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Can anyone tell me what this is? I have had it for years, but I have no idea what it is. It is metal - three and a half inches (89mm) long.
Picture added on 24 August 2007
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Mystery places or things or people
Mystery places or things or people
Thanks for that Bruce. I am told that there is one of these objects in the Stromness Museum. They were used as a barter item by Hudson Bay Company.
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Added by Sandy on 01 January 2008
Kirkwall
The thing is a steel to be used with a large piece of flint to produce sparks. The sparks fall on tinder and, with care, you have made a fire.
I have one here and have used it in teaching classes about early technology.