Iron spear head

[IAMZIM]

Hi all! Hav'nt posted here in awhile, glad to be back! Anyhow, I posted this in the whatsit section and "todays finds" and a few seem to think it is a trade arrow/spearhead, possibly that the French traded with? I live near Lacross and Praire Du Chien area in Wisconsin, so I know there were french fur traders here, and I suppose it is possible. But I would like to know what some of you think about it, so im posting it here. Please let me know of any doubts about it or whether or not any of you think that's what it might be. I read ALOT of your posts and know many of you know your stuff very well so I value your opinions! Thanks for looking and keep diggin! <----Last two are with the point down looking at the base. Sorry the pics arent great, my good camera is broken, so I had to use my phone. =(

 

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[rock]

I have never seen one before thanks for posting it.

 

[old digger]

That is an awesome find, Jason! (traded for furs or...). Still a Cool find!

 

[wells]

If i found that in my local i'd call it a broken harrow tooth, we find many in our stony soil.

 

[1320]

If this were a spear head, would it have had an iron shaft to go along with it? Looks like the base has been separated from something. At first glance it reminds me of a blade off of an implement designed to cut hay but there are a few characteristics that rule that out....interesting for sure. I'll keep looking......

 

[1320]

Is image 8 distorted? My laptop view shows this image slightly more elongated than the others.....

 

[IAMZIM]

I am tilting it to the left in the pic, kind of an askew pic not straight on but tilted, if that makes sense....

 

[IAMZIM]

If this were a spear head, would it have had an iron shaft to go along with it? Looks like the base has been separated from something. At first glance it reminds me of a blade off of an implement designed to cut hay but there are a few characteristics that rule that out....interesting for sure. I'll keep looking......

I think I know what you are talking about, as I was raised on a farm and DID cut hay. I think you are talking about the "teeth" like blades on a swather that slide back and forth maybe? I have dug many of them but they dont look like this... I guess maybe it could be part of a harrow blade...but most of the ones I have ever seen were curved like a claw, this thing is straight and flat. Also it doesnt look like it broke off anything to me. It is beveled on the base, and looks like it was pinched out. Its hard to explain what I mean by that, I wish I had a better camera. Ive got a book on antique implements im looking throught but havent found anything that looks simular yet. This was on a tobacco farm, and ill admit I dont know anything about harvesting tobacco. We only raised wheat, barley and hay where I grew up.

 

[NC field hunter]

All of the tobacco here is still pulled by hand. This may be a long shot, but, why wouldn't or couldn't this piece be an artifact left by vikings?

 

[rock]

The only other thing I think it might be is the top of a iron fence. I know some use to put these type of things on their fences to keep people out, before security systems were invented for the house.

 

[skeeterd]

I was thinking the same thing as Rock on the fence idea.

 

[larson1951]

If i found that in my local i'd call it a broken harrow tooth, we find many in our stony soil.

that's the first thought i had also

it is the end of a spring tooth harrow they can break off rather than bend as the steel is spring steel and very hard

it is not a sickle blade from a swather

 

[1320]

I am tilting it to the left in the pic, kind of an askew pic not straight on but tilted, if that makes sense....

Yes, makes sense. Thanks

 

[bede2691]

Hidden blade from a secret agent spy shoe?

 

[kuger]

I am not any expert but even crude examples usually have binding grooves.Lets give our ancestors a little credit,they were not children!!

 

[1320]

I have zero knowledge of trade items so I should have first asked....Were iron spear heads used as trade items?

Vikings would have used copper I think, perhaps iron too?

Most of the "knives" I've seen to harvest tobacco aren't really knives. They are a thin sheet of metal square/rectangular with one sharp end, the other end attached/inserted into a wooden handle. They look more like a miniture axe than a knife.

 

[kuger]

could it be............?
Ancient VIKING Artifact – Iron Spearhead Y 1 | Stone Tools & Artifacts

 

[IAMZIM]

If i found that in my local i'd call it a broken harrow tooth, we find many in our stony soil.

Just a question...If it were a harrow tooth, wouldnt it be alot more dull? It is VERY sharp. I would think being drug through "stony soil" would make it more smooth on the edges, not razor sharp. I not denying that it cant be part of a farm implement, but I'm not convenced that its is a harrow tooth. I've never seen a harrow tooth that I could shave the hair off my arm with...

 

[IAMZIM]

I am not any expert but even crude examples usually have binding grooves.Lets give our ancestors a little credit,they were not children!!

I was thinking this also...

 

[IAMZIM]

The only other thing I think it might be is the top of a iron fence. I know some use to put these type of things on their fences to keep people out, before security systems were invented for the house.

This was my first thought when I dug it up, but something about it doesnt seem right for part of a fence, did they really sharpen fence fenials? Plus, there is no iron fence there at the farm house, and why would a farm house from the 30s need a security fence?