A whatzit

[Old Dude]

Hi all. Got asked to come hunt a friend's yard since he had the day off and it fell on my day off too. Was brutally hot here even at 8 am when I went. I got very little for my efforts....some clad, 2 wheats and what looks like an old heel protector. Not positive of it's use but it sure has the shape of a shoe heel. Hope someone can give me a positive ID. Thanks for looking!

 

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[Rawhide]

Could be part of a shoe heel. It looks ornamental, but not practicle. Is it silver, stainless, nickle? I really dont know, neat find.

 

[Old Dude]

Could be part of a shoe heel. It looks ornamental, but not practicle. Is it silver, stainless, nickle? I really dont know, neat find.

Thanks, Casca. Don't think it is silver....might be tin or nickle since it has that rosey color nickle gets in the ground.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Maybe something like an internal part of a boot heel or something? Akin to a steel toed work boot?

 

[Old Dude]

Maybe something like an internal part of a boot heel or something? Akin to a steel toed work boot?

I don't know....why would it have the little star in the center? Thanks!

 

[cjon455]

Don't know what it is but it's cool

 

[WHADIFIND]

I don't know....why would it have the little star in the center? Thanks!

Of course, I'm just guessing but maybe a sort of center pin that would keep the plate from shifting?

 

[Old Dude]

Yeah, that would be a possibility.

 

[Pointman]

At first I thought it was a metal end to a strap. I am not totally sure, but I would think that if it was a shoe or boot heel than the metal protruding through the punched holes would be flat or non-existent.

 

[Old Dude]

Thank you, Point. For some reason, when I first saw it out of the ground, the shape just said " heel cover " and I am having a hard time letting that go. Way back in 7th grade, my teacher said "Stick by your guns and MAKE people prove you wrong ". I'd like to blame her for my stubbornness sometimes, but I think that comes from being the middle child and the only male, lol.
Would these little triangular points have been what held the metal on to a leather heel covering? I wish we had a member that dabbled in being a cobbler, lol.

 

[park pirate]

looks like a shoe heel..

 

[Mud Hut]

Looks like a copper belt tip/strap end with machine perforated clinches to secure it to the leather. To small for a heel plate, and copper would be too soft for that application.

 

[Old Dude]

It would definitely be too small for a man's heel....but a child's? If it were a belt tippet, it would be a wide belt - 2 1/8 inches. Maybe a saddle strap or bag strap of some type? The metal looks like brass when I scratch the back with my pocket knife, but it doesn't have any green patina. It is definitely too stiff to be copper. Thanks Mud!

 

[Mud Hut]

It would definitely be too small for a man's heel....but a child's? If it were a belt tippet, it would be a wide belt - 2 1/8 inches. Maybe a saddle strap or bag strap of some type? The metal looks like brass when I scratch the back with my pocket knife, but it doesn't have any green patina. It is definitely too stiff to be copper. Thanks Mud!

Either way, with perforations like that, it was attached to something flat and thin. Definitely not a heel plate or a tap.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

I am leaning toward the strap end idea. Like you said the triangle pieces look like they use to grip the leather and hold it in place.
ZDD

 

[ModernMiner]

Quit goofing around and get back out there and dig some old silver or LC's Dave. Geez.
Just kidding Buddy. No idea what that piece is. You're a brave man getting out in that heat. Come on Fall!
-Doug-

 

[cjon455]

Quit goofing around and get back out there and dig some old silver or LC's Dave. Geez.
Just kidding Buddy. No idea what that piece is. You're a brave man getting out in that heat. Come on Fall!
-Doug-

Hes waiting for me to get back from the beach to shown him how lol

 

[ModernMiner]

Hes waiting for me to get back from the beach to shown him how lol

That's exactly what I was thinking.
Darn rookies.

 

[Ronson]

Something about those folded over triangles rang a bell with me, so I wandered out to my workshop and dug around... I've got these NOS Vietnam-era Colt 45 holster snaps that come unassembled as four pieces... that big joker you found reminds me of the first piece of the snap assembly in the photo

On the other hand... could it be a clog dance heel? I ain't a cobbler, but my little brother used to design shoes and that was his guess... looks like those things are/were smaller than the actual heel of the shoe, soooo... maybe?

 

[Old Dude]

Thanks, Ronson. The little triangular punched pieces were definitely what held the piece onto whatever it was meant to be on...Looks like we are all in agreement there anyway, lol. Heel and toe taps were definitely smaller than the bits they covered....I remember them in the 60's....we cool kids wore them on our shoes, lol! I just remember them being tacked on. It seems I have seen the triangular punches on furniture maybe....as a way of attaching fabric to soft wood.