The season is spring on this side of the pond and time for me to sort through the multitude of boxes that clutter my workshop and a wooden out building or two. In one of the boxes I came across the item in the picture. Now before those of you with very fertile imaginations try to insert the battery into the larger object and come up with an adult toy the battery is there for size comparison. The battery is “AA” the other item is far older than any modern battery and started life approximately one hundred years ago, its function in life was used to prevent a very typical British problem. These items where supplied in boxes of a dozen I believe, sold by gun makers to large estates, and this is the only one I have personally known about or seen in the flesh so to speak, so any of you folks over on the other side of the pond any ideas…….
What it is?
Who made it?
And the big big question what gun maker retailed it?
I will post the answer in a couple of days’ time.
Looks like a wad rammer for reloading. Especially the French used these wood tools. I have seen them, and own some, in about 10 gauges. Some are marked with the gauge number and some in millimeters.
1) used to beat your loader if he couldn't keep up with your shooting?
2) relieve constipation while in the field?
3) knock out a barrel obstruction?
Jeff
I don't want to ruin the game!
PM'd.
It's a rolling pin for a one armed baker used to roll the dough for crumpets served at afternoon tea:)
Every one who has fished for salmon should recognize this. It's a fish bonker!
its not a priest (or fish bonker)
a wild guess-
i have seen similar things (but slightly different) for muzzleloading fowlers - called a tampion - meant to protect the muzzle and keep the bore clean in the rack
It's obviously a tool used to push the meat down into your grinder when you're making Homemade Sausage.
Or, it's a Belaying Pin for a small sailboat.
Since Britain banned firearms for personal protection, this is the latest self defense tool on their ban list.
It is a billy to be used by the "picker-uppers" on game that is found crippled after a shoot.
Its a thing used to frighten the life out of poachers - somewhere in there is a mechanism that goes bang, or boom.
As an earlier poster stated it is a tampion inserted in the muzzles to keep out the rain and moisture. Used in military muzzle loaders.
Wild guess, but from your hints, I'll say it is a separated shell extractor tool inside an outer sleeve.
A tompion is a good guess, but a tompion has a shoulder or taper to keep it from falling down the barrel.
I liked Tom C's entry for a rolling pin for a one armed baker though.
What do you say to a one legged hitch-hiker? Hop in!
My Grampa had something very similar. He took it along to his Teamster meetings in the 1930s.
What do you say to a one legged hitch-hiker? Hop in!
ROTFLMAO !!
I agree with Bill, it's a "game dispatcher", a priest of sorts.
SRH
First impression was to agree it is a priest but it seems to be wrapped with paper or cardboard with a seam. Huh?
The "Handle" seems like there is a joint going round it,up where its egg shaped...also the main cylinder seems to have a joint line straight down the length, unless its `a very straight crack.
Does that handle turn, by any chance...or the cylinder open in two??,... though for what use i doona ken
franc
I just think it winds, open or moves somehow n does something odd
Anything to do with cigars, or some other vice????
Being from Somerset, it must be to do with keeping something from getting wet...or to keep warm?
But Im buggered if I know what...I keep thinking smoking material....yea! its a wooden Bong, lol
franc
Now I think you pull the main handle,as there seems to be a seam just after the area where the handle turns to cylinder.
Some kinda game calling thingie?
franc
Perhaps what y'all call a 'Torch" ?
Early flashlight made by burning and the shaped end
is the handle for the torch
Looks like it's for reloading brass shells. Or holds a chamber brush.
It's a hand held torch/flair to get you off the foggy moors in the dark.
As far as who made it, I'll guess W & C Scott.
I say a wad knocker. Maybe have some lead inside the wood.
A fire starter used for starting controlled burns of the heather on the morelands.
No idea who made or retailed it.
Now I think you pull the main handle,as there seems to be a seam just after the area where the handle turns to cylinder.
Some kinda game calling thingie?
franc
As an earlier poster stated it is a tampion inserted in the muzzles to keep out the rain and moisture. Used in military muzzle loaders.
If it is a Tampion wouldn't there be a string attached somewhere.
In spite of the difference in spelling
That look longer to show up than I expected
A poacher detection light.
My humble vote is, it is a wad knocker. For clearing the barrel of a shotgun when an obstruction [wad?] remains after firing the gun.
