Nov 23rd, no coins, buttons, or normal relics, just one big Lock

[Don in SJ]

While TNet was down, got a hunt in at a site that was very good to me on a couple hunts then petered out fast. I am using a new detector so the hunt was more to get the feel of it rather than concentrating on a good find hunt. Funny, how I dug a hunk of iron as my only good target at the site. It was really rusty and only the second lock I ever found that was almost complete and that big in size. When I got home and compared it to my other one found years ago, I noticed it is twice as thick as my other one, I have no idea why.

Since it was in such sad shape, I decided electrolysis on it and after about 24 hours of zap time, I decided to quit in fear of holes developing in the face plate, it appeared to start to feel awfully thin, so I stopped the zapping, washed off, soaked in warm distilled water for a day to hopefully neurtralize most of the active corrosion and then dried throroughly under a desk lamp for half a day, I still might bake it in Crisco to preserve or just spray matte lacquer on it, or leave it alone.
Lock fresh out of the sand, evidently sugar sand type soil and iron do not always mix!

Here are both locks found by me side by side, the new find on the left.

Notice the new lock is much thicker, not sure why.

Lock was somewhat better after electrolysis

Overview of the site


My next post for the 28th will be a tad better for finds.

Don

 

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[Old River]

Nice lock. Congrats....

 

[ticm]

Nice old lock. Did you clean it up any more?

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Nice looking lock Don! Sort of looks like something that might
have been used on a prison chain gang in the early 1900's?
Looks too big to be a railroad lock.

 

[MaineRelic]

I like them big old cast iron locks ! I have found a few as well . None an exact match to either of yours ! great pics ! and post ! MaineRelic

 

[augusthog]

Old l ocks are cool

 

[Woodland Detectors]

That's a fine lock Don.
Vintage Civil War era eh?

 

[Don in SJ]

That's a fine lock Don.
Vintage Civil War era eh?

I am not sure of the age, but it is 1800s for sure, but whether the early part, middle part I just do not know, by the buttons and coins found at the site, it should be early to mid 1800s at the latest, think the oldest dateable item was a War of 1812 button, but, there was activity very closeby till 1900.

No more cleaning to be done, it is pretty far gone, funny, coins can do great in the sandy soil, but this piece of iron, nada..........
Don

 

[phantomfinder]

sweet looking lock , WTG on the find.

 

[Skelly607]

Nice locks.

 

[aa battery]

hi DON i wuz lookin at your profile man all the cool stuff you have found.

 

[olekyground]

Really neat locks!


-HITT