What The Heck Is This Thing???

My background leads me to think it is some type of anode either from a ship or possibly seawall construction.

They do get cut in many different shapes and sizes. Good luck, nice mystery you brought us.

TAW

a reply to: TrueBrit

Zink or aluminium?

Zink/Zinc is almost as 6 times as dense as magnesium and on par with iron.

a reply to: verschickter

I was thinking the same..I thought they were made of zinc though?

a reply to: TrueBrit

Thanks....

I have come across similarly shaped items in the waterway down in Florida when I was clamming to be able to eat at all.

The Intra-coastal Waterway in Central Florida is strewn with lead and copper boat bits and pieces.

Lead and copper are worth a lotta pennies too....

a reply to: vonclod

Mostly zinc, aluminum and magnesium. Don´t know whats common, I would bet it depends where (aviability, salt content of the water, if)

It´s way to thick and blunt for a speer.
My theory would be, since it was found at the beach, that a small fishing or diving boat could lost it nearby. It looks like an anode and the material also has this zinc/magnesium-ish look.

a reply to: verschickter

I vaguely remember having to remove old ones and reinstall new when working at a drydock in British Columbia many year's ago.

a reply to: MyHappyDogShiner

That was another thought, it could be a lead counterweight but those are stored inside the hull, as far as I know.
But lead would be very soft so I concluded TrueBrit would have noticed if it was lead.

a reply to: verschickter

After lead gets a surface oxidation or a patina to it, it seems quite hard until you scratch through that surface layer, and then you get to the "bubble gummy" lead.

a reply to: verschickter

Lead that is one and one half inch thick is not at all bendable, like a thin sheet would be. However, being set down gently on the sea wall marred the surface of the metal, which suggests that it is quite soft. It gives a dull ring when struck.

a reply to: vonclod
Never mounted one but always saw them while doing decompression after diving. They stand out like fins on the boats / small ships I was around. There are several ones sometimes.
They look very similar to the object on the photo.

Very exciting find.
Perhaps it's ballast from a wreck in the Thames.

a reply to: TrueBrit
a reply to: MyHappyDogShiner

Okay, didn´t know that.
What happens when you torch it? I mean, if you want to try. Lead should melt and magnesium ignite. Zinc much harder but similar to magnesium and not so violent.

If you do this, wear gloves and welding googles. Even if the chance of it being Mg is very low... Be prepared

Edit: I don´t know if you want to mess with it since you know, parts of it can be destroyed doing this.
But I would want to find out

a reply to: verschickter

Well, being surer than ever that this item is maritime in origin, I think I shall take it to the local museum in town, and ask to speak to their most knowledgable boffin on the topic. No doubt a certain identity shall be found that way. Watch this space, as I will try to get it done before the end of the month!

a reply to: TrueBrit

Its a sacrificial piece of metal that is fixed to a boats hull, called a "Galvanic Anode" The idea is that it attracts corrosion and the boats hull doesnt, here is a paragraph explaining it


They are made from a metal alloy with a more "active" voltage (more negative reduction potential / more positive electrochemical potential) than the metal of the structure. The difference in potential between the two metals means that the galvanic anode corrodes, so that the anode material is consumed in preference to the structure.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Yes, indeed.

A potentially exciting find to be sure! And if it is nothing at all impressive, I will find out what it is for certain, then take it to be scrapped, since it is surely worth a pretty penny in salvage!

Oh everyone knows what those are..... yep, they made those for painting the names of family members on them. Like a family tree. If you flip it over and right side up it looks just like a tree, sort of, you know.......... like a Family tree you know............. ..uh, I got nuttin.....

a reply to: TrueBrit

Probably the best idea to go with! Will be watching this thread

a reply to: TrueBrit

Play Archimedes. Dump it in water see how big the displacement(?extrusion? how do you call it?) is, compare to the the density table in your chemical handbook et voila.

Or muriatic acid.
But the form is still interesting and what do the numbers mean? Will you tell us if you find out?

Just curious TrueBrit was this found on your local beach (I remember you telling me where you're roughly located I'm just down the road )

Before reading the thread I was going to guess some sort of ballast from a boat or some kind of part from a boat, especially being on the Thames they still find Ww2 bombs God knows what else is sunk in he mud along the Thames coast lines

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: verschickter

Well, being surer than ever that this item is maritime in origin, I think I shall take it to the local museum in town, and ask to speak to their most knowledgable boffin on the topic. No doubt a certain identity shall be found that way. Watch this space, as I will try to get it done before the end of the month!

I'll be looking forward to what they think it is. Interesting find!