Iron Relic found at Confederate Virginia site - What could it be?

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello everyone, I found this iron thing-ama-jig at a site that is supposedly connected to confederate cavalry. Seeing how I found a ton of blacksmith made horseshoes, and I mean a ton, i'm guessing that assumption is spot on. Although I do not know what this thing really is, it has sparked my interest so I was hoping someone with some experience could tell me. For some reason, when I look at it I automatically think of a drill... The end of it looks like it was inserted into the tool... kind of like a drill bit, But I don't know. Did they even have drills in the civil war??? Hopefully someone tells me its a Rare drill used on cannons which only 2 are known to exist, andddd is worth around $5,000. Haha! Thanks in advance. Oh and also, I cleaned it with an steel brush and finished it off with some oil.

front.jpg back.jpg
 

Upvote 4

Pick_axe

Sr. Member
May 3, 2015
302
1,042
Columbus NM
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Safari
Minelab Excalibur 1000,
Minelab Equinox 800
Garrett AT Gold
Garrett GTI 2500
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Last edited:
OP
OP
ATpro5

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Looking at images of horse bits I can see the where there is similarities. What throws this off is the thickness of the shaft on the T end compared to the open end which would be in line with a rusted bit. I'm thinking a broken horse bit that has been repurposed for some other use.

Thanks for the response. I see your point... It appears that the thick part that would have been on the other side was shaved down... For what? who knows.
 

OP
OP
ATpro5

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I was digging through some of the other iron that I found at this site... and found what appears to be a hand-forged hinge possibly? And what appears to be a unfinished horse shoe or another tool of some sort. This just further proves that this was probably the site of a blacksmiths shop at one point. Now that I think of it, I remember finding a bunch of random squares of rusted iron that I ended up leaving behind.

hinge.jpg half H.jpg
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I found a hinge very similar to that one ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1435830079.075956.jpg
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,158
130,956
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My guess... "throw arm" from pedal driven sewing machine... wash tub or some other pedal driven item...

You can visibly see the "bearing" area and the "seat" part on end...

SIMILIAR to this...

0.jpg
 

creskol

Gold Member
Jan 14, 2007
13,619
22,659
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
5
Primary Interest:
Other
I was asked by a member to voice my opinion on this item, so, in my opinion, that is a very old Spanish/Mexican bit with cannon (mouth piece) rollers. The rollers are missing on the lower cannon as shown in the photo.
 

Last edited:

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,038
137,038
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
My guess... "throw arm" from pedal driven sewing machine... wash tub or some other pedal driven item...

You can visibly see the "bearing" area and the "seat" part on end...

SIMILIAR to this...

View attachment 1182166

Can see what you're referring to on the treadle machine, but I think that the cast loop (the part that is being debated) that connects the pitman arm to the flywheel has shorter shafts than the one the OP has found.

images-5.jpeg images-4.jpeg
 

Mud Hut

Silver Member
Apr 23, 2014
3,468
4,162
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I was asked by a member to voice my opinion on this item, so, in my opinion, that is a very old Spanish/Mexican bit with cannon (mouth piece) rollers. The rollers are missing on the lower cannon as shown in the photo.

I agree. :thumbsup:
 

OP
OP
ATpro5

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My guess... "throw arm" from pedal driven sewing machine... wash tub or some other pedal driven item...

You can visibly see the "bearing" area and the "seat" part on end...

SIMILIAR to this...

View attachment 1182166

I see the similarity, although I think what I have found is to small to be a throw arm from a sewing machine. Possibly a mini-sewing machine ??? haha
 

OP
OP
ATpro5

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I was asked by a member to voice my opinion on this item, so, in my opinion, that is a very old Spanish/Mexican bit with cannon (mouth piece) rollers. The rollers are missing on the lower cannon as shown in the photo.

I also agree. As I stated in a earlier comment, I can now see where it appears that one of the rings have broken off the T. So I am pretty sure that it is indeed just a broken horse bit. Oh well, it may not be super fascinating but at least its still a piece of history. As I was digging through my junk last night I found some more iron that came from this site, including a complete stirrup that I had completely forgot about. It is quite small! Ill post pictures shortly and hopefully someone can give me a age, and possibly if its intended use was for a child , woman , or small man. haha
 

Erik in NJ

Silver Member
Oct 4, 2010
4,037
3,043
The Garden State
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE Pro & CTX-3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Can someone please post a pic of what the bit would have approximately looked like intact? I'm not that familiar with bits although I believe I have found part of one--a straight piece with two rings attached. Thanks.
 

OP
OP
ATpro5

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Can someone please post a pic of what the bit would have approximately looked like intact? I'm not that familiar with bits although I believe I have found part of one--a straight piece with two rings attached. Thanks.

Screenshot_2015-07-02-15-00-27-1.png
 

OP
OP
ATpro5

ATpro5

Hero Member
Jan 4, 2013
583
191
SW Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites Coinmaster,At Pro,Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That's the closest match I could find to mine on google. There are so many different varieties.
 

Erik in NJ

Silver Member
Oct 4, 2010
4,037
3,043
The Garden State
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE Pro & CTX-3030
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Thanks. I have found a piece that looks like one of the pieces on the right and left side. Now I know where it comes from! So what part was put in the horse's mouth? The curved part?
 

ivan salis

Gold Member
Feb 5, 2007
16,794
3,809
callahan,fl
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
delta 4000 / ace 250 - used BH and many others too
looks like a tool hanger of sorts ...screwed into the wooden wall the u part holds the leather strap.... the t type end prevents it slipping off ... around a blacksmith shop several tools would have been used
 

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,158
130,956
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
IT IS a throw... of some sort...
Throw latch... throw switch...
Internal throw bar...

Whatever... BUT
IT IS NOT...
a bit.

Heh :P
 

Last edited:

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It's a horses tongue throw! Lol
 

Garrett424

Silver Member
Jun 20, 2014
3,164
2,284
Granite, Maryland
Detector(s) used
Teknetics Omega 8000
Teknetics Delta 4000,
Deteknix XPointer,
Fiskar's Big Grip Digger & my old Army Trench shovel for the tough jobs
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Whatever it is it's a cool old find.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top