. T front axle and a tractor seat. Oh, and a spring from a wagon seat.
The edges don't appear to be sharp, just flared . I would think to have been flared that far from pounding, the pol would have been more deformed. But that's just a guess.
Someone suggested that it could be an old tire removal tool. Any thoughts on that?
I'm still going with wedge, with the midsection being more narrow then the top and cutting edge as a way to save metal & weight an still retain wide working surfaces. However, there is another thing it might have been. They used to make these things with a loop or eyelet cast into one top corner. They were used in pairs, connected by a short length of chain, and were hammered into the ends of two (or more) logs to make a "train" of logs which could be dragged out of the woods by mule or tractor. The eyelet could have been ground off when someone decided to use it as a splitting wedge.
The reason I don't think it is a splitting wedge is for the reason you mentioned, UncleRon. I've used lots of splitting wedges and the top or pol is always even with the sides. After repeated pounding, and the pol gets swelled out, you would cut or grind off that part. Pounding on it with a small flare on the sides just invites metal shards to go flying off! I also sent an email to yesteryear tools and got a reply that it may have been used in the railroad laying profession. Not much more info than that, but I'll keep looking. May have been used as a splitting wedge... I don't know.