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..

 

[Silver Searcher]

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!

So why do Viking boats still get found Nice find Welcome to T Net

 

[Silver Searcher]

LK....the knife handle looks simular to a bowie but the blade doesn't resemble the classic hunting bowie, here's a picture I found still looks quite old to me though :P as I said nice find

 

[Goldiver]

I looked at the pictures a little more. The "clay" material would be some kind of a resin that the original owner would have used to try to keep the handles glued to the knife.

The pommel, the brass looking piece on the back of the handle really looks like it came off of a bayonet, that's why I said that probably the original owner built the knife from a bayonet.

As for wood in the ground, when I was in El Salvador a few years ago I saw a few cap and ball rifles that were recovered from being buried over 100 years ago. The wood was still intact. I have also seen swords from the colonial period pulled out of the ground that had been buried for that amount of time or more, still with wood on the grip.

HH

I agree, It is probably some sort of resin holding the handle on, the right type would work pretty well.

Steve

 

[ivan salis]

soil conditions vary greatly -- some soils are ruinous others preservative in their nature --- thus in some places it will rot while in other places it will stay intact for many many years ---also the type of wood matters --some hold up better than others ---- also as some have said --it could have been in a torn down building thus the 15 inch depth question is rapidly answered as in "how did it get so deep --yet look so good still" ?

the "clay" might be a form of resin expoxy ( a very powerful type of glue) that held the handle on the blade --- and deep depth does not always equal great age -- a bulldozer flatting a home can and will push things deep ----looks to me like a modified bayonet --possibly a M1 type

I would be happy to find it --- Ivan

 

[tapoutking]

Very cool knife! I've recently found two broken blades on different occasions. And imo, I haven;t seen any posts here that were out of line unless something was deleted by the mods. I think it's perfectly fine to make observations regarding finds.

 

[lonewolfe]

Cool find

HH

 

[Happy Harry]

Wow!! The only thing I have found that resembles a knife is a swiss pocket knife some fisherman lost at the beach. That is totally encrusted in salt and shells. I do recall that some wood becomes petrified so not all wood rots away. Outstanding find and cudos to you for digging 15-18". Thats a lot of work. Please continue to post. That is what makes this site sooooo good.
HH

 

[Slipperyjack47]

Now that is a Great find! And man you got these folks in a lather!!!!! lmao I have to add my 2 cents worth in here.First not all blades that were made by blacksmiths were built in the damascus style, "the repeated folding of the steel" Many old blades were cut out of old saw blades as this steel was tempered by the heat of cutting wood for years.So the blade does not have to have the damascus marks to be old.Secondly, the handle might have been broken at an earlyer time and the owner did not have the means to replace the original so did the next best thing, he hand carved a new handle and used a clay or resin type glue to adhere the handles back in place. It is known fact that people in those days did'nt just throw things away when they broke like we do in our disposable age, they fixed it! I for one believe you have a great find there and say CONGRADULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slipperyjack

 

[brnn53]

My what an interesting discussion! I too wonder why the handle is intact but its true that sometimes wood does not decay in the ground. Perhaps there wasn't alot of moisture near it or it was in compacted clay. None the less, it is a great find! Check out my Bowie in my avatar. No wood handle survived here and the guard is missing. I'm still looking for the guard. I'd pound the site that you found that in. Let us know what else you find and...welcome to the forum!
Mike

 

[La Beep]

First nice find.....

Now down to basics: Here is a dug knife from late 1700's: This is what most people are saying or looking for.
There are surviving complete knifes from this time period, but they were in collections or stored by owners and passed down.

Like I said before nice find. Just don't think it been in the ground long. Somebody lost an antique or modern reproduction. We may never know. Now most knifes of that time period has a makers mark. Something to look for.
La Beep

 

[vthepresident]

Maybe it's a Spanish knife and the handle is made out of Old Bentwood. That would explain everything.

welcome to treasurenet.

V

 

[olepossum]

jealousy that is what it sounds like to me some one found somthing awsome and some one didnt like being outdone just my opinion

 

[EDDE]

ill take a stab and say its a recent drop turned in with back fill

 

[ivan salis]

according to the story the first bowie knife was hand made form metal gotten from a shooting star -- and was with the owner when he died fighting at the alamo in texas (its exact where abouts have never be reveled) -- but your find is a very nice one still I think its a bit more modern is all

 

[LOCKOUTKINGS]

well, i asked my aunt about the history of the land and she told me that my great grandpa purchased the land in the 1920s and has been passed down sense then.I guess the land has not had a building on it sense my family has owned it.It was bought for the hunting property behind the main lot.The land does have military historical value though.My aunt told me there is one of those big blue and gold color historical signs posted on the property that explains what the land was used for.She said it was some kind of military trail during the old wars.I will be going back sometime this summer to further inspect the land.I will take a picture of the sign and any other things that I find when i do go.
It is very UN-likely that this was a recent drop because the property is very very secluded and is hard to find even with the address.there is only like 2 houses within 6 miles of the property so, im convinced that it is indeed a RELIC . . .thank you for your response and warm welcome everyone.I will never leave now..lol

 

[Bushido Dude]

Isn't upstate NY wonderful? All the random knives and other assorted implements of destruction you can find? Just hope it wasn't one of Buckey Phillips knives . Congrats on the find and hope you come to some sort of conclusion on it. If you want some local expert advice let me know. I've got my guru stashed away for my use but he will make public appearances when necessary. And of course, if you want a hunting partner, I'm always game!

-Jerred-