I found some of these 0.02' wide square spikes in our supplies, but no one knows where they came from. The heads are sort of square/round. The letters BS might be "Bethlehem Steel". Anyone seen these before?
Miniature Railroad spikes?
It's a PPK - Pre Parker Kalon. Looks shiny too, likely silver.
Melt it down, make a heart necklace, and give it to SWMBO
Ship Spike
Those are actually Universal Backsight spikes. If you ever find yourself with only 1 point and do not have RTK abilities, you can set that and assume N25-32-33W.
Whatever you do, don't get rid of those. I am almost out of my 100.00 BM Spikes.
I run across them every now an then, mostly from surveys made in the 1940s-1960s. I just call them square nails.
I've seen some RR tie and power pole date nails of that type, too.
It looks kind of like a boat spike that may have been short stamped in the machine that made it, except the boat spikes we used had a head that was tapered off to keep it from mushrooming when driven.
>N25-32-33W
Is that some sort of magic constant, somehow related to 0.04 foot?
Not to worry Greg, I've got a few of those BM's that have by accident fallen into my truck. Come in handy sometimes, and I'd be glad to give you one. (Don't worry - I'll calibrate it first 😉 )
RE: odd nails. I've got a small collection of oddball nails & spikes I've found over the years. I've also plucked a few out of old abandoned RR ties with funny numbers on them. Don't know what I'll ever do with them, but I think they're cool. Kind of like the old bent pipes you replace, got them too.
Surveyors are just wierd...:-P ...and I are one
Next time you are in the field run a quick level loop through the trailer ball on your truck. Then you will always have a BM handy.
looks like a stainless steel nail, made by IBS, Inc.
Looks like a Bridge Spike. For an example:
http://www.maneklalexports.com/English/SmallScale/SquareBoatNail.htm
I have used those before. I think we called them square heads. Set it and then center punch it on the head for the actual point. May have used them for centerline monuments--or control. They worked decent enough in asphalt. I don't know where my old boss got them but I suspect he got them at a survey supply store.
Looks like something a salesman for REAL spikes would pass out to a little bit of everyone, sort of like retail shops passing out calendars.
Not A Railroad Spike
Railroad spikes were made as small as 2" long shank, that shank being 5/16" square. Even that size had the typical offset head. Think narrow gauge, trolley, mine track and amusement park railroads in decreasing order. The typical railroad spike has a 5 1/2" long shank, but the Pennsylvania Railroad had specs for spikes with 7" shanks. They would have been used on 10"x10" or 12"x12" bridge ties.
That is a Bethlehem Steel logo.
I would have to go to the local Bethlehem Steel museum for further research.
Paul in PA
I have always called them boat spikes but mine are longer.
James
I used to find those all the time surveying against Weyerhaeuser timberland, except their's had a W in the head. They'd put them in the face of a BT blaze facing the corner. I don't remember whether the measurements were made to them or not.
this spike is only about two tenths tall:
this spike is a little taller:
Looks like a miniature Boat Spike.