Hello to All! Any Ideas What This Could Be?

[Darewsta]

I found this in a creek near a historic University. I thought it may be a point from an old wrought iron fence but it has some very unique features. It is very heavy, 2-3 lbs., I assume. It looks quite old. It has a yellow copper or brass cylindrical center “tube” with a dome tip which appears to be maybe hemispherical, almost pointed, graphite or lead. The brass/copper portion has a distinct beveled or “machined edge” about 1/16 in. I skinned a small portion of the alloy center to show that it is not rusted like the girthy outer portion. First time on this forum, read a lot of what is posted here from time to time.
The other things I suspected it may be were:
- Light or lamp shaft from a wagon or carriage?
- Very strange muzzle or firearm tool or component?

Just found it, needs cleaning.

Thanks!

 

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[Darewsta]

 

[TheHbeast]

I found one of those in the woods once very deep with all the features you described, looks exactly like that. It turned out to be an artillery round, which means there is a possibility what you have is UNEXPLODED ORDINANCE. BE CAREFUL!
but great find!

 

[Darewsta]

OK! I will handle with extreme caution until some investigation can be done. Would you happen to have a pic of the one that you have or found? If so I would be glad to see it.

 

[TheHbeast]

I'm looking for it now, If i find it i will post it here.

 

[ticndig]

fence post finial

or a sewer jet nozzle

 

[Darewsta]

TheHbeast,
Thanks, I would be intrigued to know what sort of weapon this would be fired from or if it is a composite component of something larger. Most of the Revolutionary/Civil War artillery I have researched uses 9 lb. ammo or larger.

 

[desertexplorer]

It’s a carbide auger tooth for a hole driller or trencher.

 

[Darewsta]

ticndig,
LOL! Anything from the entrance gate to the grated sludge....kinda what I thought when I first picked it up! Too old for the latter...seems a bit complex for the former I would think.

 

[A2coins]

It’s a carbide auger tooth for a hole driller or trencher. View attachment 1829755 View attachment 1829753 View attachment 1829754

Boom there it is. Pun intended

 

[Darewsta]

desertexplorer,
That’s exactly what my buddy suggested. We work directly with crews that do Milling of asphalt/concrete and Drilling caissons and pier shafts into solid rock. I’ve seen plenty of carbide teeth that are attached to the drums and heads of these massive machines. This one with an apparent “softer core component” didn’t seem like it would fit the application.
I was working on a bridge when I found this one.

 

[desertexplorer]

I’ve found them before. If you metal detect enough you’ll eventually find one especially in or around ditches. My detecting buddy found a pile of them once near a bridge piling while detecting for gold in Cal. along the American river. It’s a cool find, you just never know what you’re going to find!

 

[Anduril]

I found one of those in the woods once very deep with all the features you described, looks exactly like that. It turned out to be an artillery round, which means there is a possibility what you have is UNEXPLODED ORDINANCE. BE CAREFUL!
but great find!

"Ordnance". No "i".
Confuses me all the time too. Just doesn't sound right.

And I don't know if it's ordnance, but better to play it safe until it's known for sure.

 

[Darewsta]

Thanks everyone! Great information...after several days of a cleaning process I will repost a pic of the finished results.
Another idea I found was possibly a Drilling Head for boring Dynamite Core Holes? Some examples of newer ones look vey similar. Also an old Hand Drawn Rock Coring tool “similar to a fire starting bow and dowel” was very interesting as well.
This one does appear to be very old. Carbide and Tungsten materials did not seem to be in use until the mid 1850’s to early 1900’s. Very possible era for the location that I found it.

 

[bowwinkles]

Looks like something that was lost in a knife fight and then got petrified