Colonial iron, as in flat as a pancake.

[smokeythecat]

Colonial period flat iron. I haven't preserved it yet, it's in pretty good shape and a very, very plain design. View attachment IMG_0596.jpg

 

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[trdking]

Thumbs Up!! Merry Xmas Smokey

 

[smokeythecat]

Thank you. See, I do dig iron too!

 

[rick67]

What is that?
Of all the iron I've dug to get it out of the way. I've never seen that what you have there.
Here's something you'd appreciate. Yesterday using the 4.0 sifter program. I get a rise in the machine gun fire. A foot down I dug up a hand drill. Not the newer auger type for two hands, just a forged tee. I have it in a bucket now. Hopefully by tomorrow night it's recognizable enough to post.

 

[smokeythecat]

Rick67, it's a cast iron Colonial period flat iron, as in ironing your clothes. They were relatively small, this one is about 5" long, I haven't measured it. They cast them then added a handle. On the earlier pieces the handles are never found. They would be placed near a fire to warm up, then when at the right temperature were put on cloth on whatever they used as an ironing board, probably just their regular table, and use it to press the clothes to get wrinkles out. It would not last long, and had to be reheated and done again and again until finished. People had to be careful not to overheat the piece or it would burn or scorch the clothing, but these guys were expert at it. This was was probably 1670-1800. After 1800 technology changed, and they became fancier. They became obsolete with the invention of electricity. I'm looking forward to seeing your post. My piece should be either soaked in "iron out" for a few days or buffed with a steel brush, then finished. I look for these, for the iron trade axes, which can get quite pricey and rose head hand made nails, among other things.

 

[A2coins]

To think most machines have built in iron discriminators lol Happy Holidays!!!!!!!

 

[smokeythecat]

Yes, but you can set the machine to override the small iron. In a CW or earlier area, I want to hear the iron for sure. At least I can set mine that way. These are not expensive items, but you get a nice colonial ax, now those babies are worth something.

 

[Kurios1]

Now there's a relic I can appreciate! I love old iron relics. I have a few old "irons" dug over the years. That one will make a great conversation piece in your home. The type of find you hope to recover close to your vehicle though.

 

[flatbutton]

I love iron too! Nice save

 

[smokeythecat]

Thanks all. I have two this fall. Other one is still outside letting the elements wear off some of the ick from it.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Sweet relic, congratulations!

 

[TWray]

I’ll take it. Although I probably wouldn’t have known it was an iron. Now I will. Thanks for the lesson. + good find.

 

[smokeythecat]

I got a pig iron, which is still also outside getting nature to flake off the loose rust and a leg to an 18th-19th century cooking pot. I'll have to get pics of both. I found an entire lid to one of the pots and it fit a non dug pot I already had, which was very nice. The lids are hard to come by.

 

[rick67]

Your right though. Dug an axe head from a 1600's home. Sat for a year and it all flaked off.
Here's that drill from sat.

 

[smokeythecat]

I would like to see the pic of the 1600's ax. That hand drill is something you don't see very often.

 

[rick67]

felling axeheads.
The top was from a 1600's home, barn site. Found the barn through a early 1800's photo. Was gone before topos came out in 1890.
The second down was a where a cabin was at the end of 1700's.
The last one at bottom. Home was built 1820, gone in 1890.

 

[Gene Mean]

Nice one! I always dig iron if it sounds bigger than a nail.

 

[smokeythecat]

those are nice. Axes are hard to find.

 

[Crusty Shellback]

 

[Crusty Shellback]

I have dug a few old irons over the years, not as old as yours but still cool.