Sifting keys, pipes, buttons and more...

[OutdoorAdv]

I've been meaning to do this post for a WEEK now. This is from my hunt last Saturday (7/30) and I'm finally getting around to sharing it. This is also my first post in our new Colonial section.

I plan on sharing some of my posts only in here and not in "today's finds" to help build some content. I realize that 100% of this hunt was not colonial, but more than half is and the rest falls in the very early 1800's. So here it is.

I sifted a few sections before it got too hot and I had to retreat inside. My favorites were the two trunk keys and the cast white metal basket weave button. The "complete" pipe stem is a reconstruction and from 3 fragments that I found in one of the sections. AND... another bone handle to a fork. Sadly, the tines were no where to be seen, but it is still a nice artifact. Some incredible rose heads also turned up in this trip too.







Now to the good stuff... the iron. I could tell right when these keys came out of the dirt that they would tumble and look amazing. They had very little oxidation from the well draining pit.



Click twice and zoom in on these.



Here is the good iron after tumbling before wax. Every now and then I get into a pocket of rose heads in great condition. I think maybe it was fire tempering when a structure burned or something. Well, you can see hammer marks and even a crack in the Blacksmith's die used to forge the head of one of them. Pretty cool.



These two keys were found close to another key from this winter. All three got tumbled because they had very little oxidation. I really like the brown rust with steel peeking through on these.



Seeing those three keys together made me want to pull all the keys from this site and do a group shot. All of these keys came from the same site over 16 months. All iron, no brass keys have turned up there yet. The three in the middle I tumbled, and the 4 on the outside I did electrolysis on. Finding keys never gets old





Thanks for looking everyone. Hopefully there was enough "Colonial" in there to make the cut.

 

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[Bill D. (VA)]

Well I see you got your usual crazy assortment of relics from your honey hole which equals yet another successful dig. And great job on cleaning those keys man. You have now officially earned the royal title of "Emperor of Electrolysis" .

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Well I see you got your usual crazy assortment of relics from your honey hole which equals yet another successful dig. And great job on cleaning those keys man. You have now officially earned the royal title of "Emperor of Electrolysis" .

Thanks man! I like the sound of that title. As you know, I started doing those before and after photos of the iron. It's pretty cool to see the transformation side-by-side. I didn't mention this in my post, but one of those two keys was sitting on top of the ground and I eyeballed it. ha It had fallen out of the dirt from a pit section a month or so before and I missed it. I try to remove most of the iron when I sift, but honestly its exhausting and after a few hours I don't pick the nails out with enthusiasm. ha The second key came from the bottom of the adjoining pit section. So when they were lost\discarded, both keys were feet from each other.

 

[Scrappy]

Good job finally getting those posted. Excellent job with the finds and preservation.

Are those small keys hollow at the end? Once I found a short key like those and thought it was strange. Months later I found a lock. The key hole on the lock had a pin in the center for the key to slide into, and this key slid right on.

Just sayin'

 

[kansa54]

Awesome relics that you have recovered. Was just curious how you tumble the iron keys. Are you dry tumbling with aquarium gravel? Once again, congratulations on the nice relics.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Awesome relics that you have recovered. Was just curious how you tumble the iron keys. Are you dry tumbling with aquarium gravel? Once again, congratulations on the nice relics.

Thanks kansa54. I use this tumbler Rock Tumbler, 3 Lb. - Save on this Rotary Rock Tumbler. I have a handful or pea gravel in there, fill half way with water and put a drop of dish soap in. I typically tumble for 24 hours. I usually throw all my small iron in after a trip and sort it out after its tumbled.

I could tell those keys would turn out good because they had minimal surface oxidation on them without much pitting. Those items typically turn out awesome.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Good job finally getting those posted. Excellent job with the finds and preservation.

Are those small keys hollow at the end? Once I found a short key like those and thought it was strange. Months later I found a lock. The key hole on the lock had a pin in the center for the key to slide into, and this key slid right on.

Just sayin'

Thanks man. They are hollow at the end and I believe those are called "Barrel Keys" The lock would have the pin sticking out the center. I've dug both types of locks in the past, but the only complete lock I've dug at this site didn't have the pin in it. I believe these two keys are "Trunk Keys".

 

[Patriot Relics]

Outstanding assortment of colonial relics as usual bud, the keys turned out great. Can you elaborate on the tumbler process vs standard electrolysis?

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Outstanding assortment of colonial relics as usual bud, the keys turned out great. Can you elaborate on the tumbler process vs standard electrolysis?

Thanks Jon! I determine if a piece will be tumbled or zapped based on two things 1) size and 2) condition. If it's bigger than a few inches it gets zapped. ALL nails go into the tumbler and I sort through them when they're done. There are some pieces that will fit into the tumbler, but based on condition I'll decide if they get tumbled or zapped. If there is heavy oxidation and pitting, they get electrolysis. If there is just surface rust, they get tumbled.

These keys came out of the dirt like this. I didn't even wash off the dirt when I took this picture. You can see most of the detail which means it's just surface rust with very minor pitting. These I know look great when they get tumbled.



Besides all the nails, very few things get tumbled over electrolysis. I've only tumbled these 3 keys, a jaw harp and a pocket knife. It's rare that something comes from the dirt with just surface rust.

The process is simple. A handful of nails goes into the tumbler with a handful of pea gravel. Then I fill halfway with water and add a drop of soap. Typically they tumble for 12 hours then I drain and replace the water and tumble for 12 more hours. I don't think you can overdo it! I don't really time it and I'm pretty sure I've left stuff in for a couple days before. After I dump the small pieces into a wire mesh basket and they go into boiling hot wax to dry and seal them.

Hope this helps man. Do you have a pile of nails or small stuff you're wanting to tumble?

 

[DownNDirty]

Another excellent and varied group of finds Brad, and as always a superb job of restoration. The keys are cool, as is the basket weave button-and that is one big azz pipe stem you reconstructed. Keep 'em coming!

 

[DownNDirty]

Outstanding assortment of colonial relics as usual bud, the keys turned out great. Can you elaborate on the tumbler process vs standard electrolysis?

I would like to hear more about the tumbler also-looks like I need to get one of those.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Another excellent and varied group of finds Brad, and as always a superb job of restoration. The keys are cool, as is the basket weave button-and that is one big azz pipe stem you reconstructed. Keep 'em coming!

Thanks a ton Glenn! That button was prefect right from the dirt. It was one of my favorite button finds from that place.

My cabinet is too cluttered so I stuck that long pipe stem out of the 1812 bayonet socket. ha

I would like to hear more about the tumbler also-looks like I need to get one of those.

Read my response above to Jon about tumbling and definitely let me know if you guys need more info on it. This is the tumbler I use Rock Tumbler, 3 Lb. - Save on this Rotary Rock Tumbler but only because its cheap! Any tumbler would probably do the trick.