Unknown club for ID... Is it even a club?

Bryan.H · 22nd June 2010, 01:33 PM

I think this is a 'Fid' for sailmaking/ net repairing/ ropework etc. used by sailors. Marlinspikes and fids varied in size from a few inches to a foot long, so it's definately within the size range.

laEspadaAncha · 22nd June 2010, 04:28 PM

Hi Bryan,

Funny you mention that, because when/as I ruminate over it's possible use as a peg or pin, I keep returning to a nautical application... it definitely has the look of something I've seen on a tall ship.

The lack of a flared pommel seems to make it somewhat unwieldy as a club, though the remnants of the tacky substance on the bottom third make for a decent purchase.

Bryan.H · 22nd June 2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

Hi Bryan,

Funny you mention that, because when/as I ruminate over it's possible use as a peg or pin, I keep returning to a nautical application... it definitely has the look of something I've seen on a tall ship.

The lack of a flared pommel seems to make it somewhat unwieldy as a club, though the remnants of the tacky substance on the bottom third make for a decent purchase.

Hi again!
Since rope on older sailing vessels was tarred, using a fid and working with tarred ropes might have the effect of blackening the handle?? Just rambling thoughts, I read a too much Patrick O'Brian!

The crudely etched design had me thinking, (and this is purely imaginitive speculation here).. Could this represent a 'strong-arm' , a flexed bent upper arm, bicep, elbow and forearm? I remember reading that the tradition of mariners having tatoos of anchors on the arm was a superstition of seafaring, that the anchor would give strength to holding onto ropes etc. in a gale. The same thinking could apply to the fid, by etching a strong arm to give manual strength to the person doing the ropework or slicing etc. When working with rope cable several inches thick, you'd need a strong arm to do the work!

It could be a belaying pin of some kind, but I haven't seen the tapering shape on a Belaying pin, which look more like wooden truncheons.

Gavin Nugent · 22nd June 2010, 06:41 PM

Certainly looks to be a fid to me. My father was a seaman before I was born and worked on the waterfront my entire life, I saw these used a lot when I was a kid and he still has a few laying around.

Gav

laEspadaAncha · 22nd June 2010, 07:15 PM

A solid double-assist from Down Under - thank you both Gav and Bryan.

I performed a cursory search, I found that almost all the fids I could find were notched. The lone exception I found was here, which closely resembles my own.

I, too, agree that the crude etching seems to resemble a "strong arm," but until the fidentification, could not place it in context...

tom hyle · 24th June 2010, 09:20 AM

It sure looks like a big fid with a magic arm, though my first thought had been "pestle" Belaying pins do tend to taper and employ the principle of the wedge though.

Is the cross-section round? A good fid will have a flat side or a trianglular cross-section for tightening knots, but this is far from universal.

Very cool piece!

tom hyle · 24th June 2010, 09:26 AM

What is the wood? ("I'm always looking for a nice piece of Ash," I once said, meaning no joke, while examining a ball-bat at a garage sale; when men laughed, then I saw my unintended punniness.....)

22nd June 2010, 06:41 PM	#4
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	A fid Certainly looks to be a fid to me. My father was a seaman before I was born and worked on the waterfront my entire life, I saw these used a lot when I was a kid and he still has a few laying around. Gav

22nd June 2010, 07:15 PM	#5
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Found a fid I did... A solid double-assist from Down Under - thank you both Gav and Bryan. I performed a cursory search, I found that almost all the fids I could find were notched. The lone exception I found was here, which closely resembles my own. I, too, agree that the crude etching seems to resemble a "strong arm," but until the fidentification, could not place it in context... Last edited by laEspadaAncha; 22nd June 2010 at 08:04 PM.

22nd June 2010, 01:33 PM	#1
Bryan.H Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 51	I think this is a 'Fid' for sailmaking/ net repairing/ ropework etc. used by sailors. Marlinspikes and fids varied in size from a few inches to a foot long, so it's definately within the size range.

22nd June 2010, 04:28 PM	#2
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Hi Bryan, Funny you mention that, because when/as I ruminate over it's possible use as a peg or pin, I keep returning to a nautical application... it definitely has the look of something I've seen on a tall ship. The lack of a flared pommel seems to make it somewhat unwieldy as a club, though the remnants of the tacky substance on the bottom third make for a decent purchase.

24th June 2010, 09:20 AM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	It sure looks like a big fid with a magic arm, though my first thought had been "pestle" Belaying pins do tend to taper and employ the principle of the wedge though. Is the cross-section round? A good fid will have a flat side or a trianglular cross-section for tightening knots, but this is far from universal. Very cool piece!

24th June 2010, 09:26 AM	#7
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	What is the wood? ("I'm always looking for a nice piece of Ash," I once said, meaning no joke, while examining a ball-bat at a garage sale; when men laughed, then I saw my unintended punniness.....)