This Gurley No. 18 chain recently sold on eBay. It was advertised as being 50-feet in length.
The links seem too lightweight to be a day to day working chain. I am wondering if this was perhaps a chain used for precise baseline measuring. What is the metal strip attached to the handle on the right side?
[QUOTE= What is the metal strip attached to the handle on the right side?
WAG, but since the links are such light gauge, the heavier extra link may be a stiffener, so that the other links don't get bent in a tool bag or pocket, and when the chain is folded and put away. maybe
Even though the gauge of the links seems small in diameter, you'll notice none of them are bent. My bet is it is made of high-carbon tensile steel and would probably break before it bent too far.
I bet the bar on the end is a "taping bar". You'll notice a notch near the handle for a plumb bob string. And the distance from the last link to that notch is 1 link. Which btw, looks to be .5' instead of .67'...if those are standard letter size sheets of paper.
So if there are 100 links, it would be a 50' engineer's chain.
paden, my engineers chain is in 1' links, not half foot links.