Identify found object?

[Ray Dunakin]

Several weeks ago I found a strange metal rod laying in the road. Tossed it in the 4Runner and then forgot about it until a couple days ago. I'm kind of curious about what it might be. There are no screw threads or any other obvious way of attaching it to anything. It's about nine inches long and a half inch diameter. One end tapers down to about a quarter inch diameter. The wider end is slightly domed:

Anyone have some idea what this is?

.

 

[ddnww]

part of a bed frame assembly or the such?

 

[tpetsch]

I think it may be part of one of those Origami Folding Chairs that broke off.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

I forgot to mention, it's solid steel and weighs about half a pound.

 

[RedSled]

Kinda looks like some sort of jack handle to me?

 

[RandyDaytona]

Looks like it may be one of those bars used to pry/loosen the big cargo straps on semi trailers - ?

 

[Maadcaap]

I agree.. looks like a bar to sinch down the ratchet straps on a flatbed semi trailer

 

[trailtruck]

Those bars on semi trailers are larger than 1/4" at the end, are much longer than 9" long, and usually have some sort of bend at the end. It may be for something to do with tightening load straps or as a jack handle but its too small for a semi. It isn't all that scratched up except from what appears to be being knocked around on the road and on the tapered end it looks like lots of wear. I'd bet it was a jack handle, some sort of grab handle to climb up into a truck, or perhaps something you stick in a pickup bed or stakebed to keep a load from shifting around.

Edit: since it was found on the road and doesn't look like it is all that beat up from falling out of a vehicle while moving, my money is on a jack handle that someone forgot to pick up when they changed their tire.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Looks like it could also be a large punch.