✅ SOLVED What is it? An old iron or piece off a hand tool?

[coilcrazy]

Hello everyone,

I dug this up out of a dry creek bed. I'm not sure what it is. I thought it might be an old clothing iron but it's not totally flush on the bottom. The little cross bar keeps it from resting flat. My next guess is maybe it's part of a hand tool for farming. Has anyone seen something like this before? Thank you for your help.

 

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[creskol]

I think it would be the top to a flat clothes iron, similar to this one:

 

[Reed Lukens]

Yup Creskol nailed it as usual I have a few of those and the wood handles are removable. It's called a sad iron because the wood handle... oh I'll take a pic in a few and post it for ya.

 

[AU Seeker]

Antique Sad Iron Enterprise No 82 & No 90 by SilverFoxAntiques

 

[Reed Lukens]

View attachment 742719View attachment 742721

Because the handle is shaped like a sad face.

 

[nhbenz]

"Sad" is from an obsolete term for "solid or weighty". Many sad irons had straight handles. My understanding is that the important characteristic is that this had been pointy on each end, distinguishing it from a flat iron, which could also be solid, but flat on one side. The removable handle was of course to heat the iron without having a scalding handle.
Here's an example of a straight handled iron which is clearly a sad iron; http://www.countrylivingprimitives.com/antiques-and-amp-primitives/primitive-asbestos-sad-iron.html

 

[creskol]

"Sad" is from an obsolete term for "solid or weighty". Many sad irons had straight handles. My understanding is that the important characteristic is that this had been pointy on each end, distinguishing it from a flat iron, which could also be solid, but flat on one side. The removable handle was of course to heat the iron without having a scalding handle.
Here's an example of a straight handled iron which is clearly a sad iron; Primitive Asbestos Sad Iron

... an interesting read for those interested: History of ironing and irons - flat-irons, sad-irons, mangles

 

[coilcrazy]

Thank you guys!! I appreciate your help! You guys are good!

 

[relicmeister]

Yep on the iron, I have one not exact but similar, and a couple others that are different.Nice find

 

[coilcrazy]

Thanks again you guys