Colonial whatzit

[Bill D. (VA)]

Found this interesting little piece the other day at a new colonial site I was hunting. I think I've seen these before but can't recall what it is. Some suggested a pipe tamper but it's quite short and not sure what the hole is for. Any ideas??

 

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[Jeff H]

Cool piece. Resembles a colonial cobbler's hammer but it looks too small for that ??

 

[TomPA]

Bill, Could it be some sort of small tack hammer? I can't tell if the 'prying end' is tapered/flat.

 

[Tony in SC]

I would say Toy Hammer? Tony

 

[ARC]

Agreed looks like a hammer... Or some kind of small tool that hung from cord...

Like the old drill "chuck key" did.

 

[BosnMate]

The life of a gun flint could be lengthened by knapping to re-sharpen it. This was usually done with a very small brass hammer, because it wouldn't cause any sparks during the sharpening.
I don't know for sure that's what you have, but here is a couple of pictures of modern reproduction ones.

The next picture is a very fancy knapping hammer with a vent pick that fits inside the handle of the hammer, and a gun worm that screws on the end of the hammer handle.

 

[ironhorse]

That totally looks like a hammer doesn't it!!
My initial thoughts was a "thing" off a watchchain( not sure what its called) the little cross piece that fits through a button hole to hang the watch

 

[Broken knee]

To me it looks like a re purposed seal top spoon end? For what? It Looks like a tack puller? HH
BK

 

[DCMatt]

Pipe tamper

 

[DCMatt]

From finds.org.uk:

A post-medieval copper alloy claw-hammer shaped pipe tamper. The tamper is literally hammer shaped. It consists of a hammerhead and the claw. The shaft is missing and has left a circular hole in the head, where it once would have fitted. The hammerhead comprises a cone shaped head proper, which has been decorated with an incised line (nearest to the end) and two collars around the head closest to the central block. The central block is rectangular and contains a countersunk hole, into which the shaft would once have been fitted. The claw is flat and wide. The claw is not decorated, but two small projecting lobes can be seen between the claw and the central block. The metal has gone a mid brownish-green. This tamper was probably designed to be a novelty item, in the 17th to early 18th century.

 

[trdking]

Could be a jewelers hammer head but I like the pipe tamper too. It has to be Old. They don't look like that today

 

[CRUSADER]

Pipe tamper

View attachment 1140492

Agreed, you beat me to it. Tamper in the shape of a hammer, if you look at most tampers they are a lot of fun & design comes over function many times.