Collection of Old Nails.

[InfiniteDice]

Some look definitely pre-1850's.

 

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[alwayssearching]

That is a collection for sure. Wow. Thanks for sharing

 

[INredneck]

I find huge amounts of these the metal isn't iron but whatever it is rings up high numbers on the xterra 305

 

[qaela4]

Same here INredneck, even when turning Iron off I have pulled over 100 of these this summer.

 

[vpnavy]

Cool finds! Thanks for sharing...

 

[treblehunter]

I find huge amounts of these the metal isn't iron but whatever it is rings up high numbers on the xterra 305

Same here INredneck, even when turning Iron off I have pulled over 100 of these this summer.

Yeah guys, I found a cut nail I think is made out of brass, it rang very high.

ID, your collection is nice, after you clear out all those nails go back and see if they were masking any signals of some other metals?

 

[INredneck]

It does get more than a little frustrating but like u said once out of the ground maybe something else will come up

 

[InfiniteDice]

Yeah guys, I found a cut nail I think is made out of brass, it rang very high.

ID, your collection is nice, after you clear out all those nails go back and see if they were masking any signals of some other metals?

The site is near an old mill... built in the late 1700's. There was a fire in the 1800's and was probably used as a hang out spot or pillaged over the years by people walking along the creek. I found large iron - seems like it was melted/cut along the edges, almost like they disassembled what was left after the fire with cutting torches. All those nails in the picture were removed from one hole, just more and more kept buzzing my pin-pointer.

I'm using the small coil on my Fisher F2, it's good up to 4 - 5" or so, I was in the creek for 3 hours then on the land for another 3. I find it's easier to maneuver with the small coil. I could go over the area again with the largest coil to see what it gets me.

 

[InfiniteDice]

I find huge amounts of these the metal isn't iron but whatever it is rings up high numbers on the xterra 305

The older nails are hand forged, and the newer square cut nails are machine/press cut from strips of metal then hand finished.

I lightly cleaned them and after drying I put them in my hand and they have a higher than usual sound when they clack together, this could be from the tempering of the metal when they were made/burned. I'll bury one and run the machine over it to see what they register as.

 

[g-olden years]

Wow, sounds like you'll be digging more old nails there for quite a while! But also you'll find good surprises mixed in with them!

I often encounter modern burnt nails clustered on beaches due to people dragging wooden pallets to the beach for their bonfires. Though new nails don't interest me, I always keep digging when I encounter a nest of nails because I don't want a single kid getting a nasty nail in his foot at the beach! Well, one long day, after digging a scattered nest of beach nails, the next "nail" turned out to be a beautiful sterling silver ring with a dozen clear perfect stones along the band - one of my fave finds ever! I wear it every day.

Ya never know what's under there, lol. Have Fun! Andi

 

[dirtlooter]

those old nails represent history, they held things together that are long gone now, makes you wonder what. cool finds indeed

 

[46Wheat]

Nice digs and thanks for those pictures

 

[Silas]

That's is a nice collection! I always dig the nail signals when I'm finding square nails. Their just rubbish to a lot of folks but as dirtlooter said, they represent a bit of American history and beneath that rust lies an untold story, of something built and something destroyed, all of it lost to time. Plus if their in nice condition they look nice on the shelf.

 

[DigIron2]

at least they are square and not round!

 

[dirtlooter]

just wanted to add, anything hand forged, even nails required a lot of work, hot sweaty work and they were made to do a specific job as well as to last as they obviously have. today's nails are a joke, bend easily or break because they are junk. these are the real deal, true American made by black smiths and their apprentices to be used to build the future at the time. they deserve our respect and yes, there are areas that have hundreds or even thousands of them that can be like pull tab trash to some... but they helped build America to what it is today. just saying

 

[InfiniteDice]

just wanted to add, anything hand forged, even nails required a lot of work, hot sweaty work and they were made to do a specific job as well as to last as they obviously have. today's nails are a joke, bend easily or break because they are junk. these are the real deal

I totally agree with you. I love these nails, sometimes I wish they were maybe some pre-68 quarters or dimes but hey... I love these old nails!

 

[DigIron2]

you might have you a old virgin sight there?I always get excited when I start getting into old nails.what state are you from?

 

[InfiniteDice]

you might have you a old virgin sight there?I always get excited when I start getting into old nails.what state are you from?

Ontario, Canada.

They are not deep @ about 3" or so, as I dug those out the pinpointer just kept ringing so I kept grabbing them. There has been light industry in the area since the late 1700's so it's likely someone had a building there at one point.

I have the ultra crap fisher freebee pinpointer, the ass end keeps falling off as I try to use it, I think I'm gonna mod it as I'm likely getting a garrett pro pointer next weekend. I think I might take the vibrator/speaker out of it and rig it with an LED so it blinks when it gets a signal, so I can seal it up and use it under water or something.

There is also an old swimming hole near there, I think it was a popular place to swim in the 50's and 60's so that could mean some 90% silver! Just not sure about getting down the 10ft or so... Murky water with things moving around in it is slightly freaky