For some, it is almost unbelievable that until 1910 the majority
of goods were transported in wooden containers made by coopers.
For instance, until 1887 almost all fresh water on Her Majesty's
Ships was carried in wooden barrels. The same applies for grog,
sugar, meat, flour and fish. Glass, rubber, paper and most certainly
plastic were either too rare, too expensive or had not been
invented for use in that manner.
Loose or tight, constructed dry or wet, these containers came
in a myriad of sizes and shapes (conical, cylindrical, square,
rectangular, sealed or open at one end) to suit the product
being shipped; the variations were limited only by the method
by which they were being transported. The shape of the common
wooden beer or wine barrel provided a reasonable method of moving
it by rolling while still maintaining the integrity of the container.
One of the largest and most famous barrels is the Heidelberg
Tun, which holds more than 58,000 gallons.
By now, the reader has figured out that the mystery tool is
associated with the cooperage trade, and most specifically was
made for tapping barrels containing liquids such as molasses,
beer, turpentine or perhaps even oil. A bung is a tap or faucet
that pierces the end or the side of a closed vessel. This particular
cast-iron piece is commonly called a bung borer, as it is essentially
a device not only used to tap a vessel but also to allow for
controlled dispensing of the liquid (less waste equals more
profit). The method was to bore a hole into the end of the barrel
and, with great haste, jam in the bung. Hence the expressions
"all bunged (stopped) up" and the contrary idiom "tapping