I found the great grandfather of all metal detecting shovels!

[Nathan6309]

I left the woods with a pretty interesting story for today! I decided to try something a little different today, so I drove my ATV into the woods, stopped on one of our trails and started walking. I came across a small clearing at the top of a ridge with what looked to be like an old wagon road leading to it. Using my better judgement, I followed the trail while swinging my detector. As I was walking, I tripped on something under the leaf litter, and, out of curiosity, swung my detector over it. There was a huge signal there with some iron sticking out! I dug all these tools from the same hole, with the hand-forged shovel and spatula to be the first to come out. The tools are all metal, which explains their survival for so long. I am am unsure as to what the hitch item is. It has remnants of wood left on it and rectangular nocks near the base of it. There were few other targets in the area, so I’m assuming I’d stumbled across an old camp, where some of their tools were left behind. The crudeness of the tools really goes to show that people worked with everything they had available to them back then.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[CreakyDigger]

That is an interesting small shovel, don't you think? Does it look like it's been cut down from a larger one? Great stuff!

 

[Nathan6309]

Honestly, I'm not too sure. It doesn't quite look cut down. I believe the blade was hand forged by somebody and a metal pipe was heated up and flattened until it was secured around the blade.

 

[Tony in SC]

Looks like it could be a, spud, made to remove tree bark?

 

[Nathan6309]

Definitely could be. The blade is entirely flat, which had me stumped. Never seen anything like this.

 

[ArfieBoy]

Wow! Great tools finds! Congratulations! Good luck in identifying them all! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Almy]

At one time in the past, softwood pulpwood was debarked in the forest by hand.. Also, hemlock wood was debarked in the forest and the bark used for tanning. So spuds were a common woodsmen's tool at one time. The oblong ring with the rod attached to its middle looks like part of a pulp hook. The hook would have been a continuation of the rod. That was another common woodsmen's tool at one time, used for handling pulpwood bolts, 4 feet long usually.

 

[Nathan6309]

At one time in the past, softwood pulpwood was debarked in the forest by hand.. Also, hemlock wood was debarked in the forest and the bark used for tanning. So spuds were a common woodsmen's tool at one time. The oblong ring with the rod attached to its middle looks like part of a pulp hook. The hook would have been a continuation of the rod. That was another common woodsmen's tool at one time, used for handling pulpwood bolts, 4 feet long usually.

I think you might have solved the riddle of what these were doing out in the middle of nowhere! Excellent information, too. I never would have thought of that! I think I might get them all framed in a big frame. I'm setting up a display in my room of all the things that I have found on our family's land and the history behind each item (or set of items).

 

[oldmxrat]

Nice old relics, thanks for sharing!

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

I left the woods with a pretty interesting story for today! I decided to try something a little different today, so I drove my ATV into the woods, stopped on one of our trails and started walking. I came across a small clearing at the top of a ridge with what looked to be like an old wagon road leading to it. Using my better judgement, I followed the trail while swinging my detector. As I was walking, I tripped on something under the leaf litter, and, out of curiosity, swung my detector over it. There was a huge signal there with some iron sticking out! I dug all these tools from the same hole, with the hand-forged shovel and spatula to be the first to come out. The tools are all metal, which explains their survival for so long. I am am unsure as to what the hitch item is. It has remnants of wood left on it and rectangular nocks near the base of it. There were few other targets in the area, so I’m assuming I’d stumbled across an old camp, where some of their tools were left behind. The crudeness of the tools really goes to show that people worked with everything they had available to them back then.

very interesting finds, wtg and thanks for posting

 

[FloodcityTom]

I left the woods with a pretty interesting story for today! I decided to try something a little different today, so I drove my ATV into the woods, stopped on one of our trails and started walking. I came across a small clearing at the top of a ridge with what looked to be like an old wagon road leading to it. Using my better judgement, I followed the trail while swinging my detector. As I was walking, I tripped on something under the leaf litter, and, out of curiosity, swung my detector over it. There was a huge signal there with some iron sticking out! I dug all these tools from the same hole, with the hand-forged shovel and spatula to be the first to come out. The tools are all metal, which explains their survival for so long. I am am unsure as to what the hitch item is. It has remnants of wood left on it and rectangular nocks near the base of it. There were few other targets in the area, so I’m assuming I’d stumbled across an old camp, where some of their tools were left behind. The crudeness of the tools really goes to show that people worked with everything they had available to them back then.

Cool finds! Possible old logging camp or perhaps a mine in that area of Virginia
miners often used shorter tools to work cramped areas

 

[devldog]

Great save on the old tools.