Curved, chisel-ground tines from French and Indian War site...

[desmobob]

Anyone have any ideas? They sort of look like spikes, but they're all slightly curved and the points are simple, chisel-ground on one side only (the concave side of the curve. They were all in the same hole and all slightly different lengths. The square ends look like they were mostly cut, then broken off? Hard to say...

They don't look corroded or deteriorated enough to be from the French and Indian War, but were found at the site of a battle. The stone on the top right of the first photo has a flaky, metallic look, and sounded off well but I forgot to note the number.

 

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[Tony in SC]

Looks like cultivator or harrow tines?

 

[desmobob]

Looks like cultivator or harrow tines?

That's what I thought initially, but they seem way too short for that, and each was a different length. Aren't cultivator tines more curved?

 

[bowwinkles]

When I was a kid we called them "spike tooth harrow tines" https://www.google.com/search?q=vin...mg&ei=JCWOXtTMAc2jzwLpiqTADQ&bih=555&biw=1190

 

[desertexplorer]

They sure look like antique spike-tooth harrow tines. These tines are pretty tough, hard to imagine them breaking off but I suppose if you hit a large rock snagged a large root you might break some off.

 

[desmobob]

Thanks for the link and the photos, bowwinkles and desertexplorer.

I think it's very peculiar that they all look like they were cut almost completely through, then the last little bit was broken off. Also, they are all about 1/4" different length, and they were all found together in the same hole which was part way up a steep rocky embankment; definitely not someplace anyone would be using a harrow.

 

[desertexplorer]

The only other possibility that I can think of is that they are railroad spikes cut off. What makes me think railroad spike is that all the chisel points are cut 180° from each other.
A possibility of an old railroad line/bed near there?

 

[desmobob]

The only other possibility that I can think of is that they are railroad spikes cut off. What makes me think railroad spike is that all the chisel points are cut 180° from each other.
A possibility of an old railroad line/bed near there?

There is an old line nearby. And we did find railroad spikes. They were straight, not curved, had heads, and were sharpened/angled on all four sides, not just on one side. If these were railroad spikes, someone would have had to have cut off the heads so each was a quarter-inch shorter than the next, then carried them partway up a rocky embankment and left them in a pile. With their curved shape and the chisel-ground ends, I don't think these things were suited for use as spikes.

That's why I was hoping someone would be able to identify them as something else. Our first thoughts were that they were spikes but we decided they probably weren't. Then, we thought they were for plowing, but pretty much ruled that out, too... at least in our minds. It's seeming more likely that we're wrong.

 

[Older The Better]

I’ve found sorta similar things in a old quarry site. Mine were wedges for splitting rock. They started at the top edge of the bluff and worked back. Sounds like maybe yours were in a similar area. Might be bent from a bad swing or broke at different levels in the rock

 

[Georgivs]

Those look just like spikes from the harrow my dad made using old railroad spikes. They tend to shear off right around the point of attachment and the shear point can be remarkably clean. Also can happen to railroad spikes on the outside of big curves in the tracks or when they're pulling the spikes to replace the cross ties. Growing up next to the tracks I've found more RR spikes than I care to remember.

 

[Older The Better]

Here’s a pic of the rock wedges

 

[desmobob]

Thanks very much for the suggestions, everyone... I appreciate it.

To me, the downside of metal detecting is finding things you can't positively identify. I know some people love puzzles, riddles and mysteries. I'm not one of them!

Stay healthy,
Bob

 

[dts52]

I’ve found sorta similar things in a old quarry site. Mine were wedges for splitting rock. They started at the top edge of the bluff and worked back. Sounds like maybe yours were in a similar area. Might be bent from a bad swing or broke at different levels in the rock
View attachment 1820621

Your photo shows what I’ve heard called “feathers and wedges” used to split stone. A hole is drilled as deep as the straight part of the feather and then the wedge is inserted between the feathers and gently tapped. The hole drilled in the rock has to be large enough in diameter to accommodate all three pieces snugly. They are normally used in a series. Spacing depends on the type and size of the stone being split. I’ve used them many times. What’s really cool is when you tap the wedges (gently unless you’ll dig the wedge into the feathers or split the wedge) and suddenly you hear the stone start to crack like a tree being felled. They’ve been in use since ancient times.
dts

 

[Older The Better]

Yep, I couldn’t remember the term... feather and wedge, here’s a piece of sandstone I took home from the quarry, had a drill hole and a fossil fern.


As far as never really knowing, I’m always on the lookout at auctions, museums, around peoples houses, and any other number of places where there might be something old like a wagon or an old tractor a soldiers uniform and so on. I’ve solved several what’s its that way... on the other hand I’ve still got a few I can’t figure out and they def eat at me.