some kind of old measuring tool...?

I came across this old measuring tool. It's a pretty solid metal, two feet long, there is a loop at the top and a sort of hook at the bottom. I'm thinking it may have been used to measure stacks of bricks or something similar. Anyone seen anything like this before? Age? Purpose? Origin? Does it have a name?

 

Looks like a dip-stick for a barrel. If the marks are not an inch apart it possibly measures gallons.

 

It may be a sounding rod, used to measure fuel in tanks.

Red paint usually means fuel. I'd expect it to be non-sparking brass.

The sounding rods for marine vessels are usually much longer. These may or may not be marked in inches. The engineers had a conversion chart that gave the gallons for various tanks in the hull.

Could this one be for home heating fuel tanks?

 

Maybe I'm stupid, but why would it have a hook at the other end?

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. The marks are indeed in inches. The dipstick idea seems pretty reasonable to me, although I'm not sure about the little hook at the bottom of the stick either. If you're dropping this stick into a barrel, wouldn't the extra 1/2" throw off your measure?

 

I don't understand why there's a hook at the bottom? It WOULD throw off you measurements, wouldn't it? Unless...

What else might this be used for?

And if it IS a dipstick, wouldn't it be covered in stains and such, from all the times it was used? Has it been restored in any way (not that I see there being a market for restored, antique dipsticks...)?

According to the photograph, it's 24in (two feet) long. Does that necessarily have any significance?

 

The bent end is to prevent it poking a hole in whatever you are sounding.

 

Measuring rod for oil sounds right, but only 2 feet long sounds wrong.....the flat part on the bottom doesn't bother me......the length does.....so that's all I've got.. ......Oh, Af......good idea!!!!!!!