Iron Relic found at Confederate Virginia site - What could it be?

[ATpro5]

Hello everyone, I found this iron thing-ama-jig at a site that is supposedly connected to confederate cavalry. Seeing how I found a ton of blacksmith made horseshoes, and I mean a ton, i'm guessing that assumption is spot on. Although I do not know what this thing really is, it has sparked my interest so I was hoping someone with some experience could tell me. For some reason, when I look at it I automatically think of a drill... The end of it looks like it was inserted into the tool... kind of like a drill bit, But I don't know. Did they even have drills in the civil war Hopefully someone tells me its a Rare drill used on cannons which only 2 are known to exist, andddd is worth around $5,000. Haha! Thanks in advance. Oh and also, I cleaned it with an steel brush and finished it off with some oil.

 

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[Erik in NJ]

Certainly looks like a tool for boring, like a bit and brace at first glance, but the end looks like it may have turned some sort of wheel/gear/bolt that it was inserted into. What are the dimensions? Looks like it's sitting on a 2 x 6.

Cool looking old tool--I hope it's something good

 

[ATpro5]

Thanks for the response Erik, I just measured it, and it is exactly 5" long with a width of approx. 3"

 

[Erik in NJ]

At that size it certainly wasn't meant to be used as a traditional bit and brace which would have to be big enough to fit and adult hand in the outlying section. Definitely looks like it was inserted into something to help turn it like a wheel or a gear or similar. Will let the experts chime in. Sounds like you have an amazing site there! You should post a group pic of all the shoes.

Thanks for the response Erik, I just measured it, and it is exactly 5" long with a width of approx. 3"

 

[ATpro5]

The curve of the tool doesn't appear that it once held a swiveling piece of wood to hold on to like most bit & brace's have. And this tool is quite small.

 

[stefen]

Your thingamabob might be from a disk or tiller from the turn of the century or later...just a WAG
Somebody will place a name, time and use for it.

FYI

I just happen to have a blacksmith-made wood brace and bits made prior to the CW.

The bits are attached by a threaded bolt/nut placed horizontal thru the brace end.

More contemporary braces with the rachet-type bit holder from the late 1890's or thereabouts are worth....maybe $30 to $40 bucks

Mine is a little rougher and is more of a wall-hanger, is maybe another $10 bucks or so.

 

[kingskid1611]

Could it be a sort of corkscrew for barrels?

 

[ATpro5]

At that size it certainly wasn't meant to be used as a traditional bit and brace which would have to be big enough to fit and adult hand in the outlying section. Definitely looks like it was inserted into something to help turn it like a wheel or a gear or similar. Will let the experts chime in. Sounds like you have an amazing site there! You should post a group pic of all the shoes.

Thanks Erik, to my surprise I haven't found many non ferrous metal at this site, just a few pieces of brass bits. And it also seems that all the iron is concentrated on a washed out hillside. There I found all the horse shoes, square nails, and this tool. Maybe it was the site of a blacksmith shop?

 

[ATpro5]

Your thingamabob might be from a disk or tiller from the turn of the century or later...just a WAG
Somebody will place a name, time and use for it.

FYI

I just happen to have a blacksmith-made wood brace and bits made prior to the CW.

The bits are attached by a threaded bolt/nut placed horizontal thru the brace end.

More contemporary braces with the rachet-type bit holder from the late 1890's or thereabouts are worth....maybe $30 to $40 bucks

Mine is a little rougher and is more of a wall-hanger, is maybe another $10 bucks or so.

I doubt that its that new. The reason I think that its period is because of the seclusion of this site. There are some railroad tracks nearby, but that's about it. Its along a river and doesn't appear that it has been farmed in the past... the land doesn't look right for it. Thanks for your response

 

[ATpro5]

Possibly? But if it was used for corks, then why would it have the curve in the tool? Who knows

 

[sandchip]

The offset reminds me of some kind of crankshaft, like the one the connecting rod is attached to on an old treadle sewing machine, but that doggone T is throwing me a curve.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Maybe a multi-purpose tool. The T handle would turn it along one axis (perpendicular to the handle -- a tool could potentially be affixed to the curved part to get more leverage possibly). Or the curved part would fit in a slot and turn on a secondary axis perpendicular to the first such that you could get one hand on each side of the curved section that was inserted into a slot--similar to one of those + shaped wrenches for removing lug nuts. Just a guess.

 

[gbpackrfan1990]

I believe that you have a very badly rusted horse bit. The "U" is the center port and one side is missing. The other would have been much longer (with a matched other side).

 

[sutphin]

1990 I DO BELEIVE YOU ARE RIGHT.

 

[ATpro5]

I believe that you have a very badly rusted horse bit. The "U" is the center port and one side is missing. The other would have been much longer (with a matched other side).

Wow 1990, I have to say I see where your coming from . I looked up some civil war period horse bits and it sure does look like that could have been it. Im not positive, but that's what I'm going with for now. And the site it was found at would further support thes idea. Thanks!

 

[ATpro5]

Thanks 1990, Erik, and everyone else for the help! What would us metaldetectorists do without a site like this? And to think there's people out there that don't even know it exists! They probably have found things they will never know the true identity of. Now that I look at it again, I can see where one of the rings broke off, something I never even regarded before. So I'm definitely going with broken horse bit.

 

[Pick_axe]

Whatever it is, it wasn't designed for a high duty cycle. Maybe a part for a treadle, like a foot pumped bellows.

 

[Fletch88]

It is a horse bit! Sorry

 

[pepperj]

Looking at images of horse bits I can see the where there is similarities. What throws this off is the thickness of the shaft on the T end compared to the open end which would be in line with a rusted bit. I'm thinking a broken horse bit that has been repurposed for some other use.

 

[Mud Hut]

I love those old horse bits. Cool find!