I'm digging colonial while my roosters crowed.

[pepperj]

It was 6 months ago when I hit this part of the mill pond, and gave me an awesome lead seal.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/635221-awesome-lead-seal.html
Now today was filled with the usual get the final things put away before winter and the day was getting long. I looked at the time and said to the Mrs I was going below the barn to play for a bit.
Now it was already going on 3pm and it's pretty dusky by 4:30. So off I went, not expecting a whole lot of anything.
The roosters were upset that I walked right by and never opened the gate to take them along, but time was short.(Been detecting buddies all summer)
I dropped down onto the lower trail and over the 35ft steep embankment to the ledge above the creek. Then started to work my way down to the mill pond where I was in June.
Now the undergrowth was just twigs sticking up, I could see the ground and had the Deus set on fast, no disc, sens 95, reactivity on 2. Now I have no problem digging .22cal lead at 6 inches in these soils as they bush loamy, and down by the pond mixed with sand.
Dug a few headstamps, a few small cal. casings and then I got a high 95 and I dug it out, didn't know what I had, but I took a long drink of water and picked it out of the soils. after taking a picture. There it was a sight to be hold my first real Kettle Point.

Now I have a steel spearhead from out west that I found 50yrs ago, when life was young-so there's been a long dry spell.
I texted my buddy and said I got a keeper!

Now the second find 85 was a cufflink or tie pin, didn't bother really to look as the day was getting on, so I put in my pocket and carried on.


Next came this iron signal 06 and I thought well dig the little iron as there might be a something old and interesting- yup an iron fishing spear I believe, really rusted up, and will need some TLC.



So off again and I got a weakish 65 but it was there so I dig down 6+ inches and popped this little colonial buckle.


Now the whole time I can hear my roosters crowing and the light is failing, and guilt is play with my mind.
I know they want a little playtime in the compost, and get in the barn. So I called it a day a little under 1.5hrs of play.


Got things washed up, then it just got a whole lot better, the dirt fell away from the cuff link, the black started to turn silver! Say what! there's initials-now I'm glowing this is a great way of ending it for the season if I don't get out again.



Sorry for the long post up-just a tad excited about my little hunt.

 

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[toasted]

Awesome finds. I would love to get a set of linked buttons someday. Copper or silver. All I ever find are singles

 

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[pepperj]

Great finds! I hope that you’re able to get out again before Mother Nature shuts you down.
dts

Thanks dts
The weather is changing now, we have a heavy freeze for 4 days, then moderates again so I'll see.

Love the kettle point and the cufflinks! Great hunt

Thanks Steve

It was great to get two keepers I hadn't dug before in one hunt.

Those are some "stunning" chickens, Jim!!

Dale

Thanks Dale
They can be a handful certain days, but they sort it out. Just have to keep the one little hen separated as it's not good. They're 6 1/2 months old now.

 

[pepperj]

Awesome finds. I would love to get a set of linked buttons someday. Copper or silver. All I ever find are singles

Thank you toasted
I have gotten singles made of brass, with a silver/gold wash, but this this a first for me.
Best of luck on your next outing.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Thanks for the nod Dave.
Thought you'd like a pic. been awhile since I had anything worthy enough.
Pips the hen would have no problem following me around, but it seems the roosters like close proximity of home. (Still Fox wary-ever since it took Buttons)

I thought it was funny when you mentioned, "They seem to get the hang of the high pitch tones and when I'm going to dig. Even wearing the headphones they come running over to see if there's the tasty treats (worms/grubs)
It slows me down if I take them out as I have had to push them out of the hole just to see what I have dug."

Best of luck on your return to the site,
Dave

 

[devldog]

Very Nice Saves and finds of the Kettle Point, the initialed cuff links, and the small buckle. The cuff links are a real personal find. You had a great hunt.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on some excellent finds Pepperj.

 

[pepperj]

Congrats on some excellent finds Pepperj.

Thanks very much.

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

Here is the item. 6 1/4" long × 3/8" in center for thickness.
Seems to heavy for one. View attachment 1886218

Well, I don't think it's an awl, either, Jim! I've seen it some where before...........maybe part of farm machinery? Like you said, too heavy ( & thick) to be an awl, I would think! But then, I'm no expert, either!
Sorry!

Iowa Dale

 

[WannaDig3687]

Great writing, Pepperj. You found some really cool treasures to end the season. The kettle point is a dream find. Definitely worth a banner vote. Congratulations!