I think ROMAC has the right idea. The strip hanging off the end is probably connected to a striker/igniter.
I had to revisit this puzzle.
One clue was purchased by estates by the dozen.
So, it's something that gets commonly used up on an estate.
I'd like to change my guess to it being some sort of signal flare. It looks like it might be held by beaters as they beat.
I can't say if it's for their safety, or to better drive the birds ahead.
It's obviously a juicer for making jelly and jam to go on the crumpets and muffins...Geo
Could you post a picture of a crumpet, I've always wondered!
Many thanks El Garro! Another of life's mysteries put to rest...Geo
If you ask for English Muffins in England you may find they do not know what they are. I only ever heard of them when I went to America. Lagopus.....
walnut or nut buster. Bobby
I'm going to have to nix the rolling pin idea as I seriously doubt any estate employed a dozen one armed bakers. However, I have been in a German village where a seriously gimp baker's fame has survived several hundred years!
Lots of ideas, but none worth typing.
DDA
A number of you folks where extremely close and one did know what it was called. I was given two of them some thirty years ago and it was that don’t push the button syndrome, so don’t pull the tab on the top of the thing well I did not expecting the ancient thing to work IT DID!!!!! Emptied the Village pub with choking half blind people because of the fumes and I could not see for about an hour myself it consists of brilliant burning Magnesium for the light, the friction igniting compound has been removed from this one “once bitten twice shy”
A common British problem. So this is some type of dental tool. Does it selectively knock out bad teeth? Small end for front teeth, large end for molars, used longwise to remove entire rows of teeth. National dental care at it's worst of you ask me.
From the looks of that I think I'll stick with pone sopped with melted butter and sorghum or blackstrap.
That was a fun quiz, should do it more often
Hey Lagopus, I'm from Yeovil, n I never heard of an English muffin either...what the hell is a Cornish Game hen...a Bantam????
franc
You touched off a magnesium flare in a bar? Good Lord!
I touched off a roll of magnesium strip, and it nearly blinded the whole room!
I think there's a long time member here that collects anti-poaching/er devices. They are ingenious, and outstandingly illegal here.
I just have cameras that show people trespassing and stealing. Hardly any fun. I'd prefer something a little noisier.
Great find!
As an excellent baker, and fan of British foodstuffs, I had noticed that here in the states, Thomas brand English muffins were actually English muffins, and Bay's brand were actually crumpets.
I baked 12dz scones for the Gentleman's cup, and they all got eaten. It's a toss up for me between black currant and orange cranberry scones. Definately Bay's English muffins (crumpets) for breakfast around here.
Hi Damascus. Was it the same Brocks as the firm that made Brocks fireworks years back ?
Back to the crumpets, my grandparents called them light cakes. They're nicer than they look, especially if you get cheese to melt on them until it fills the holes .
Back in the late '50's the local machine shop did a heavy duty/industrial strength machining project on magnesium castings. A local dump truck driver was called in to haul a truck load of machining chips to the local city dump, which was known to burn trash. The driver was solemnly instructed that under no circumstances was he to dump the load anywhere near a fire. He had a good laugh on the way that the guys at the shop thought he was dumb enough to believe metal would burn. And so he dumped the chips over the edge of the dump directly into the fire below. For some minutes the local area believed that WW III had started and they had been hit with a nuke strike.
DDA
Yes it is the same firm “Brocks Fireworks” this was the product they first started making before they went into the 5th of November stuff. You know the story of that poor Brit with a false Italian name who was caught in the cellar of the House of Lords with thirty six barrels of Gunpowder and a big box of matches wanting to put King James and friends into orbit.
Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes (among others)...the gunpowder plot...November 05, 1604.
Thanks for the history clarification for those that didn't know over there. Guido Fawkes to give his real name. Some say that he is the only person ever to enter the Houses of Parliament with the right intention. The amount of gunpowder used, according to later research, would have taken down about half the Palace of Westminster. James the First was paranoid about being assassinated and always wore a stab proof and bullet proof vest.
Crumpets are often called Pikelets farther north in England. English muffins are an American invention. English Northerners on this site will also know about Balm Bread and Eccles Cakes (fly pie to the locals) not to mention Oat Cakes. Lagopus.....
