Any ideas?

[dts52]

Got out to the cornfield on 11/21 just before the single-digit temperatures hit. Nothing remakable, some hand-wrought spikes (which for some reason come up as non-ferrous), a .22 bullet, a musket ball? and a small piece of what appears to be a broken shoe buckle just above the musket ball. The long thing is brass/copper and appears to have the right side snapped off. Could it be the handle to a heavy iron or copper pot? Seems very heavy for a handle but not thick enough to be a lightning rod. Any help is appreciated.
HH
dts

 

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[Tedyoh]

Looks like an older thermocouple

 

[vhs07]

It's a copper auto-splice used by utility companies.
If you look closely, you should see a wire size stamped on it.
Also, a magnet will be slightly attracted to it due to having steel springs
inside to operate jaws that grab the wire and wont let it come out.

 

[A2coins]

Part of a stihl

 

[A2coins]

lol just a guess

 

[Stringtyer]

It's a copper auto-splice used by utility companies.
If you look closely, you should see a wire size stamped on it.
View attachment 1654311

If the wire coming out of the device is solid, I agree that it is an auto-splice. These were pretty common on feeder lines to houses and barns.

When I was working in a metallurgy lab doing failure analysis, we got one of these in on a piece of copper line that had fallen on a lady's car. She wanted the company to re-paint her car because it had been scratched by the wire and dented by the connector. She said the wire fell because of faulty installation by the power company.

While doing the analysis of why the wire broke, I looked at the broken end under a scanning electron microscope and found a small indention the size of a piece of #7 shot. Interestingly enough, there was a smear of lead in the indentation.

When we went back to talk with the lady, she admitted that her son had been shooting doves off the power line and "may" have hit the line with some shot. No free paint job for you. Oh, by the way, you have to pay to replace the line to your barn. Sorry.

 

[dts52]

My thanks to all. AARGGHHH!!! I thought I had something good, I should have known better. It was only about 30' into the cornfield from the modern roadway. Probably got dragged around by a plow while underground. When I first saw only the front inch or two in the hole, I thought I was looking at the nose of a 50 cal round (Go Ma deuce!). As far as I know, no 50 cals were ever fired around this area
HH
dts

 

[Rookster]

Nice find.Congrats

 

[dts52]

Part of a stihl

I don't know how popular stills were in New England. I've heard of applejack but not any local "corn liquor" as I've heard it called.
HH
dts

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I’m surprised you could get a shovel in the ground, this is the coldest November I can remember. I hope we get a warm snap for one last hunt before the real 8 months of winter sets in.

 

[Tpmetal]

I have found these near really old power lines. I think it is a splice for copper line

 

[Kray Gelder]

My thanks to all. AARGGHHH!!! I thought I had something good, I should have known better. It was only about 30' into the cornfield from the modern roadway. Probably got dragged around by a plow while underground. When I first saw only the front inch or two in the hole, I thought I was looking at the nose of a 50 cal round (Go Ma deuce!). As far as I know, no 50 cals were ever fired around this area
HH
dts

It does have value! Copper scrap value is around $2 per pound + or -. So, whatcha got? About 50 cents? Better than digging a can!

 

[Bruce R]

If that’s a hollow tube coming out of it, then I’d say it was a bourbon tube, like you see on the back of an aqua stat on a furnace.

 

[Hawks88]

No idea but congrats on getting out and digging on a cold day.

 

[dts52]

Thanks, all. It was actually quite balmy on the 21st, compared to single digit temps the next couple days. I'm hoping for enough warm weather to allow hunting plowed fields for a little while longer, otherwise it will be woods only - where the leaf cover and pine duff extend the season a little.
HH
dts