?HELP IDENTIFY ...old hatchet?or Tomahawk?

RRGhostWreckKeepperOfGems · Apr 7, 2009

Hi guys, well this is my first post here. I'm into every end of treasure hunting, but really big on the shipwrecks, and old caches hunting, and chasing old loot. love MDing. Well the other day, i was bored and decide to go to the river. I came across and old bottle dump. So i stared looking up bottles for fun , and one that i found happen to be worth $10. So today i went back and got much more, while digging in a whole i DID not expect to find this! It was 1 1/2 foot deep! Ive washed it off but I'm scared to chip away at! can anyone tell me what it is, or how i can safely remove the BAD BUILD up on it!....Since i pulled it out, first thing that came across my mind was Tomahawk. But I'm not sure, I cant tell whats what with all the build up. Either way i know its old! trying to find out how old and what , and any value?. Take a look and enjoy thanks guys!..I took pics with my iphone i will try to get better ones if needed. ty

Ok ...I just modified this page and took down this pics, they were to big and a pain . So scroll down and check out the smaller ones

RRGhostWreckKeepperOfGems · Apr 7, 2009

SORRY THE PICS CAME OUT TO BIG! ITS HARD TO LOOK AT. IM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE PICS SMALLER OR JUST UPLOAD THE THUMBNAIL SIZE PICS.

RRGhostWreckKeepperOfGems · Apr 7, 2009

OK this are much smaller, but at least you can see the whole shape without having to move are the slide bar!...I don't know about you all, but the first pics give me a head ache trying to move it around and look at it. hopefully these are better and help.

RRGhostWreckKeepperOfGems · Apr 12, 2009

Come on guys!! Where are our experts in this field

?? Well Ive been doing some digging myself trying to find out what it is. But the build up on is so bad that, I'm letting it dry out and get all the moisture out of it and see if i can chip away the flakes of build up!

The 2 main difference i see my piece then anything Ive been able to find on lien is.

1. The size. Its SMALL! it s measure 4" tip-end. And it fits in my hand. very small.
2. All the ones Ive seen , the blade runs FLAT at the top to pole, mine is that CLASSIC triangle shape blade! and i have not been able to find a pic of any old trade axe, Indian axe, hatchet anything that matches it!

so ANYone out there have some idea or knowledge?

Tnmountains · May 8, 2009

I have never seen a trade axe with a metal handle

I would guess some type of old construction or roofing hammer. The era of the bottles might give you a clue as well, Good luck and you may want to try electrolysis to clean it up some to get a positive I.D. May be what you wanting it to be.
Regards,
TnMtns

Tnmountains · May 12, 2009

Sorry this section does not seem to be very active unless its silver,bells or beads

Good luck with your I.D.

Montana Jim · May 12, 2009

It looks too small to be a usefull axe or hatchet... but... I think with some carefull electrolysis maybe you'll get a little closer to figuring it out.

Siegfried Schlagrule · May 30, 2009

look into the political stuff. There was a cast iron axe put out for the
Railsplitter Abraham Lincoln in either 1860 or 1864 but I don't remember
what it looked like. One was found and reported on the cover of a treasure
magazine in the 1970s. good luck, siegfried schlagrule

gldhntr · Jun 8, 2009

it may not be the right way but i have found soaking rusted metal in naval jelly does pretty good...soak it, scrub it, rinse it, several times and it will get you to the base before long...like i said though, it may not be the *proper* way to do it but it is a quicker way..........g

nwctrader · Aug 5, 2009

Hello,

This looks like a childrens toy tomahawk from probably the late 19th to early 20th C. Actually they made some like this in the 1950's too during the Davy Crocket craze but they had wooden handles. They made toy tomahawks about as long ago as they made the real ones. I have a couple that were hand forged and date to colonial times. It needs to be cleaned further using electrolysis to tell anything more specific.

BTW, If anybody here is interested I have a couple of websites that all you guys digging in the fur trade sites might find useful. Hope nobody minds me advertizing.

http://indiantradecollectors.freeforums.org/

http://furtradetomahawks.tripod.com