Another whatizzit tool

[JerryS]

Here's a little device that was in my Dad's stuff for about the last 60 years. He never told me what it was
for, and I never asked, so now after 60 years I'm wondering what it might be. It's pretty obviously a pump
of some sort, but I don't know if air or liquid. The barrel is brass, it's about six inches long. I'm
assuming the plunger has leather washers but I've never opened it up. Guesses, anyone? As far as I'm
concerned there are no wrong answers, so I won't know how to recognize the correct one.

 

[D beatty]

I think it is a small hand held air pump for basketball and other air filled balls.

 

[JerryS]

Maybe, but it doesn't have threads for a basketball needle. Just a small little bump of a nipple.

 

[D beatty]

Dad had one in shop at one time many years ago and it was threaded.

 

[Roger Tomfohrde]

We had something like it in the dairy barn and it was used to suck (insecticide) powder in and then you would blow it back out- so I was told . I never really used it.

 

[Phil in MI]

That is the pump for the early gas lanterns and maybe even some blow torches. I have a lantern and air pump.

 

[Phil in MI]

Here are a couple of pictures of my Coleman Gas Lamp. Made by The Coleman Lamp Company, Wichita, Kansas, USA.

 

[Moonlite37]

My old auntie had one like that she used to pump air into her gasoline iron for ironing clothes.

 

[leroy in ne]

yes on iron and lantern. I have grandma's iron and air pump. glued felt on iron bottom of iron and use it for door stop, has started a few conversations with visitors. leroy

 

[Russ from MN]

Air pump for gas lantern or other white gas appliance, we used to have one.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Could very easily been for a white gas kitchen stove, like my grandma used to have.

 

[Goose]

I agree. We had one when I was a kid.

 

[Pappy]

Moonlite37 has it nailed. I have the Coleman iron and pump in my collection. My mother used it in the 1940,S.

 

[JDBRIDER]

My Dad had one to go with his old white gas lantern.

 

[Dr. Walt]

I've got one EXACTLY like it. It is the AIR Pump for pumping up pressure in Coleman Lanterns & Stoves that use White Gas. Mine is clipped into it's holder inside my large 4-Burner Coleman Stove.

Doc :>)

 

[coshoo]

A gasoline powered iron. What could possibly go wrong?
Of course, I wondered the same thing about the gasoline-powered immersion heaters in the Army (put one in a garbage can full of water, and throw in your C rations)- and I never did see anyone have a problem. But sure seemed like a bomb, just waiting to go off.
Was thinking about that- you threw your main dish can in, then after a few minutes, you trooped by and the cook fished one out and handed it to you. It was "camp-run"- you didn't get the one you put in. So there was a strategy to it- if you had something hideous like "Beef, Spiced, with Sauce", which was primarily gristle, veins and other unidentifiable stuff, you put it in, in hopes of getting something better back out. But if you had something pretty good, like "Chicken, Boneless", you kept it out and ate it cold. Or luke-warm, if you had had the foresight to put it under your arm pit for awhile.
Good times, those. . .

 

[unc]

The guys who said it was a Coleman pump nailed it. Lamps and lanterns came with a longer version, this one came with an iron. Everybody used the iron pump on everything because it was shorter and handier. It was easy to upset or break the glass shade on the lamps when using the longer pump.