OutdoorAdv
Bronze Member
- Apr 16, 2013
- 2,457
- 3,350
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- XP Deus,
GPX 4500,
Equinox 800,
AT Max
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
I got out twice this weekend to do some more sifting for a total of 12 hours moving and picking through piles of dirt. Its hard work, but as I said in my previous posts, an incredible amount of fun. The first trip this weekend was only 4 hours long and the part of the pit I opened up didn't have all that much compared to today. Today, I spent 8 hours and had one of the best days I've ever had in the field.
I've read articles and seen first hand, just how many targets are masked. Weather it be an audible iron masking or silent iron masking, we walk over much more than we actually find. With the exception of the thimble and CW "O" hat insignia, every one of the metal targets in these pictures were 100% masked. I'll show a picture of the iron that was masking them at the bottom, but its at least a couple hundred square and rose-head nails from today's pit with various other iron bits. The thimble and hat insignia I dug while swinging a few yards from the pit to give my back a break between digging.
Here it is:
41 buttons: 7 Bone, 7 Shell, 2 Black glass (one with an elephant), engraved Dandys, flat buttons, porcelain, lead, pewter and iron buttons!
Two Flint Lock Musket Flints - Some of my favorites
The Bone toothbrush is another favorite. I don't know how I didn't see it sooner, but I almost sifted all my dirt at the end of the day and that turned up
Two Pipe Bowls - A whole pipe bowl has been a goal of mine for a while. I shattered the first one removing the dirt from the pit and was pretty upset with myself. A few hours later a complete one surfaced (much older one too) and I couldn't stop smiling. I glued the one I broke back together.
7 1/2 clay marbles
... and lots more.
*Check out the slate "pencils" and piece of slate tablet I found in the bottom left of the picture (above). Works just like it did in c. 1850. I have found 11 slate and one soap stone "pencils" in this pit so far. I'm sure the person who practiced their writing and math over 160 years ago, couldn't imagine someone would dig it up, write "T-NET 2015" and share it electronically. ha
This is my 3rd "Surprise LC" from this place. Two were silent masked and one was iron masked with no high tones on any of them. It makes my hunt when one of these surfaces totally unexpected. This is also my 1st draped bust LC that I could get a date off of - 1803. All my other Draped Bust LC's are identifiable, but too toasted to get a date.
These two engraved buttons still have their silver plating. The appear to be a brass composition. The larger dandy one is a cast one piece button. Both still have shanks intact.
When this "O" turned up I thought it might be a CW insignia... but was unsure because its missing its attachment point. The Howard Crouch CW Artifacts book has what appears to be a similar insignia in it... so I do believe that is what it is!
I couldn't believe my eyes when a flint showed up in my sifter. I sorta knew what they looked like but this was the first one I saw in person. The very next screen of dirt had a second one. They are really cool relics to me and both are my first flints.
This carved bone tooth brush was jaw dropping to me. Previously I had only found pieces of one. Its in great shape and one of my all time favorite relics.
*Edit: Subterranean ID'ed this piece of bone as part of a "violin bow"... its not a wood planer like I guessed below, but a piece to a violin.*
And then there is this bone tool! Its carved and doesn't appear broken in any places. My very first thought when I saw it was that its a small wood planer for tapering edges... You can still buy planers this small and even smaller. The bottom has a small edge on one side with the underside raised. After the opening, the underside is no longer raised and the edge disappears. If it is a planer, then I am unsure on the blade attachment unless it was just wedged into the opening on the bottom. Open too all ideas\theories on what this might be...
The rest of it from today. There is a couple hundred pieces of iron in there... mostly nails, but also cauldron pot pieces, scissor handles, knives, hooks, keys, tools... etc. If you find yourself in an area that produces old relics, and you locate an iron patch... dig a test hole! If you see pottery\shell\glass, SIFT! Its hard work, but totally worth it at the right spots. It doesn't matter what coil or machine, or how slow you go in the iron, you are missing some of the best stuff down there.... and its not all metal!
Thanks for looking and Happy Hunting.
I've read articles and seen first hand, just how many targets are masked. Weather it be an audible iron masking or silent iron masking, we walk over much more than we actually find. With the exception of the thimble and CW "O" hat insignia, every one of the metal targets in these pictures were 100% masked. I'll show a picture of the iron that was masking them at the bottom, but its at least a couple hundred square and rose-head nails from today's pit with various other iron bits. The thimble and hat insignia I dug while swinging a few yards from the pit to give my back a break between digging.
Here it is:
41 buttons: 7 Bone, 7 Shell, 2 Black glass (one with an elephant), engraved Dandys, flat buttons, porcelain, lead, pewter and iron buttons!
Two Flint Lock Musket Flints - Some of my favorites
The Bone toothbrush is another favorite. I don't know how I didn't see it sooner, but I almost sifted all my dirt at the end of the day and that turned up
Two Pipe Bowls - A whole pipe bowl has been a goal of mine for a while. I shattered the first one removing the dirt from the pit and was pretty upset with myself. A few hours later a complete one surfaced (much older one too) and I couldn't stop smiling. I glued the one I broke back together.
7 1/2 clay marbles
... and lots more.
*Check out the slate "pencils" and piece of slate tablet I found in the bottom left of the picture (above). Works just like it did in c. 1850. I have found 11 slate and one soap stone "pencils" in this pit so far. I'm sure the person who practiced their writing and math over 160 years ago, couldn't imagine someone would dig it up, write "T-NET 2015" and share it electronically. ha
This is my 3rd "Surprise LC" from this place. Two were silent masked and one was iron masked with no high tones on any of them. It makes my hunt when one of these surfaces totally unexpected. This is also my 1st draped bust LC that I could get a date off of - 1803. All my other Draped Bust LC's are identifiable, but too toasted to get a date.
These two engraved buttons still have their silver plating. The appear to be a brass composition. The larger dandy one is a cast one piece button. Both still have shanks intact.
When this "O" turned up I thought it might be a CW insignia... but was unsure because its missing its attachment point. The Howard Crouch CW Artifacts book has what appears to be a similar insignia in it... so I do believe that is what it is!
I couldn't believe my eyes when a flint showed up in my sifter. I sorta knew what they looked like but this was the first one I saw in person. The very next screen of dirt had a second one. They are really cool relics to me and both are my first flints.
This carved bone tooth brush was jaw dropping to me. Previously I had only found pieces of one. Its in great shape and one of my all time favorite relics.
*Edit: Subterranean ID'ed this piece of bone as part of a "violin bow"... its not a wood planer like I guessed below, but a piece to a violin.*
And then there is this bone tool! Its carved and doesn't appear broken in any places. My very first thought when I saw it was that its a small wood planer for tapering edges... You can still buy planers this small and even smaller. The bottom has a small edge on one side with the underside raised. After the opening, the underside is no longer raised and the edge disappears. If it is a planer, then I am unsure on the blade attachment unless it was just wedged into the opening on the bottom. Open too all ideas\theories on what this might be...
The rest of it from today. There is a couple hundred pieces of iron in there... mostly nails, but also cauldron pot pieces, scissor handles, knives, hooks, keys, tools... etc. If you find yourself in an area that produces old relics, and you locate an iron patch... dig a test hole! If you see pottery\shell\glass, SIFT! Its hard work, but totally worth it at the right spots. It doesn't matter what coil or machine, or how slow you go in the iron, you are missing some of the best stuff down there.... and its not all metal!
Thanks for looking and Happy Hunting.
Last edited:
Upvote
25
