Barn cleaning finds

[moparthug]

Dug through an old barn and a few outbuildings this morning, I was told whatever I didn't take was going in the trash. Some common things, some odd things, overall well worth two hours of my time. The old chain with two clamps I was told is a cattle hobbler... I'll have to take their word on that one. Not included in these pics are the three metal body power tools, a Skil 3/8 drill model 569, a Milwaukee 1/4 hole shooter drill model 7B, and a big Porter Cable model D6 disc grinder/polisher (all work flawlessly).

[turnnut]

it sure looks like a cow hobbler,  you put them on their hind legs so that they can't kick you off of the milking stool,  they  also made some with clips to hold their tail, nothing like getting a messy tail across your face while milking.

near the stove grate shaker handle, it looks like the remains of a valve refacer.

also you have the remains of a valve lapper.

nice haul for such a short time.

[international3414]

what are the 2 clamp looking items?

[moparthug]

We're talking about the clamps on the What's-It Forum, they are marked Mayo Radiator, Oakland California. I had assumed they were for tire repair, but one idea is they are for clamping the top and bottom tanks to the core so they can be soldered.

[moparthug]

My 92 year old neighbor says the double jointed tongs in the middle are for blocks of ice. Too small for agro and too light weight for automotive such as a battery lifter. So far that's the best theory.

[oldgoaly]

yes for radiator building/rebuilding can be used on the plastic ones too

[gibsontool]

You have two items just above the ice (or maybe log tongs) in picture one. Probably cast iron, hole should be about 1 1/8" in diameter with the hook being some where between 1" and 1 3/4" Long, and they may or may not Have SK stamped on them and might also have a part number following the SK mark. If this description is similar to what you have I think I can identify them. A few hints, they originally came in a group of a dozen or so and were part of something that every body over the age of about 55 or so could well have seen.
 A friend of mine recently gave me some thing which had bee run over by a truck,I stripped it down to see what was worth saving and I got about a dozen of these and was thinking about posting it in the whatzit catagory to see if others had ever seen them before.
  Be interesting to see what you guys think.

[turnnut]

I agree with them being ice tongs,  they look to be light weight, not strong enough for logs. ???

[moparthug]

I agree with them being ice tongs,  they look to be light weight, not strong enough for logs. ???

Those two hook & ring things above the ice tongs, I don't know why but I want to say they have something to do with rope. Am I close?

[Lewill2]

Bag hooks for the pieces with an eye and hook. They fit on a piece of pipe a bag, (burlap or other) is placed on the hook and they hold the bag open. You used to be able to see them in a post office holding racks of mail bags at a sorting station. They fit the grommets in the tops of the mail bags. 

[Papaw]

Mailbag hooks- This is a blowup of a portion of a photo I took in the Railroad Museum in Galveston some years ago. I think these are the same hooks.

[Papaw]

Original photo

[gibsontool]

 You guys are good . I did not expect to have an answer that quick. Mine came from an old post office that was being closed down. They had moved it outside and a truck had backed over it. I moved last fall and am still unpacking if and when I find mine I'll post a pic.
 I was interested in the hooks because mine have the SK marking on them.

[john k]

Nobody mentioned the long wooden handled tool, is a bearing scraper, for fitting babbit bearings.   But what is the large plier handled device dead center?  It might be a saw tool, just can't tell from this angle. 

[lazyassforge]

The cast piece with the two thumb screws setting in front of the lookout sign is a valve facer like you would use on a model A. There should also be a small crank which will clamp on the valve stem to turn it.

There is also a valve lapper toward the front of the bench. Its a black box with a knob on top and a long stem with a slot in it sticking out and a crank handle on the side.

I always heard the cow hobbles called "cow kickers" they were used on some of the ornery cows to keep them from kicking the milk bucket over or kicking you while you were milking her.

I also just noticed that there is a blacksmith's hardy tool laying next to the cowkickers! it is a hot cut tool. I have no idea on the pliers!

Hope this helps, Bill D.