Colonial Forged Knife?

[Valley Ranger]

I've had some great hunts recently and will post some photos and info soon, but before I do that I wanted to see if I can get some help on ID of this piece. I found it this week in a river in Virginia where there was some Civil War activity. It's iron and hand forged. Appears to be a knife, but not sure. The handle area is round, solid and has a "fold" or seam in it. Any ideas?

 

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[bootybandit]

One of the blade gurus should be along shortly. Congrats!

 

[Valley Ranger]

One of the blade gurus should be along shortly. Congrats!

That's what I'm hoping for - thanks!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Looks more like a garden trowel to me. Not sure if they had iron utensils in colonial times, but I'm no expert. I do know that the few really old utensils I've found have been made of pewter and not iron.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Looks more like a garden trowel to me. Not sure if they had iron utensils in colonial times, but I'm no expert. I do know that the few really old utensils I've found have been made of pewter and not iron.

I think its too heavy and "bulky" for a garden trowel. Also, the top of the blade area appears it may have been beat on with a hammer for heavy cutting or chopping.

 

[Irregular]

I think its too heavy and "bulky" for a garden trowel. Also, the top of the blade area appears it may have been beat on with a hammer for heavy cutting or chopping.

Having seen this in person I have to agree with you Rick. I'd say its design is definitely for cutting, and its age dating to "the" war at the very latest and methinks a bit earlier. In our friend Eric Sloane's book a Museum of Early American Tools there is a similar looking "knife froe" depicted (p. 33), if a bit longer dimensionally, dated to the 1740s. There is also a farrier's long chisel that has similar lines (p. 91).

As heavily hammered as the spine of your tool is I think it did some serious cutting. That's a very fascinating piece in person and also a really neat find.

 

[Garrett424]

Really cool find.

My ancestors hid all of their silver and gold treasures in the Rappahannock river before the Yanks showed up and burned everything they had to the ground. They sunk everything in burlap sacks.

They were able to recover their things later but you have to wonder what got left behind by so many others. There's probably still old CW era treasures just waiting to be found in the VA rivers.

 

[VOL1266-X]

Was tobacco grown in that area Richard? Reminds me of a tobacco knife that goes way back. WTG, Q.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Was tobacco grown in that area Richard? Reminds me of a tobacco knife that goes way back. WTG, Q.

Some, but nothing like southside VA. Could be though.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Really cool find.

My ancestors hid all of their silver and gold treasures in the Rappahannock river before the Yanks showed up and burned everything they had to the ground. They sunk everything in burlap sacks.

They were able to recover their things later but you have to wonder what got left behind by so many others. There's probably still old CW era treasures just waiting to be found in the VA rivers.

Interesting story. I have no doubt that a "bag or two" may have been left behind.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Having seen this in person I have to agree with you Rick. I'd say its design is definitely for cutting, and its age dating to "the" war at the very latest and methinks a bit earlier. In our friend Eric Sloane's book a Museum of Early American Tools there is a similar looking "knife froe" depicted (p. 33), if a bit longer dimensionally, dated to the 1740s. There is also a farrier's long chisel that has similar lines (p. 91).

As heavily hammered as the spine of your tool is I think it did some serious cutting. That's a very fascinating piece in person and also a really neat find.

Hey Doug - I can't believe I didn't think of Sloane's books myself. Yes, either of those could be it! Thanks for the reminder.