What was this used for?

Palmetto · Feb 12, 2012

Dug this today. I have seen references to this as being a sword hanger but I dont think it is. Maybe horse tack of some sort? Would love to know what its purpose was, especially with hook at end.
Total length is about 5".
Thanks.

Palmetto

TheCannonballGuy · Feb 12, 2012

Absolutely not a sword-hanger. It is horsegear, specifically a gag-swivel, from a horse's "headgear.". It is a typical Civilian horsegear item, definitely not Military-Issue. Although the one in the photo appears to be an antique, the same version of gag-swivel is still being sold today at various horsegear stores and websites.

Montana Jim · Feb 12, 2012

TheCannonballGuy said:
Absolutely not a sword-hanger. It is horsegear, specifically a gag-swivel, from a horse's "headgear.". It is a typical Civilian horsegear item, definitely not Military-Issue. Although the one in the photo appears to be an antique, the same version of gag-swivel is still being sold today at various horsegear stores and websites.

Agree'd - and a nice antique at that. Very cool. Nice work CannonballGuy.

Bigcypresshunter · Feb 12, 2012

A similar top part has been posted here many times. I think you may even find the complete item here as well but it would be a tough search.

TheCannonballGuy · Feb 12, 2012

Stefen wrote:
>> Quote from: TheCannonballGuy on Today at 06:48:55 pm
Absolutely not a sword-hanger. It is horsegear, specifically a gag-swivel, from a horse's "headgear.". It is a typical Civilian horsegear item, definitely not Military-Issue. Although the one in the photo appears to be an antique, the same version of gag-swivel is still being sold today at various horsegear stores and websites.

> Respectfully disagree...it's not a snaffle bit...or a twisted or double snaffle... however I cannot tell you what it is only what it isn't...

Stefen, nowhere in my post did I say it is a snaffle bit.

It is one form of a gag-swivel. An alternative name is a gag-chain. For proof, you can go to leatherworks.com and see for yourself ...or, here's a photo from that website, originally posted at TN by my friend Creskol. The other two photos are from an antique horsegear catalog, which calls it a gag-chain.