Any idea what this is?

[arobfeds21]

Hi all,

I found this piece today about 4 inches underground wedged between some tree roots. I was in Northern Virginia about 100 yards off of the Potomac River. I have zero idea what it is. This is what I'm left with after picking off some gunk that was caked on it. What kind of metals get this black color? The only distinct thing about it is the square shape. Any help is appreciated!

 

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[Beshires1]

I to have found similar items as this ( here in Mississippi). Its either a pocketknife or a knife handle.

 

[mcl]

I to have found similar items as this ( here in Mississippi). Its either a pocketknife or a knife handle.

Agreed.

Here is a slightly less toast example I found years ago:




-mcl

 

[arobfeds21]

wow, that is really nice! one question, any idea on the age of this?

 

[mcl]

Well, based on the location where I found the piece I posted, I believe it most likely was made between the years 1880 and 1910. Occasionally I find slightly older things (1870s) that were almost certainly lost or discarded there after the early date. Yours is more toast than mine is, but a lot of factors play a role in how quickly something rusts: underwater vs in contact with water occasionally vs dry; soil content (e.g., acidity); condition prior to going in the dirt; the aspects of the object itself (a cannonball will last much longer than a knife). So it's hard to know. My conservative estimate of the date range for yours is 1850 - 1950. My less conservative range is 1865-1935. My fast and loose, risky range is 1870-1930. If you held a gun to my head and said, "correctly guess the decade this was made or you die", I'd first look for any possible escape routes, and if none were available, I'd say "the 1890s" between successive recitations of "hail Mary".

-mcl

 

[arobfeds21]

Gotcha...Thank you for all the great info!! Huge help.