found a bunch of these with some machinist tools,probably no relation to machine work??

machinists tend to have neat things in their boxes.

I often find what I think are unrelated items there, but machinists, being crafty , find a use for them.

So I bet they are parts from something long dismantled, used for a project, and saved in the box, "just in case"

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Where did the machinist work?
Could be samples of things he was involved with.
Many toolmakers keep a few souvenirs.