We have a farm outside of Pictou, Nova Scotia that was my father-in-law's ancestral home. Over the past few years I've been scrounging through the barn and sheds(all built about 165 yrs ago) and have slowly separated out some of the stuff that interests me. Next summer the barn will be dismantled for the hand-hewn timbers saved. The following year the house comes down and will be redesigned and built using the saved barn timbers.

Here's a simple shot of our farm(+/- 83 acres0 on the shores of the Northumberland Straight. Many of the tools shown below were used to construct the house, barn and other buildings on the property.


This is the old work shop where the following items were found:

Here's a few items that i have put aside:

A hand forged froe(sp?):






A big ole' vise and a massive sledge


A selection of hand forged augers:





You can see the "weld" in the auger shaft


A selection of scythe blades, a pair of hewing broad axes (left and right handed), and a double bit axe:


This ammo can is about three feet long and will make a fine edge-quenching tank:


I just finished cleaning up these two hammer heads and fitting them with crude handles. The sledge is a 4 lb, and the straight peen is a 3 lb.


A bit of steel for banging on...... two harrow rakes, two files, and three thick planer blades( I think).


And..... this was our neighbor's firewood pile:
Fiddleback Red Maple


Curly Bird's Eye Red Maple



Finally..... WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?

I am not sure but that looks like it might be a rope twister. Could have been for yarn too, but looks sized more for ropes.

bingo! rope twister.

Rope twister it is. Made one years ago to make rope out of surplus baling twine. A similar one is used in Nevada where I ranched to make horsehair rope.

The rope twisters I've seen and used had 3 hooks that spun around making the twine twisted together. This one is new to me.

-Derek

I may be wrong but the sledge looks a bit more like a post maul to me. If it is a maul then it's likely iron, a spark test should tell. You could likely sell it though and buy a dozen sledges... or one really good sledge.

" the sledge looks a bit more like a post maul to me" i would agree(used one often) don't hit anything than timber,i've seen a number with chipped faces.

" the sledge looks a bit more like a post maul to me" i would agree(used one often) don't hit anything than timber,i've seen a number with chipped faces.

Mat, Kerry - Well, that would explain it! When removing the rust from these two, the "maul" was considerably more difficult to grind - harder, different spark configuration, different sound, etc. Thanks for the tip. I'll reserve this tool for pounding on fence posts.

Peter

And the answer is....................

Self Ringing Mop

http://www.examiner.com/history-in-denver/unusual-artifacts-usual-life-kitchen-tools

I do not know the tool, but that wood can come to my shop to season.....
Not sure if you are interested in mailing some of that South, but I am always looking for good bits of interesting wood.

Ric

Rick - PM sent.