Unusual Question for the Pros

[old man]

Unusual Question for the Pro's

I have an earlier post about finding a Privateer in the Caribbean from the 1600's. I am perplexed by something that was found on the wreck and was hoping that someone could shed some light on the find. A cannon ball about the size of a tennis ball was found on the wreck site. In itself that isn't unusual. What is perplexing is that the cannon ball looked like it was just made last week. It is in perfect condition. Not a spot of rust anywhere. After sitting in salt water for several hundred years, it doesn't make sense.
I remember reading the book " The Buccaneers of Americia, by Alexander O. Exquemelin ." In the book it was mentioned that a Pirate Ship took what they thought were pigs of iron from a ship they captured and melted it down for grape shot and cannons balls. What they later discovered was that what they thought was iron bars turned out to be Platnium bars.
My question is this ? Does anyone know of any reason why a cannon ball would not have any rust or corrosion on it after being underwater for several hundred years?

 

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[VOC]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

Are you sure it is Iron and not some sort of stone ? If your getting black hands it is Iron.

Try a magnet if you cant be sure.

The only time you generally see them like that is if they have just been broken out from some concretion.

 

[old man]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

VOC, No black hands. No rotting smell from iron that has been underwater and broken open. The cannon ball is definitely made of metal, not stone.

 

[FISHEYE]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

maybe the ball is lead or pewter used for doing soundings.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

A magnet will tell you if it is iron. If it isn't, I would bet a bronze shot rather than platinum.

 

[deepsix47]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

I agree with mad4wrecks but there is another sure way to find out, have it tested. There are many story's about platinum showing up in bars of silver, etc. but I actually know of only three accounts that have been proved true. Good luck though. I hope this proves to be the 4th.

Deepsix

 

[piratediver]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

Old Man: the cannon ball may be lead, there have been some found on other wrecks. The item you are holding in your hand is almost certainly a caulking iron.

Are there any signs of cannon or anchors? Also, is this in or near a known anchorage, the wide date range of the artifacts suggest multiple wrecks or a couple of centuries of junk thrown overboard.


Pirate Diver

 

[signumops]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

OLd Man:

There have been cannon balls recovered in the Bahamas in more than one location that did contain platinum, and I know of a cannon, now located here in Florida that has assayed at 15 % platinum with iron and some other metallic binders which also came from the Bahamas. The present owner and salvor were always perplexed by its light black patina and ability to maintain its un-corroded status without further conservation.

 

[divewrecks]

Re: Unusual Question for the Pro's

I was curious about this alloy so I searched. From a late 19th century book:

"Platinum-iron and platinum-steel have not found the general application in the industries which was at one time prophesied by many. It may, however, be said that a certain addition of platinum imparts to steel many excellent properties, an alloy consisting of 1 part of platinum and 70 of steel being, for instance, on account of its great hardness, very suitable for the manufacture of cutting tools. For knives with especially sharp edges, an alloy containing only one-half per cent. of platinum is claimed to be the most suitable.

With pure iron, platinum forms a steel-gray mass very difficult to fuse, and so hard as to be scarcely scratched by the best file. Berthier tried alloys made of 1 part of platinum with from 4 to 10 parts of iron. The fracture of the alloy was gray and granular, and it was possible to flatten the metal with a hammer before breaking it."

Stan