Did your grandaddy use this?

[XXet]

I looked it up it is a Brass Folding Souding Rod it is for measuring liquid in tight spaces on ships probably something flammable that is why it is made of something that wont spark ....hope this helps 

[Teofilo]

 Brass Folding Souding Rod
 Thanks XXet.

[duckman1975]

Remember my grandfather using that wished I saved it, I also remembered breaking it apart and using it as a ruler 

[Andreas]

If it looks like a long yardstick, it probably is a long yardstick

[Teofilo]

Xxet you relived this tread and it made me wonder where i placed it after all the cleaning-up we do in our house every time a typhoon hits the city. Flood waters break through my house at times so as i try to secure my "precious tools" I somehow tend to forget where i kept them. i found it in a place that no one would ever think of  Now, i am cleaning it again and restoring it to its former glory.

[XXet]

Your Welcome Glad I could help....

[hugh_h]

It looks like a very robust tool to measure length and distance. A long time ago, tape measures were unreliable, so people used these folding measuring sticks, although I've only ever seen wooden ones. Brass doesn't rust, so it has that advantage over steel.

I don't think the measurements are "non-sequential;" Maybe it appears like that because the numbers go "back and forth" in the photo so that they measure correctly when the thing is unfolded.