Little Iron Thingy Help

[gollum]

Ok folks, this is my first whatsit. Was metal detecting around a possible old sealed mine site in the desert. Found little bits from chisels where they curl up at the tip and flake off. We also found a few pices of broken horseshoes. Funny, because it is a hard to get to location, and bringing a horse there would require some effort. NOBODY just goes horse riding where this spot is. There are no fences. No ranches or riding trails within miles, and this is far into a steep canyon, with many boulders (I guess that explains the broken horse shoes).

Also found this little piece of iron with a barb on it. It is 2.25" in length, about .5" wide, and about .25" thick. We have no idea what this was a part of. There is a large boulder there that was shaped to look like something, and we thought it may have been part of a rock shaping tool, but can't find anything positively. All we can tell is that it is very old.

Your turn! Your assistance is greatly apppreciated.

Best,

Mike

 

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[Montana Jim]

It's probebly hard to tell, but does it look like it's broken anyplace? Um, as if it's part of a larger object? Or is it it's own thing....

By the way... you're avatar has always been kinda creepy... and VERY cool!

 

[Montana Jim]

I wonder if it some kind of hole punch... like, it would only punch a hole the size of the little spike by hitting the steel with a hammer... or rock? Maybe to start nails or to decorate something...

 

[gollum]

Jim,

I'll tell you. If I found it on a ranch, or in a barn, I might be inclined to agree, but this is in a spot where (I don't think) anybody would want to haul anything they didn't absolutely need. Could it be a punch for driving nail holes in horse shoes? Since we did find a few broken horse shoes there.

Here is a picture of the kind of area I'm talking about. It's not near where this was found, but it is the same kind of mountains. Anywhere from 3000 to 4500 feet in altitude.

Best,

Mike

 

[Montana Jim]

Man... thats some rough, and nice looking country! I see you have as many trees there as we do in Montana east of the Rockies! Hey... you shoulda asked that fella' there in the pic striking-a-pose what that thing you found was! (J/K... I'm assuming thats you).

Hey, that whatsit does not look like anything i've seen... it's a good mystery!

 

[stefen]

At first it looked like a hog clamp---typically used for forcing two peices of wood together for glue-ups. However its missing a second spike.

I have seen nail hole punches and that doesn't look like it would work...but I have been wrong before.

 

[stefen]

At first it looked like a hog clamp---typically used for forcing two peices of wood together for glue-ups. However its missing a second spike.

I have seen nail hole punches and that doesn't look like it would work...but I have been wrong before.

 

[EDDE]

in stereo

 

[gollum]

I know what you mean. If it would have been found someplace more easily accessible, I could think of a few different uses, but where it was found sort of throws all those ideas out the window.

I think it must be something that would be used on the trail, and carried with all the time. No other reason for it to be THAT far out and up in the mountains.

Best,

Mike

 

[DEMON]

loohs like a scribe of types

 

[Ant]

From the picture if you are looking northerly you must not be far from Borneo or if you’re looking southerly you must be west of Eagle Mountain. If the latter is the case you might have came up through Cottonwood or Gold Crown Road. Anyway, minors used burros, mules and horses for prospecting. They’ve scoured these here mountains up and down, just like you and me. They would sometimes lower an animal down into a coyote hole to hall ore to the winch spot. From that point they would live and die down there.

So, it wouldn’t surprise me to find relics like that in the most out of way places. Gold is where you find it.

As for what’s it, can’t say. You said you might have been prospecting around a sealed mine. So I think it must be related to prospecting.

HH


See what posting a picture can do, lol.

 

[Ant]

My cowoker says that looks like a piece of a broken horseshoe.
Could you post a shot of the other side?

Thanks

 

[DCMatt]

Looks like a sight to me.

Maybe a crude device (clinometer?) for estimating slope gradient and aspect before you took your mule or horse up there to break a shoe... (Then discarded by a prospector because it didn't help... hence, the broken horse shoes you found...)

DCMatt

 

[gollum]

My cowoker says that looks like a piece of a broken horseshoe.
Could you post a shot of the other side?

Thanks

Which other side? Both sides are right there, but if you want a thin side shot, here ya go:

As far as it being some kind of scribe tool, I could buy that, but I can't find a picture of ANYTHING like it.

Best,

Mike

 

[Ant]

All I see is the red X on that picture, the link won't work for me either.

Anyway, I’ve detected around the area you took that picture, west of EM (not in that exact area but in that general vicinity). I found different iron parts out there especially in areas around old prospecting audits, like part from digging tools, some went on buckets, some where on hand tools like chisels, picks and pry bars, etc. Some where even home made tools or modified commercial tools.

HH

 

[bk]

Looks like the top portion to a dial caliper. A little out of calibration though.

 

[gollum]

OK,

How many people are getting the red "X" instead of picture number two? I ask because all of them are showing fine for me.

Here is a better pic of the "B" Side.

Best,

Mike

 

[gunstuff1950]

At Last! One I know. This is a toe grab used by farriers/blacksmiths. The tip on the cold grab was hammered into the toe of a hot horse shoe to hold it in place, then a strip of brass or copper was placed in the groove formed between the two and then heated to a cherry red to melt the brazing material. The shoe was rocked back and forth so the molten braze could flow the lenght of the grab. These were common where horses were used to pull heavy loads. This one was never used.

 

[mech]

all the pictures show fine for me.

no idea what it is.

If gunstuff thinks its a toe grab..sounds good to me

 

[gunstuff1950]

Guess I should have mentioned I was a farrier for over 30 years. Had to quit almost ten years ago. (back gave out)
I have welded on hundreds of these grabs. They were for coal forges and were sold by Phoenix, Enders and Diamond horseshoe companies. Came in a wood box, 100 per.After arc and gas welders became common, they were no longer manufactured.

Thank You!
gunstuff

(pictures are very clear)