 

[vpone]

some cools finds for sure - congrats.

vp

 

[pepperj]

Well, I don't think it's an awl, either, Jim! I've seen it some where before...........maybe part of farm machinery? Like you said, too heavy ( & thick) to be an awl, I would think! But then, I'm no expert, either!
Sorry!

Iowa Dale

Thanks for your insight on the piece.
I know you have been hunting the Fur Trade for sometime and your knowledge is warranted for sure.

I still don't know what the use was for the piece, something to do with joining something together?
Maybe I should post on the what is forum.

 

[pepperj]

Great writing, Pepperj. You found some really cool treasures to end the season. The kettle point is a dream find. Definitely worth a banner vote. Congratulations!

Thank you for your kind reply WD, even if this might be the last hunt of the season I'm very happy with the outcome.

some cools finds for sure - congrats.

vp

Thank You vpone
You have had a great season-congrats on the great looking gold piece.

 

[Wildcat1750]

Thanks for the reply-chickens are great entertainment but a tad bothersome while hunting. Not a big thing except I had one nab a white porcelain button-so I named it Buttons.
They seem to get the hang of the high pitch tones and when I'm going to dig.
Even wearing the headphones they come running over to see if there's the tasty treats (worms/grubs)
It slows me down if I take them out as I have had to push them out of the hole just to see what I have dug.
View attachment 1886152

I love it!

Beautiful kettle point silver cuff links too BTW!

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Cufflink? Good. Complete cufflink? Better. Complete silver cufflink? Even better! Hand-engraved, complete silver cufflink? That's the best! I've become a real fan of Contact-Period Native finds, so a big congrats as well on the kettle point. I have some similar-themed finds yet to be posted. I just want to finish up on conservation before posting. Stay tuned.

 

[Possum]

Nice finds, Congrats... "D"

 

[pepperj]

I love it!

Beautiful kettle point silver cuff links too BTW!

Thanks Wildcat (from George -the white one-Bro-Dark brown one-Bubbles the big Transgender-the alpha and has one deep gravelly crow)

And a big thanks from me also, for the kind words.

 

[pepperj]

Cufflink? Good. Complete cufflink? Better. Complete silver cufflink? Even better! Hand-engraved, complete silver cufflink? That's the best! I've become a real fan of Contact-Period Native finds, so a big congrats as well on the kettle point. I have some similar-themed finds yet to be posted. I just want to finish up on conservation before posting. Stay tuned.

Thank you very much Silver Tree Chaser.
It was right up there for getting quality for such a short hunt and took a couple of wants off the list. Though a piece of Trade Silver would make my season no matter if I didn't dig a single target for the rest of one.
Strange though I have spent 7 yrs now off and on searching on 5 different permissions (1500 acres) that border this water system, read up lots on how it was a well traveled native route for 1000's of years. Yet the kettle point is the first hint of anything Native related.
The silver cufflink are caked with the black crust, wonder if soaking them in lemon juice would help?
Looking forward in looking at your post up soon.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Thank you very much Silver Tree Chaser.
It was right up there for getting quality for such a short hunt and took a couple of wants off the list. Though a piece of Trade Silver would make my season no matter if I didn't dig a single target for the rest of one.
Strange though I have spent 7 yrs now off and on searching on 5 different permissions (1500 acres) that border this water system, read up lots on how it was a well traveled native route for 1000's of years. Yet the kettle point is the first hint of anything Native related.
The silver cufflink are caked with the black crust, wonder if soaking them in lemon juice would help?
Looking forward in looking at your post up soon.

I think a brief electrolysis cook is your best bet for cleaning the cufflink. Here's a few before and after photos of a Liberty Seated dime that was heavily toned. A brief cook took off all the dark, thick toning without any heavy rubbing that would have cause a loss of detail in the coin.

 

[pepperj]

Nice finds, Congrats... "D"

Thanks for the reply Possum.
Question for you: Which is your go to machine in the stable?

 

[pepperj]

I think a brief electrolysis cook is your best bet for cleaning the cufflink. Here's a few before and after photos of a Liberty Seated dime that was heavily toned. A brief cook took off all the dark, thick toning without any heavy rubbing that would have cause a loss of detail in the coin.

View attachment 1886973
View attachment 1886974
View attachment 1886975
View attachment 1886976

Well didn't that turn out pretty! Still left the toning, which really is top shelve.
So many questions: What's a brief cook-as in time.
Never have done it before-something I should do-no time to do the extra step it seems.