Civil War era Axe Head?

[acm3]

I know very little about axe heads. I have permission to hunt a 50 acre property that is part of the site where the Battle Auburn (1&2) took place. JMU did a dig for the historical society several years ago on the property next to where i am hunting. They found a axe head at that CW camp site (along with other items) (see pic below of JMU find - has the white ruler in the pic) and it looks the same as the one I just found a few hundred yards away. Any idea how I can tell the age of an axe head? would you be able to tell if the head was handmade vs. machine made?

Mine find out of the ground has my Garrett pinpointer and blue ruler in it and then pics after i cleaned it (think i was a bit to aggressive cleaning it with a brush....yikes).

The JMU find a few years back is the pic with the white ruler in it (got pic from internet).

 

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[Worm-Slicer]

Not sure from looking at the pictures, but all Civil War axe heads you can see a seam on the inside back part of the handle hole where the metal was hammered together by a blacksmith. I can't see it in the photos from the top part, but if that's not there, I'm no expert, but i would be inclined to think later era.

 

[trapperart]

Nice find congrats

 

[williedigit]

I know very little about axe heads. I have permission to hunt a 50 acre property that is part of the site where the Battle Auburn (1&2) took place. JMU did a dig for the historical society several years ago on the property next to where i am hunting. They found a axe head at that CW camp site (along with other items) (see pic below of JMU find - has the white ruler in the pic) and it looks the same as the one I just found a few hundred yards away. Any idea how I can tell the age of an axe head? would you be able to tell if the head was handmade vs. machine made?

Mine find out of the ground has my Garrett pinpointer and blue ruler in it and then pics after i cleaned it (think i was a bit to aggressive cleaning it with a brush....yikes).

The JMU find a few years back is the pic with the white ruler in it (got pic from internet).

Dido nice ax head found mine 2' in the ground with my at pro with the small head near some large oaks

 

[CTwoods]

The surfaces now show a heavy "grain" pattern, due to surface rusting away.

If you were to find a hand wrought iron flat bar and bend it back and forth until it breaks, you will see the same hidden grain patterns in the poor quality early iron.

The axe; it is old, and hand wrought.

 

[acm3]

Thanks CTwoods. I thought i might have caused those "grain" patterns with my wire brush. It was a nice find and happy to have it on my shelf.