COLONIAL OR CIVIL WAR KNIFE - PRE 1800? COULD BE THE FIRST BOWIE???

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

I DUG UP THIS KNIFE IN THE HILLS OF CENTRAL NY,I FOUND IT WITH MY METAL DETECTOR. IT WAS ABOUT 10-15 INCHES DEEP. ITS CONSTRUCTED OF COPPER, BRASS/BRONZE WOOD AND REDDISH CLAY.I THINK ITS COLONIAL OR CIVIL WAR ERA.I HAVE NOT FOUND THE BODY YET!LOL

ONE SIDE OF THE HANDLE COMES OFF DUE TO ME DROPPING IT AND THE CLAY CHIPPED OFF.THERE WAS A OLD PILE OF BRICKS SCATTERED AROUND THE SITE, SO MABEY THAT HELPED REDUCE DAMAGE..

 

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[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Hey man,

Here I re sized it for easy viewing. I wonder about this knife too, can someone please I.D it.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[fyrfighter17]

15 inches deep in the heavy snowed upon hills of NY and the wooden handle has no damage?

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

He is my friend so treat him with the utmost respect. The knife has no damage HAHA! The thing is like a puzzle you have to put the pieces together to take a picture of the full knife.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

IT WAS PERFECT UNTIL I DROPPED IT THOUGH.THE WOOD WAS ORIGINALLY SOFT AND ALMOST ROTTEN UNTIL IT DRIED UP.THEN I CLEANED IT UP.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

I think the point he was making is After more than 100 years in the ground, the wood on the handle would surely have rotted away!

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

DON'T ASK ME, IM NOT THE ELEMENTS. I JUST DUG IT UP.THE HANDLE WAS SPONGY WHEN IT CAME OUT OF THE GROUND.THANK THE SUN FOR DRYING IT UP.

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

Don't be so sensitive girls, i am just posting a find like you all.

 

[goldencoin]

...remember, nothing can rot without oxygen.

HH
-GC

 

[hollowpointred]

this is getting good!

 

[Cubfan64]

Don't be so sensitive girls, i am just posting a find like you all.

That's a great way to garner respect

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Secondly,

IMHO I doubt any knife other than a replica would have been made with a clay handle. It would be too brittle to be useful, especially in the rugged conditions of the time.

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

the only part that is CLAY is the part that holds the wood into place.under the wood it is all metal.if you look at the blade, it curves as you get to the center of the cutting edge.This makes it apparent that is has been heavily used.

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

not to mention, any replica that I have ever seen has screws that hold the handle into place.there is no screws holding the wood handle against the metal frame handle. only clay.

 

[JP]

What a cool find!!! I only find the broken glasses from the fights...just joking.

I might be wrong but it looks like a knife that someone made from an old bayonet. Does the backside of the handle have a slot where something may have slipped into it?

Again I might be wrong.

Congrats on the find.

HH

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

it does resemble a bayonet , but its smooth. no notch or anything. its more like a bowie.

 

[JP]

Still what a cool find. It's one of those things that you have to see in person to find those details that are important that no one else notices. It is like the picture I have with my name, the little terracotta head. No one seems to know what it is. I do, but to share what it is takes the intrigue out of it.

The reason I thought it looked like a bayonet was because of the cap that is on the end of the handle. It resembles an M1 bayonet. The rest of the handle and the blade of course look nothing like an M1 bayonet. The blade looks very old like ones those I have seen on old swords on my trips over seas.

If you find out more of what it is let us know.

HH

JP

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Wow,

Not the warm welcome I am used to seeing on Treasurenet. Why dose everyone have to jump down his throut.... Just Welcome him to treasurenet, guess what you think the find is and move on.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[Adamoffresno]

Awsome find you have

Happy hunting!!

 

[JP]

Wow,

Not the warm welcome I am used to seeing on Treasurenet. Why dose everyone have to jump down his throut.... Just Welcome him to treasurenet, guess what you think the find is and move on.

Keep @ it and HH!!

Mud,

That's why I stopped posting my finds. Too many critics, not many kind words. Most people on here are great people and not judgemental but there's a few bad eggs out there....

But back to the knife. It looks neat. It's old. Too bad some of the experts don't jump in to id it.....

Lockoutkings I didn't realize you're new here. Welcome to Tnet. Don't let whoever's critique keep you from posting your finds. Most people on here are great people and go out of their way to help you. Let us know if you find out more about the knife

HH