200 Year Old Battle Site - Musket Ball(?) Axe Head (UPDATED PICS Hammer Tapped)

GopherDaGold · Mar 16, 2010

Got invited to hunt a 200 year old battle site today by T-Net'er tim2357. He got the owners permission to detect his field and his mothers property as well. Started off a bit slow but started getting more signals as we went along. Lots of chewed up barbed wire but we were digging just about every signal because we didn't want to miss any goodies. I got a strong signal which turned out to be the axe head. It was almost 8 inches down but laying flat so that's why the Vaquero screamed. I would like to know the age of the axe head if anyone knows and the info might be valuable as far as letting us know if we are in the right place.
A little while later I got another hit and dug this (I hope!) piece of a musket ball. It's quite heavy, magnet doesn't stick.
Can anyone ID this as a musket ball and totally make my day?

Found the sweet flint chips while walking out of the field. This place has it all and we are invited to come back and search again! :icon_thumright:

Thanks Tim!!

SkyPirate · Mar 16, 2010

Re: 200 Year Old Battle Site - Musket Ball(?) Axe Head

That axe head is rough.

trikikiwi · Mar 17, 2010

Re: 200 Year Old Battle Site - Musket Ball(?) Axe Head

Nice finds :icon_thumleft:

Yep, I reckon it's a musket ball - see my reasoning on your What is it? post

That axe head looks like it might have been forged and folded, rather than cast. IMHO

Mike

GopherDaGold · Mar 17, 2010

Re: 200 Year Old Battle Site - Musket Ball(?) Axe Head

trikikiwi said:
Nice finds
Yep, I reckon it's a musket ball - see my reasoning on your What is it? post

That axe head looks like it might have been forged and folded, rather than cast. IMHO
Mike

Forged and folded as in PDO? (pretty dang old)

MarkDz · Mar 17, 2010

Re: 200 Year Old Battle Site - Musket Ball(?) Axe Head

GopherDaGold said:
Forged and folded as in PDO? (pretty dang old)

Yep, that's the one. Clean that sucker up and find out for sure.

GopherDaGold · Mar 17, 2010

Re: 200 Year Old Battle Site - Musket Ball(?) Axe Head

Lightly hammer tapped the axe head today. Looks better but I hope I didn't destroy it.

Dman · Mar 17, 2010

I don't know about the axe head but I do believe you have a musket ball.
Congrats.
Dman

muddawg · Mar 18, 2010

it looks like the perfect candidate for your first try at electrolytic rust removal

GopherDaGold · Mar 18, 2010

muddawg said:
it looks like the perfect candidate for your first try at electrolytic rust removal

I've been looking here for a thread on electrolysis for dummies but can't find one.

tim2357 · Mar 18, 2010

I tried in on a Silver coin, and now I have a Grey silver coin

GopherDaGold · Mar 18, 2010

Hey Tim it's supposed to be beautiful tomorrow. How ya feeling? Ok? Think maybe you need a sick day?
I'm no doctor but I play one on T-Net and I think you need a day off,