Not a clue?

Not sure what this is. 

This one looks like a small lynchpin or hitch pin by the way the point is beveled off.

What would it be used for? 

its not very old.

A use today could be many things.  Sharpener 'er up and it'll give a good poke in the eye.  Lasts longer than a sharp stick.   

And I just can't resist this.  It is best NOT to use a white background for pics.  The camera tries to properly expose the white and underexposes the object of interest.  You lose a lot of detail.  Try a darker color.  It will give you better detail in your pics.

Daryl

ty for the suggestion Bio. 

Poking somebody in the eye or the photography?   

Daryl

A use today could be many things.  Sharpener 'er up and it'll give a good poke in the eye.  Lasts longer than a sharp stick.   

Daryl

thats funnier than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick

Looks like the ring is welded to the shaft - fairly new process in history so it probably is newer than the 1940's

Tom

  I'm not saying for sure that this item was forged welded....but the process of welding has been around since the Middle Ages.  Hardly a new process....
  The item's uniformity to me says it wasn't blacksmith produced...but machine made. The offset, finger sized ring does suggest use as a type of "hitch pin" as
johnnyi suggested....although delicate in size.  It would be an ideal pin for securing a heavy canvas with grommets.

TiredIron

[Below is a page from my book, "Civil War Artifacts" by Howard R. Crouch. Could this be your item? Breezie]

Below is a page from my book,  "Civil War Artifacts" by Howard R. Crouch.  Could this be your item?  Breezie

[Below is a page from my book, "Civil War Artifacts" by Howard R. Crouch. Could this be your item? Breezie]

Below is a page from my book,  "Civil War Artifacts" by Howard R. Crouch.  Could this be your item?  Breezie

I think the item you circled is a screwdriver. The end seems flat.  The end of my artifact is round and the metal does not seem to old. 

My first thought was a stand for a roadside flare.  But I looked at pics of those and most are bi-pods.

It isn't made to be hammered into anything.  Too short for a tent stake... 

Would the location of the find or any nearby finds give us additional clues?

DCMatt

I saw something like this being used on "Mail Call" maybe last year...

Sergeant Ermey was demonstrating the firing of a CW cannon. 

After the powder charge was loaded and the projectile rammed

home, he used a tool like yours to poke down through the touch hole

and it tore a hole in the powder bag.  It was the only way to insure the

charge would ignite after the touch hole was filled with powder

and lit.   It may have been somewhat longer, but there were different

size field pieces, I would think.

hmmmmm interesting.

Looks like an old poke it in the ground fishing pole holder-upper to me. I used a newer version of one just before Thanksgiving when my brother and I went lake fishing for trout. He caught three - I caught two. I know, I know ... it's too short for what I suggest. I'm just fishing around here looking for something to sink my teeth into.  And that's all I have to say 'bout that.

Thanks.

SDBB

  could it be a tent stake?   M

I found this at my girls bosses 1750's back yard near the barn. After the hunt I showed her and the kids all the artifacts I found. Her little boy loved this one, so after I posted most of the items on here, my girl brought them into work and she grabbed it for her kid.  I didn't find any old coins or artifacts. I encouraged her to keep anything she wanted. I found an old horseshoe and garden tools. This artifact has been a mystery. i don't think its very old. Interesting ideas on this post for many possible uses, but still no positive ID's. BREEZIE seems to be close with an image of Revolutionary war tools. 

               Just additional observations here for further consideration.

I could be wrong on all accounts. Just throwing mud against a rock to see if it sticks.

1.   We know it's not a screwdriver because of the beveled tip. Although it may still be a tool of some kind, it seems unkikely. Not pointy enough for pierceing leather etc. However, the cannon powder charge idea intrigues me ... (sort of).

2.  The fact that it's bent at an angle, which appears to be original and intentional, may be the best clue to identifying it's purpose. The hitch pin idea seems logical, but why is it bent? Those darn things are hard enough as it is to pull straight out, without adding additional tension/binding to it which would likely result due to the bent aspect!  

3.  I'm no tent stake expert, but have pitched my share of tents and always angle the stake away from the tent when pounding it into the ground so it pulls against the ground itself for additional stregnth. It would strike me odd if the item were intended to be pounded into anything. Because of the bent angle, the first swing of the hammer would cause it to go sideways and smash your fingers.

4.  Nor am I a metal expert, but it "appears" to be machine made.

5. Bottom line?
  
A. Beveled tip suggest easing through a hole(s).  
B. Ring for grasping or feeding rope through.  
C. Bent angle for ...      

                 I may have mud on my face now, but hey ... it washes off!

SDBB

Post Script :  Happy Birthday Frank Sinatra. Born this day in 1915. (1915-1998)  

Also on this day in 1980, American oil tycoon Armand Hammer pays $5,126,000 at auction for a notebook containing writings by the legendary artist Leonardo da Vinci.

                   Hmmm ... we may be digging in the wrong dumps!
       

When I woke up this morning I never imagined I would end up doing any research on old tent stakes ... but I did!  (Can you imagine that?)

Anyway, I discovered that Civil War era tent stakes, including the ones typically used for infantry-type pup tents, averaged about 12 to 15 inches in length. I've yet to find a picture of one, and may not go that far in this search. I just wanted to pass this information along while it was at my finger tips.

SDBB

yes it is a tent spike not sure what era. the tents was at one time on wire hooks that would hook into the hole after it is drove into the ground. I believe hitlers army also used this form of tent tacking.

 This is a civil war tent spike.