Hello fellow lampers, the images below show an odd item which I found when I went for a walk to the beach today. It's made of lead and it's been formed in a split mould, the hole through it is tapered, does anyone know what it could be for?
That is interesting find Jeff; the first thing that comes to mind is a large weight for fishing, given the size; maybe from a throw net.
I think it’s a line weight. Given it was found on the beach, I’m with John in thinking it’s from an inshore fishing net, or the line for a fish/crab/cray trap. Tony
Whatever it is, it doesn't look to have been in the sea very long, if at all... Some sort of projectile maybe. If it is, I wouldn't like to have been hit by it...
@ColinG I had a side bet with myself that it would be either you or another member here (no name, no pack drill) who’d be the first to pipe up with a comment like that... Tony
Congratulations Tony - I can confirm I did write some sort of comment along those lines but then thought better of it and deleted it for what I wrote above. I seem to recall visiting a museum on Shetland (although it could have been Orkney) and perhaps Jeff might want to take it there and see if they've any idea. It looks well and carefully made with the centre and rear sections looking as if it's been intended to fit closely into something. Thus my suggestion of a projectile of some sort - Breeches Buoy? Check with the Coastguard or RNLI...
First paragraph or second? There's this:- Lyle gun - Wikipedia Have a look at the illustration at the top and the photograph at the bottom...
@JEFF JOHNSON Great find Jeff! It must weigh a fair bit? I was surprised when I saw the measurements! I do like a bit of beachcombing.. whether it’s looking for specifics like fossils or having a general stomp about p.s. if it does turn out to be from a historical form of rescue equipment then you would want to be saved but not minus your head!
Like this.... lyle gun projectile - Google Search I seem to recall there was a British device of similar design. I saw one in a small museum somewhere on the NE coast when I was a lad.
Thanks for all of the replies fellow lampers and my old mate Les and I were discussing the item as we examined it and he also thought that it was a projectile of some type and the hole which runs the full length of it would be ideal for a looped steel rod. The link below shows relevant information. british type of lyle gun - Google Search
I have not weighed it, but it feels like 3 pounds perhaps a bit more. If it's weather then I go to the beach each day, I enjoy the fresh air and exercise and I'm always looking for useful wood and I also got some boards yesterday and I'm planning to build a cold frame so they will come in handy. If I do manage to get a positive ID., then I shall post it here.
@Tony Press after watching that excellent YouTube demonstration I 'toyed' with the idea of a follow-up comment but decided against it.
After consultation with another group I know who have more than a passing interest in large things that go bang the following suggestion was made: Depth sounding - Wikipedia Another suggestion was a sash window weight. C
@Fireexit1 Was just about to say pretty much that but Henry beat me to it ... Aye, and I think it’s too wide for a sash which were a fairly standard width Well, it’s got us all guessing Jeff! Are there any fisherfolks near you that might have a ken about it? Sounding is still useful in a smaller craft
Hello one and all, I have seen many types of lead weights for various types of fishing and sounding weights are usually of a simpler design and all of the sash window weights which I have seen have been made of cast iron. The projectile idea seems the most likely to me and I am asking around, the link below shows images of sounding weights. images of sounding weights - Google Search
Very good David, you would have to share any prize with my old mate Les as he thought that it could be a projectile and that was before I started this topic. I have sent e-mails with the images to some of the elders in my area and to the Shetland Museum, the museum is currently closed because of the pandemic, but I received an automated response e-mail from them and they will get back to me when they can.
I think that the centre hole tapers the wrong way for use as a projectile. A tapered rod would be ejected from the lead body. It is also a little roughly cast for putting in a cannon. If it had have ever been fired the windage round the projectile (escape of gas) would have been considerable. I am going back to fishing weight for large nets or similar.
The taper's also the wrong way for any sort of fishing weight. If it were that, the hole down the centre would be parallel-sided and probably have some sort of recess at the bottom to accommodate the knot which would otherwise wear away through contact with the sea floor or when in storage/use on the fishing boat. If it's not a weight or a projectile, then it must be a mermaid's di...
It's possible that what I found is just the inside part of a Lyle type projectile, I have looked through the images and some appear to have a brass outer shell and brass would corrode and fall off in sea water and a steel rod would rust and disintegrate. lyle gun projectile - Google Search
I think you're reading too much into it, i bet it's a weight off a drag net, having a tapered hole, probably a rope with a knot to hold it
I have now heard from the Shetland museum and from a relative of mine who is 90 years old. The answer from the museum was inconclusive and their best guesses were a fancy type of sounding weight or a weight for a long case clock. My elderly relative's best guess was that it was a sinker which was used with putty on the bottom end for testing what the sea bed consisted of, if the sea bed was sandy then grains of sand would stick to the putty.
