Education > What is it?
Robin Johnstone has finally provided us with an answer to this long-running mystery...Here is what he wrote:
Although it may have other uses, it was used by land surveyors as a grip for a chain. A chain is a flat steel tape used to measure distance and generally found in lengths of 100, 200, or 300 ft. The chain had to be tensioned to accurately measure distance and the chain grip was needed hold the chain tightly enough to get the proper tension on the chain.
I still have a chain grip identical to the one in your picture that I used years ago when I worked as a chainman on a survey crew. Chains are no longer used by land surveyors - everything is electronic - GPS, laser, etc.
Robin Johnstone
