Old MASONIC Suspender Clip

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,


I'll make this one short and sweet. We had a great week last week, with 12 old coins coming up from the ground (If you look at my coin totals in my signature, you'll see why last week was so special.)

I think we still managed some cool finds today. There are lots of spots here that are still in crop right now--so we're anxiously waiting to get on some prime spots. And making do with more marginal sites. We got up at dawn yesterday, and dug until dark. Whew!

Here's a video I took as we got "geared up" for the day:




Now, I had planned on getting more videos of some GREAT finds coming up.... but there weren't too many Great finds. We did add to our suspender clip and flat button collections though.


Here are some photos of the hunting. One IH for Rodeo Recon. The last photo is just my portion of the finds. I really do hope Rodeo posts the knife he found. It is a side-arm knife--a HUGE one. It isn't Bowie shaped, but it is an Early knife (likely pre-CW). He dug it out of the pile of stones and dirt where the chimney had fallen in years ago.

And it is one SEXY piece of IRON!



So here are the photos:



Here's an IH (1883) in the dirt, a flat button next, and last of all a suspender clip:







A buckle that is stamped "1857" and a suspender clip with the script lettering "WBC"



And all the finds.

I got a nice, crusty Ball Button as well as a piece of a Heavy tin plate. I don't know what the decorative brass ring is from. The stirrup is neat. The brass heart was folded in half by the plow. It looks like it was lead-filled. I straightened it with boiling water.




And here are the before/after photos of the Masonic suspender clip I found. I was pretty pleased with this one.






And here's a copy of the patent for it back in 1872:





Best Wishes,


Buckleboy

 

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[lasttoknow (Tim)]

Very nice finds.

 

[Don in SJ]

Another good post and photos and great mixture of finds. The suspender clip looks great. Not to mention having the buckle with that date on it.

Don

 

[Dman]

That is one nice suspender buckle. Way to go.
Dman

 

[Hill Billy]

research research research...You dun good my freind. (I before E ) I know just wanted to see if you would nail me on that.
hb

 

[Roger Mn.]

Really nice finds Buckleboy.

 

[kevo]

Nice finds...you guys have had a heck of a year!! I am curious about the boiling water method you mention so frequently. I have a few I need to straighten out myself but don't really want to test it on my good finds....what did you start out with??

 

[BuckleBoy]

Nice finds...you guys have had a heck of a year!! I am curious about the boiling water method you mention so frequently. I have a few I need to straighten out myself but don't really want to test it on my good finds....what did you start out with??

I'd save any small pieces of flat brass that you find that are bent up and practice on those. The trick is to do it slowly and steadily--and to get the metal hot with hot tap water--as hot as tap water gets...then bent it back. You might need to push something against a countertop to straighten it evenly. Any really delicate stuff is tough though. You'll get a feeling for it soon enough. Start with pieces that only have one slight bend in them first. Afterwards, try restoring ones that require more complicated straightening. I've never broken a suspender clip--but Rodeo broke one trying to straighten it--to his credit, the metal was literally twisted like a candy cane though...

If you try and bend them back without heating them first, they WILL break. So don't try this in the field.



Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[Iron Buzz]

Hello All,


I'll make this one short and sweet. We had a great week last week, with 12 old coins coming up from the ground (If you look at my coin totals in my signature, you'll see why last week was so special.)

I think we still managed some cool finds today. There are lots of spots here that are still in crop right now--so we're anxiously waiting to get on some prime spots. And making do with more marginal sites. We got up at dawn yesterday, and dug until dark. Whew!

Here's a video I took as we got "geared up" for the day:




Now, I had planned on getting more videos of some GREAT finds coming up.... but there weren't too many Great finds. We did add to our suspender clip and flat button collections though.


Here are some photos of the hunting. One IH for Rodeo Recon. The last photo is just my portion of the finds. I really do hope Rodeo posts the knife he found. It is a side-arm knife--a HUGE one. It isn't Bowie shaped, but it is an Early knife (likely pre-CW). He dug it out of the pile of stones and dirt where the chimney had fallen in years ago.

And it is one SEXY piece of IRON!



So here are the photos:


View attachment 240280

View attachment 240281

And here's a copy of the patent for it back in 1872:

View attachment 240441



Best Wishes,


Buckleboy

Guess what I found today! Mine has "Pat 1871" on it... curious, since you found an 1872 patent, and your clip has no date!

 

[Wildcat1750]

I'd save any small pieces of flat brass that you find that are bent up and practice on those. The trick is to do it slowly and steadily--and to get the metal hot with hot tap water--as hot as tap water gets...then bent it back. You might need to push something against a countertop to straighten it evenly. Any really delicate stuff is tough though. You'll get a feeling for it soon enough. Start with pieces that only have one slight bend in them first. Afterwards, try restoring ones that require more complicated straightening. I've never broken a suspender clip--but Rodeo broke one trying to straighten it--to his credit, the metal was literally twisted like a candy cane though...

If you try and bend them back without heating them first, they WILL break. So don't try this in the field.



Regards,


Buckleboy

Awesome hunt, BuckleBoy and thanks for this tip! I learned something new today.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Nice job on all of the relics, and coins.

 

[Hawks88]

Some very nice saves. Congrats

 

[dirtlooter]

again with some very cool finds, you find some great history and some wonderful stuff, you know, stuff with the very high cool factor that we all love. keep it up

 

[Whyme]

Congrats on the great looking Masonic suspender clip!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Maybe they put the patent applied for date on the clips to protect the design until the patent was approved
?

Guess what I found today! Mine has "Pat 1871" on it... curious, since you found an 1872 patent, and your clip has no date!



View attachment 1765108

 

[Professor of Engineering]

You did very well, congrats!