OutdoorAdv
Bronze Member
- Apr 16, 2013
- 2,457
- 3,350
- 🥇 Banner finds
- 1
- Detector(s) used
-
XP Deus,
GPX 4500,
Equinox 800,
AT Max
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
I got out on Saturday to do a little detecting and sifting. I began by detecting an area I've hit countless times and decided to dig all iron signals. After a few plugs with nails, I popped a plug and pulled out a nail and a nice button with almost all its gilt left. Most of those at this site have the gilt long gone, so it was very nice to see a shiny one appear. Many plugs and a few bits of iron later, I pop a plug I was certain would be nails and laying on edge in the bottom of the hole was a copper 
After removing the copper I realized it was an LC and I located the source of the iron grunts with the pinpointer, removing some more nails that were masking the copper. Gotta love those surprise coppers, unfortunately this one was pretty rough and the dirt was adhered to it like concrete. It also looks like it was well worn before being lost. After wandering around for another hour or so with very little to show for the effort, I decided to open up a new pit section. I opened the area I got the two pewters and rose head nails on my last trip earlier in the week. It turned out to be a pretty good section loaded with many very nice condition nails and a handful of buttons. Nothing incredible turned up, but it was a lot of fun and worth moving all that dirt.
In the first pit section I got a slamming signal I was certain was a coin, but turned out to be a very nice looking flat button with a flower on it. This one also had some gilt remaining in the low relief and cleaned up great. The backmark is very interesting and looks like it was stamped after it was made. "GILT WN" I'm guessing WN was a makers mark. I don't typically pay much attention to flat button backmarks, but I may try to look into this one.
This is the nice gilt button I found detecting at the beginning of the day.
The copper was very toasty and flaking around the edge... I decided to stop trying to chip the remaining dirt off when I realized how bad it was worn and that the date looked too far gone.
When I sift I use a crazy strong magnet I attached to a pole to get the nails out. Instead of chasing them with a pinpointer, I hold my detector in one hand and the magnet in the other. When I hear a nail in the dirt pile I move my coil and run the magnet over it until I hear it "clink" onto the magnet. There are so many nails that they mask items even when the dirt is removed from the pit. By removing all the nails, I am able to find even the smallest nonferrous items such as tack heads, cufflinks and buttons. As an extra bonus this section contained some very nice condition hand forged nails. I made a new burlap picture board for my preserved iron pictures, so hopefully they come out better in my posts.
Some of the nicest hand forged tacks and cut trim nails stuck to my magnet on Saturday. These would have impossible to recover if it wasnt for the magnet.
This piece of iron came from the pit section and it looked interesting so I zapped it. It's hand forged and has a harmonic ring to it like it is hardened. I believe its some sort of punch and the tip is bent a little. The top is oddly pointed and has some hammer marks on it. It also has some marks around the top where it looks like something round was put over it and hit, causing the corners to flare out.
I have a pile of pottery from this pit section that I didn't include in the pictures. The cobalt decorated stoneware pieces I did include in my picture turned out to all fit together. I actually have a pile of shards to the same piece in my display from last year. At some point this winter when I rearrange the display I'll see if any of them fit together.
This very well machined brass nut that came from the pit, still threaded onto its screw. The visible threads on the back seem crude, so I have a feeling it has some age to it. Anyone know what this went to?
It actually reminded me of the nut that holds the hammer on this musket I have hanging on the wall in my relic room. So perhaps the brass one I dug was also part to a firearm.
This piece of iron surprised me in the tumbler when I noticed it had a cast brass ring of some sort around it. Unsure what that went to though.
Taking some time off at the end of this week to head out on a multiday detecting trip. It'll certainly be a lot of work and a lot of fun, as well as a nice time outdoors with friends.
Thanks for reading and Happy Hunting everyone.
After removing the copper I realized it was an LC and I located the source of the iron grunts with the pinpointer, removing some more nails that were masking the copper. Gotta love those surprise coppers, unfortunately this one was pretty rough and the dirt was adhered to it like concrete. It also looks like it was well worn before being lost. After wandering around for another hour or so with very little to show for the effort, I decided to open up a new pit section. I opened the area I got the two pewters and rose head nails on my last trip earlier in the week. It turned out to be a pretty good section loaded with many very nice condition nails and a handful of buttons. Nothing incredible turned up, but it was a lot of fun and worth moving all that dirt.
In the first pit section I got a slamming signal I was certain was a coin, but turned out to be a very nice looking flat button with a flower on it. This one also had some gilt remaining in the low relief and cleaned up great. The backmark is very interesting and looks like it was stamped after it was made. "GILT WN" I'm guessing WN was a makers mark. I don't typically pay much attention to flat button backmarks, but I may try to look into this one.
This is the nice gilt button I found detecting at the beginning of the day.
The copper was very toasty and flaking around the edge... I decided to stop trying to chip the remaining dirt off when I realized how bad it was worn and that the date looked too far gone.
When I sift I use a crazy strong magnet I attached to a pole to get the nails out. Instead of chasing them with a pinpointer, I hold my detector in one hand and the magnet in the other. When I hear a nail in the dirt pile I move my coil and run the magnet over it until I hear it "clink" onto the magnet. There are so many nails that they mask items even when the dirt is removed from the pit. By removing all the nails, I am able to find even the smallest nonferrous items such as tack heads, cufflinks and buttons. As an extra bonus this section contained some very nice condition hand forged nails. I made a new burlap picture board for my preserved iron pictures, so hopefully they come out better in my posts.
Some of the nicest hand forged tacks and cut trim nails stuck to my magnet on Saturday. These would have impossible to recover if it wasnt for the magnet.
This piece of iron came from the pit section and it looked interesting so I zapped it. It's hand forged and has a harmonic ring to it like it is hardened. I believe its some sort of punch and the tip is bent a little. The top is oddly pointed and has some hammer marks on it. It also has some marks around the top where it looks like something round was put over it and hit, causing the corners to flare out.
I have a pile of pottery from this pit section that I didn't include in the pictures. The cobalt decorated stoneware pieces I did include in my picture turned out to all fit together. I actually have a pile of shards to the same piece in my display from last year. At some point this winter when I rearrange the display I'll see if any of them fit together.
This very well machined brass nut that came from the pit, still threaded onto its screw. The visible threads on the back seem crude, so I have a feeling it has some age to it. Anyone know what this went to?
It actually reminded me of the nut that holds the hammer on this musket I have hanging on the wall in my relic room. So perhaps the brass one I dug was also part to a firearm.
This piece of iron surprised me in the tumbler when I noticed it had a cast brass ring of some sort around it. Unsure what that went to though.
Taking some time off at the end of this week to head out on a multiday detecting trip. It'll certainly be a lot of work and a lot of fun, as well as a nice time outdoors with friends.
Thanks for reading and Happy Hunting everyone.
Last edited:
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I'm lucky because this site predates wire nails, so any nail I get is old. I've got boxes of them now of all types imaginable. I wish they were easier to take photos of. They look much better in person, but turn out dark in the pictures.
