Need help with iron tool

[alon]

Found this last Saturday while hunting one of my favorite sites. I believe this tool is from the late 1700's. It was found in the same area where we have recovered hundreds of other artifacts from the same time period. The site was featured on the cover of the August 2009 issue of W&E Treasure. I'm not sure if the protruding part was broken or not. The end appears to be fairly smooth with no rough or jagged edges. The inside has a taper that may have been used to help mount it on maybe a handle? I would appreciate any help.

 

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[diggemall]

I still can't buy the "attached to a wooden handle" approach to this one, for two reasons:

1) the inside taper is too sharp. Attaching to a wooden handle relies on expanding the handle to fit SNUGLY inside the head of the tool. With the steep taper this thing has, the wood would have to spread SHARPLY, which just is not a good thing to try and do with wood (especially the hard woods typically used for tool handles, like Ash and Hickory.) The wood would want to fracture (split)

2) the LENGTH (axially) of the piece is too short to provide any resistance to torsional movement of the tool on the handle. A longer bearing surface provides this torsional strength and can be seen in every example of wooden handled steel implement I can find.

I still contend that this is some sort of bearing surface from a more contemporary piece of machinery, and that the short protrusion is a 'key' to prevent its unintententional rotation.........

But I'll be danged if I can conjure up anything that supports my claim

Diggem'

 

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[Lucas]

It just so happens I was looking at my 2 froes and scythe today.

This what's it is a froe. I will post pics tomorrow.

 

[dozer dan]

here's a pic of a fro but i think one of us spelled it wrong.

 

[dozer dan]

and here's a pic of a fro pic.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

here's a pic of a fro but i think one of us spelled it wrong.

Ha Ha

 

[Lucas]

Hey if you could you would too.

I'll get those pics up later.

 

[Lucas]

Sorry I am late with the pics.

 

[relic lover]

Looks like the eye to a broken froe to me. Used for splitting shingles and such.

Also a GOOD guess! Even better then the one I was thinking to begin with had not thought of those but looking at his more and seeing that the sharp edge goes to the end I think this is it! Good ID Old_Okie

Yup