Brass wedge

[john845]

I found this brass wedge today in the woods near a stone wall. It's 3 1/2 inches long and 3/4 thick at the widest part. It looks like it was hammered on at on time. I have never seen a wedge with holes drilled in them before or a brass one for that matter. Can anyone tell me what it would have been used for?

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Weird. If it was steel, I'd say its a splitting wedge but brass is way too soft for that. Its a head scratcher alright. Hope someone has a good ID for it.

 

[invent4hir]

With those holes maybe its a shim or spacer of some sort.

 

[broken_detector]

With those holes maybe its a shim or spacer of some sort.

I agree it's a shim of some kind

 

[chetler]

Looks like shims they used under old vices. The holes were so you could bolt them under the vice.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Considering this brass wedge's size (longer and thicker than the Bic-type cigarette lighter in the photo), and having two holes through it, I can think of another possible purpose for it... a doorstop-wedge. Note that the opening of the hole in its thinner end is wider than the hole in its thick end, and the wider hole seems to taper. That would be so you can "sink" the head of the screw which held the doorstop-wedge to the floor.

 

[dingode]

Any gas lines in the area? May be a wedge from a non-sparking tool used in gas work. The holes could be for pins to retain it in the hammer, pick, whatever tool it was used to attach a handle on. The top of it looks a bit mushroomed too like a handle wedge would be.

 

[bowwinkles]

I would say it is a wedge spacer to change an angle on a frame like a carriage top.

 

[ARC]

Non-spark flange wedge. IMO

 

[DCMatt]

May be a wedge from a non-sparking tool used in gas work.

You can still buy them. Where else but Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/Ampco-Safety-Tools-W-2-Wedge/dp/B0007WXLW0

 

[bowwinkles]

The "no spark" idea does not explain the mounting holes.

 

[cudamark]

My thought about the holes, is that maybe they were used for anchoring the wedge once in place (the bottom hole), and for removing the wedge (the upper hole) with a puller of some sort.

 

[Rookster]

Looks to be a machine leveling wedge. Used in industrial plants when moving machines around.

 

[Anduril]

Forced entry wedge (a tool for firemen)?
Link: https://www.thepublicsafetystore.com/fire-hooks-unlimited-aluminum-wedge.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6s7l-be45gIVhsDACh0O0g4BEAQYAyABEgKCzPD_BwE
This one is aluminum, though.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Forced entry wedge (a tool for firemen)?
Link: https://www.thepublicsafetystore.co...MI6s7l-be45gIVhsDACh0O0g4BEAQYAyABEgKCzPD_BwE
This one is aluminum, though.

Huh? I've been a fireman for 20 years and I've heard of such nonsense. Carrying a pack of wooden wedges, sure, but a single metal one makes no sense. A brass one would be even worse.

 

[bradyboy]

used for lightning deflection for a home
holes are for bolting cables'
IMO Brady

 

[john845]

Thank you for the replies everyone.

 

[john845]

I did a Google search it looks like the ones they still sell for disassembling gas pipes or machinery with out maring the steel. As for the holes that is a mystery.