# Another 'what is this' thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151 "2020-01-29T03:58:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/1 "2020-01-29T03:58:49Z")
I was asked by someone if I could help identify this thing. I can’t. I thought maybe someone here might be able to. Item in question: [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/a7bf4782-0966-4054-a8a2-0250b98f0de6.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/a7bf4782-0966-4054-a8a2-0250b98f0de6.jpeg) About 4 or 5 of them were found with a metal detector by an old barn. I don’t have any other information. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/2 "2020-01-29T04:23:25Z")
A toothed winch stop? ETA: Better known as a ratchet stop. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/3 "2020-01-29T04:30:44Z")
I looked up the proper term for what I was thinking of: A ratchet pawl ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/4 "2020-01-29T04:34:22Z")
Almost looks like a bench dog. Almost. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/5 "2020-01-29T06:35:57Z")
And is that the One Ring Of Power that I also see in that picture? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/6 "2020-01-29T07:15:23Z")
No idea what that is, were they all identical, down to the pattern? Is the pattern on one side only? It kind of looks cast, not forged, so possibly not a tool designed to take a lot of knocks. Your friend might have some luck with a google reverse image search IF they take a different picture on a plain background, without the hand (currently, reverse GI search thinks “dagger”, and if you exclude dagger, it focuses on hands holding things) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/7 "2020-01-29T13:02:40Z")
you might want to post this at > **[r/whatisthisthing](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing)** > > r/whatisthisthing: If you have an object and you don't know what it is, this is the place for you to search for an answer. We may not know the "why" … ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/8 "2020-01-29T16:35:32Z")
WAG: steps to spike into a tree or wooden telephone pole. Strike in favor: textured surface of the non-spike part Strike against: that part is really small. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/9 "2020-01-30T02:42:38Z")
I’ll go for bench dog as well. It is hand forged, so strong. The square section matches old benches. The knurled end makes it easy to pull out. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/10 "2020-01-30T18:05:21Z")
I’m not familiar with bench dogs, would it be common to need 4 or 5? ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/11 "2020-01-30T20:22:52Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > WAG: steps to spike into a tree or wooden telephone pole. What i thought. The thin end looks like it could have been snapped off a spike embedded in a telegraph pole. Are the others the same ? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/12 "2020-01-30T20:34:12Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > And is that the One Ring Of Power that I also see in that picture? I see a finger tire. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-what-is-this-thread/847151/13 "2020-01-30T21:03:15Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I’m not familiar with bench dogs, would it be common to need 4 or 5? Yes. They are put into holes on a work bench to keep the piece one is working on in place. See [here.](https://woodworking.stackexchange.com/questions/1235/how-do-bench-dogs-work/1240) (ETA) But I’m not certain if that is one.