Square Nail Nectar?

G-bone

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Dec 9, 2014
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Yodels all!

I've been hitting my local beaches and parks the last month or so since Gold Nugget hunting "time" is so hard to find.
For this type of hunting, I've been using my newly acquired Whites 6000 DI pro SL and I've been very happy with it.

Last night, I ran down the street to a park that has an open field next to the park itself, also city property and kind-of part of the park.
The field had been freshly tilde for brush control so access was easy.

So I started at the edge of the grass in this park that butted up to the open field.
Lots of old bottle caps. Chunks of Foil....boom a quarter....but not much else.
But the caps and trash look old.
Most of the local parks around me have stopped watering due to the drought.
This is great for me cuz no more worries about making messy holes or screwing up the nice grass.

After about a 1/2 hour, I get this loud hit and the needle does not move - IRON.
So I dug it and in the dark under flashlight, looked more like old rusty wire but with a head on it.
Once I got home and better inspection, I think I got myself an old Wrought Iron "Square" nail.
I did a little internet surfing and from the description and photos - possibly late 1700's - early 1800"s?
WP_20150923_005.jpg
WP_20150923_009.jpg
WP_20150923_011.jpg
WP_20150923_015.jpg

So now that opens up my imagination of what might have been here before.
And I want to go back and keep searching for what else might be in this vicinity.

Going to start digging into the history of the area and see what I can find.

Thought it was neat and so I'm sharing it.
Any input on this little guy would be appreciated.
And if I am wrong on the I.D.ing of this, please feel free to correct me.

Cheers

G
 

Sandman

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Aug 6, 2005
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Pleeese don't use the word, Nectar.:laughing7: Well for one thing that's a nice nail. I used to have a collection of different types and was happy digging up everyone wondering what was there before. Your area may of had a building torn down or it could of been a dump. Save the nail. Wait till you find a ring made of a square nail.:thumbsup:
 

OP
OP
G-bone

G-bone

Sr. Member
Dec 9, 2014
495
942
Ventura Ca
Detector(s) used
Gold Bug Pro w/ NEL coil.
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Thompson 12V Puffer Drywasher.
Primary Interest:
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Pleeese don't use the word, Nectar.:laughing7: :


LOL!! Couldn't help myself after reading another post about that show.
But point taken :occasion14:

Found a website that has old photos of areas, from the air (from another poster on TN - thank you!).
No dump, but also no structures. photo only went back as far as 1940's though.
I will be going back there for sure and see what I might find.

Thanks for the input Sandman
 

SeabeeRon

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Aug 5, 2007
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California history goes way back in the Ventura and of course Santa Barbara area. Nice dig!
 

CoilyGirl

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Nov 8, 2012
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I used to have a chart that had descriptions of different types of nails but yeah,yours looks definitely square and old.
 

GatorBoy

Gold Member
May 28, 2012
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Looks like late 18 Hundred's nectar to me I ain't skeered... nice to find cut nails usually leads to other nice finds
 

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eyemustdigtreasure

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Mar 2, 2013
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To my trained eye, it looks to be a very rusty horseshoe nail.
The taper and cross section of the head, and the narrowing
of the shank is typical of one.
This one looks hand-forged, however. Good find!
 

GatorBoy

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May 28, 2012
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Awful long horseshoe nail at over three inches
 

eyemustdigtreasure

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Mar 2, 2013
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Awful long horseshoe nail at over three inches

Horseshoe nails can and are that long, I have some. They are meant to be extra long, where I can imagine the farrier, or blacksmith
bending over the nail end, that has past thru the horse's hoof, then snips off some of the extra, and maybe one tap on that, presto,
a shod horse! ...I guess, as I've only seen that in the cowboy movies...! :laughing7:
 

Clay Diggins

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Nov 14, 2010
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Horseshoe nail. Used many through the years. Looks like a Mustad combo nail. If it really is a three inch nail it would have been for a big horse.

Square, cut and rosehead nails are still made and used today so nail type is not an indication of age in itself.

Here's a video of cut nails being made today. The guy is flipping the steel sheet over each cut cycle.
 

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