Oakum
Oakum can be used to seal cast iron pipe drains. After setting the pipes together, workers pack oakum into the joints, then pour molten lead into the joint to create a permanent seal. The oakum swells and seals the joint, the "tar" in the oakum prevents rot, and the lead keeps the joint physically tight.
Today, modern methods, such as rubber seals (for example, gaskets or o-rings) are more common.
Tack strip
Tack strip (US) (also known as gripper rod (UK), carpet gripper, Smoothedge (Can), tackless strip, and gripper edge) is a thin piece of wood, between long and about wide, studded with hundreds of sharp nails or tacks used in the installation of carpet. They are nailed, tack side up, to the perimeter of the area being carpeted. After the underlay is installed, the carpet is cut to fit, stretched over the area and firmly anchored to the edges of floor via the tack strips. The strip has two functions: first, the tacks grip the carpet and permanently hold it in place and second, the carpet edge is jammed into the gap between the tack strip and the wall which gives it a finished look with little effort. This method allows a high quality, long lasting installation to be completed quickly and easily.