Axe Head

[BSatori]

Found this Axe Head in a river in Southern Indiana, it's fairly normal but there is one thing that I found odd... the haft is solid metal. The top were the wedge would have gone in a wood handle has been hit and widened out to secure the metal shaft. Any ideas on the age or where it came from?

edit:
the handle may not be metal, after knocking on it it appears to have a petrified handle. I don't know for sure but the handle is as hard as a knife blade. I don't believe the wood could have petrified that quick but it may have... anybody have any experience with something like this?

 

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[Bruce R]

What you have there is an axe head with a large wedge driven so far into it that it protrudes out the bottom. If you have access to an acetylene torch, heat the whole thing up bright orange and drop it into a bucket of cold, clean water, it will come apart.