What is this?

[Riggs]

I have a hunch that it is some type of log roller/turner, but I'm really not sure. I'm betting someone here can tell me what it is and how it is used....



Here's another look

[colinofthewoods]

looking forward to reading what that is.

If I had to take an uneducated wild guess I would want that chain piece pounded in a log if I was using that out on the water on a boom. 

I had similiar setups to keep me from sinking tools when I was working on the water drilling boom sticks.

but I see you are not on the coast so...  looking forward to the answer

[Magicman]

No doubt, it is an ambidexter  thermostropter.

[Riggs]

No doubt, it is an ambidexter  thermostropter.

:D :D :D That was my second guess

[Chuck White]

It somehow looks to me like it could be used to stack logs.

Drive the hook on the end of the chain into an upper log, then lower the hooks that look similar to logging tongs onto a lower log, then lift the lower log into place further up the pile.

Anyone else got a guess!

I thought MM had it, then I started my own mind going!  ;D

[beenthere]

I'm thinking that is a fence or wire stretcher. Seems we had one similar on here before.

Can walk that along hooking and unhooking on another chain to "walk" along the chain. ??

[pineywoods]

The logs are a bit mis-leading. that device is a chain come-along. I have one. Not shown is another piece of chain. The short piece of chain is tied to a load,  the other chain goes to some stationary object like a tree. By working the handle back and forth, the 2 claw hooks can be made to walk along the stationary chain one link at a time. Works good, most I've seen were home-made. Most common use was to stretch fence wire.

[Magicman]

I think that mine was the most interesting.   :D

[Ianab]

There is a picture of one being used as a wire strainer here.



These ones have scissor type clamps so you can clamp onto the wire to be pulled, but works exactly the same.

You can still buy the fence wire type ones at the local farm supply stores, look exactly the same as the 100year old ones in the museum  :D

Ian

[Riggs]

Thanks to all, pineywoods that makes sense, it was given to me by an old timer that said it was a type of cant hook, and I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. Now that I know what it's for I'll try to figure it out again.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Looks like lifting tongs with a handle to guide the load.

[WildDog]

 

 

This is one I have hanging in an old shed, a bit too big for a wire strainer. All my fence straining is done with a similar tool, I use Hayes strainers, now they come with a hook on one end to attach to the strainer post for straining hinge joint/netting etc.

[beenthere]

Can't decipher which of the wall hangings is the stretcher but assume it involves the small chain?

[WildDog]

Can't decipher which of the wall hangings is the stretcher but assume it involves the small chain?

Beenthere, that would be right, the black thing with a chain (not sure why that pic was in my gallery) I have got walls of this old junk, in the pic there's tongs for lifting railway iron, blacksmith tongs for wagon axles and the double ended jigs out of a foundry for forging picks and axes.