✅ SOLVED Little screwy lookin things

villagenut

Gold Member
Oct 18, 2014
5,748
10,224
florida
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Had found several of these on a sifting site dating to the 1840s. Was a blacksmith shop then a third Seminole war camp and then a general store site in the 1860 to 1880 period. They look like threads you see on screws but I question this attribution as they are all cut and without a beginning point. They are brass and I might add that this site has had no screws or screw heads found at. Thanks for any help you can give.
20221202_224815.jpg
 

Older The Better

Silver Member
Apr 24, 2017
3,090
5,696
south east kansas
Detector(s) used
Whites Eagle Spectrum
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Maybe not an exciting explanation but, sometimes a screw is too long and you gotta clip/break off the end so it doesn’t stick out. Maybe you just got onto a spot someone was doing a little project.
 

Upvote 2

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,032
137,029
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Maybe not an exciting explanation but, sometimes a screw is too long and you gotta clip/break off the end so it doesn’t stick out. Maybe you just got onto a spot someone was doing a little project.
I agree with the cut the long screw off theory (done it myself)

(Just thinking out loud here-on ideas)

Though looking at the 6 pieces the threads are evenly spaced, and are of the same diameter.
Most wood screws are tapered start(tip), or a tapered shaft even.
Screen Shot 2022-12-03 at 7.49.56 AM.png


Machine screw would be even diameter along the whole shaft.

What throws me is they look cut on both ends and the thread spacing is really wide.

I was thinking these might be a dowel-but they usually have an opposing thread going in another direction at the half way point.
 

Upvote 1
OP
OP
villagenut

villagenut

Gold Member
Oct 18, 2014
5,748
10,224
florida
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yes, I At first thought they were cut off screws but there is not a tip as Pepperj pointed out. They are course threaded, but they are continuous threads, unlike rebar...and very small as seen next to a half dime. I will have to double check if they are cut on both ends.
 

Upvote 0

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,032
137,029
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Upvote 1

Older The Better

Silver Member
Apr 24, 2017
3,090
5,696
south east kansas
Detector(s) used
Whites Eagle Spectrum
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Brass rebar seems an unnecessary expense, if it’s even made, it usually comes rusty from the yard anyway I don’t think that’s a spot where material quality is a factor. The piece of a tuning peg is interesting but seems very long… I’ve got a wire straightener somewhere that has three rollers that are very similar but I’m not thinking that… focusing on the brass, if it is construction related maybe it’s something that needs to be spark free?
FF9D7806-0487-41F3-A997-EA961CD34A69.jpeg
 

Upvote 2

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,173
14,463
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Clean a couple for better photos and some close ups of each end.
 

Upvote 2
OP
OP
villagenut

villagenut

Gold Member
Oct 18, 2014
5,748
10,224
florida
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well I have tried to get better pics......but my tablet I am using as of late, has no macro setting. I played with the idea that it was one piece that got cut into six.....but using my loupe i can see that each one has an uncut flat end and the other ends are cut. Perhaps they were machine threaded bolts that had excess cut off as suggested. It would seem that the matching nut would have had the same course thread.. I don't think cutting off the excess would be a good idea as it would only be on the screws by one turn. It may just be an unsolved mystery.....
20221203_172719.jpg
20221203_172902.jpg
20221203_174445.jpg
 

Upvote 1

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,158
130,951
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well now... there is something weird... new and interesting.

VN... cn you loupe em again as to see if they have been hacksawed... IE: Striations etc.
 

Upvote 2

fyrffytr1

Gold Member
Mar 5, 2010
7,466
11,752
Southwest Georgia
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, White's DFX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The way they are bent makes me think they were bent back and forth until they broke. And, being brass gives me cause to wonder if they might be furniture hardware related. Possibly drawer handle pull attaching screws that were broke off on the inside of the drawer?

1670129845805.png
 

Upvote 2

ARC

Gold Member
Aug 19, 2014
37,158
130,951
Tarpon Springs
Detector(s) used
JW 8X-ML X2-VP 585
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
They appear to be snipped, as if with pliars....keep in mind their diameter is not much more than a pencil lead as shown in post #1 compared to a US half dime.
Sheesh... and i never looked at what i just assumed was a quarter.... beings so small... gotta be a screw.
Although the teeth are reminiscent of a worm drive screw as mentioned.
 

Upvote 2

leadnugget

Sr. Member
Jul 29, 2006
265
673
arizona
Detector(s) used
gpx6000
gp extreme
gold monster 1000
nokta simplex
i have found a few over the years. i too was not sure what they were till last month i was watching nuggetshooter.
he finds one in this video and explains there use as a way
to hold leather boot/shoes together back in the 1920? or maybe older
the sole would have these hammered in and i think head clipped off.
explanation at 1:27 in the video
 

Last edited:
Upvote 3

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top