Tried out a farm site today in Clarke County, Va. Few flat buttons and a clock key?

[matt092079]

My cousin, his dad and myself went to a farm in Clarke County, Virginia on which my Uncle and grandparents live and my uncle works on this farm. My cousin and I have detected here 2 other times, but only detected the woods and a few other areas. Anyhow, my uncle told us after they cut the fields down that we could get in there before they plant seed for winter. So we give the first field a go and nothin'. Granted these fields are pretty large, but you can only do so much in one day. We venture into another field and I found part of a horse shoe(thought maybe I was onto something, nope!) My cousin did find a WW1/WW2 era style large coat size button next to the road. We then go to another field next to an old log cabin(supposedly old slave quarters) and up on the hill was another large home built I guess in the late 1800's. Right off the bat I found a clad dime(figures) and a zincoln lincoln. Then I found a flat button! Now I'm really onto something right? Well I didn't find anything else in it's general area. I zig zagged through the field and toward the middle of the field I found a key, kinda looks like a clock winding key, but not sure. I went on to find 5 more flat buttons.

It was kinda one of those days, ya know? lol Did a lot of walking in some BIG fields and didn't turn up much, but that's just apart of this hobby. You take the good with the bad. We were hoping to dig some Civil War relics because there was supposed to be a battle nearby. Maybe someday we'll get the courage and ask some of the surrounding farm owners if we can detect their property and give that a go. Thanks for looking guys and happy hunting.

 

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[toddsumm1]

I always like finding flat buttons. Great saves.

 

[Kirk PA]

That site has big Colonial potential. That is a Barrel tap key. Great find!

Kirk

 

[matt092079]

That site has big Colonial potential. That is a Barrel tap key. Great find!

Kirk

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Certainly a barrel tap key with one of the "wings" broken off the business end.

Cheers,

Buck

 

[flyinryan2]

Congrats on the buttons, that barrel tap key is really cool! We did a lot a walking for kind of little reward, dad didnt find anything but a few iron chain loops. It was his first time out i was hoping he would have found something good, i knew that would have got him hooked. I'll post my finds tonite, but i did a big nono and washed my world war era button, so now it looks all rusty.

 

[matt092079]

I told your dad this morning. Once we get him in a good spot and he starts finding the good stuff, he will be hooked for sure! Finding great relics or coins matched with awesome weather can't really get better than that.

Those fields are rather big though. All it takes is one concentrated area where something went on and boom, there ya go. When hunting large fields you can almost only do a line across or zig zag. But it's nearly impossible to grid it out. Especially considering the back field is the size of 10 football fields.

 

[VOL1266-X]

Good Stuff Matt!! Like the watch key. HH, Q.

 

[matt092079]

Thanks, Quindy. Thanks for looking.

 

[flyinryan2]

I told your dad this morning. Once we get him in a good spot and he starts finding the good stuff, he will be hooked for sure! Finding great relics or coins matched with awesome weather can't really get better than that.

Those fields are rather big though. All it takes is one concentrated area where something went on and boom, there ya go. When hunting large fields you can almost only do a line across or zig zag. But it's nearly impossible to grid it out. Especially considering the back field is the size of 10 football fields.

I think the job we were at today would be a great spot to take him, but i think he would have a hard time digging on one of his customers property. With that stone fence the way it was i think there would have to be some great stuff in the center of it! Maybe friday after work we can hit there and see what we can find.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Buck, Here's one I found in England this summer that is very similar. I think they only had that one wing. What I don't understand is why the great majority of them have two holes in the head of the key. There must have been a reason why the two holes were there...they would not have drilled them for the heck of it.

Certainly a barrel tap key with one of the "wings" broken off the business end.

Cheers,

Buck

 

[matt092079]

I like old keys, I just never find them. So I was happy to find this. I found part of a skeleton key on my first go arounds with a detector. Like to find some more.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi Quindy, I believe it's a barrel tap key. There are many of them on the UK Finds Database.

Good Stuff Matt!! Like the watch key. HH, Q.

 

[matt092079]

I think the job we were at today would be a great spot to take him, but i think he would have a hard time digging on one of his customers property. With that stone fence the way it was i think there would have to be some great stuff in the center of it! Maybe friday after work we can hit there and see what we can find.

Sounds good to me.

 

[got2dig]

This is a clock key. Buckle Boy has it right that's a Barrel Tap key.

 

[matt092079]

Ok. First thing I thought was a clock key. Of course the one pictured above is just ONE of many varieties of clock keys. But after research mine does resemble a barrel tap key more. Thanks for all the info guys. Learn something new every day!

 

[got2dig]

They did make lot's of them. The pic was just for some help to see how the two defer. HH

 

[CRUSADER]

Buck, Here's one I found in England this summer that is very similar. I think they only had that one wing. What I don't understand is why the great majority of them have two holes in the head of the key. There must have been a reason why the two holes were there...they would not have drilled them for the heck of it.

There are tons of varieties, some have 2 wings, some have 1, some have 2 holes, some have 1, some have hexagon holes etc...

 

[Silver Searcher]

There are tons of varieties, some have 2 wings, some have 1, some have 2 holes, some have 1, some have hexagon holes etc...

And they are nearly always broke when I find them. Nice Barrel Tap Key.

SS

 

[matt092079]

Now that I know what it is, I'd like to get back in this field. But now I probably won't be able to til next year!!!