File:Possible punch of Post Medieval date (FindID 627688).jpg

English: A copper alloy probable punch, or possible weft beater, pin beater, chisel, or other tool, of possibly Post Medieval date. The tool is a tapering rod of circular section. The wider end of the cylinder is slightly convex and flares slightly, but is not as burred over as many of the examples of tools that were struck, such as chisels, pnuches and gouges, in Finds from Medieval York.

The narrower end is broken across a hole, probably a casting flaw. The break is rough and patinated, but one side of the end is a finished oblique facet. This may suggest that the tool had a pointed or blade like terminal originally.

There are various examples of tools in Finds from Medieval York, in iron and bone as well as copper alloy. Most punches and chisels have a square cross section and are tanged. The bone pin beater (number 8019) is more similar in shape, but is larger, though it is acknowledged to be an unusually large example. It is interpreted as a residual object of possible Early Medieval to 13th century date. A probable double ended pin beater in copper alloy is recorded on the database as NMS-6FFCB1. Compare also SWYOR-873914, another possible punch.

The tool has a smooth surface with a dark grey patina, dark green in places, showing dark red where damaged. This is a colour of metal that is often found associated with Post Medieval artefacts. A groove spirals halfway down the tool, but is probably just damage. The tool is 102mm long, 11.2mm in diameter at the wide end, 6.7mm in diameter at the broken end, and weighs 56.5g.

The date and function of this object remain uncertain, but the metal suggests a Post Medieval date which makes identification as a weaving tool less likely.