Mystery relic.

[BenVa68]

I dug this at a location on the Appomattox river in Va. just outside of Petersburg that was once a Colonial town beginning in the early 1600s and was also used as an Artillery depot during the Civil War. I have dug several relics from both periods there including bullets, cannonballs, U.S. belt plate, George Washington mourning button, Riflemans button etc. My best guess on this one is that it may be some type of tool associated with artillery but that's just a guess. It feels very heavy when I hold it. I dug it on the beach at low tide and it was almost a foot deep. Any thoughts on what it may be? Thanks for looking.

 

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[Fossils]

It’s an old file. It was most likely used for filing down horseshoes. Nice find!

 

[BenVa68]

It’s an old file. It was most likely used for filing down horseshoes. Nice find!

I thought about that at first also but because the end of it was so small I wasn't sure.

 

[Red-Coat]

I thought about that at first also but because the end of it was so small I wasn't sure.

The tapered tang at the end is so that you could fit it into a wooden handle if you so wished. File handles often last longer than the files themselves.

 

[winslow]

It sure looks like a file and I've found a lot of them.

 

[creskol]

Too small to be a farrier's file, but it could be an old wood rasp.

 

[BenVa68]

This is one of those things that I may never know 100% for sure but it drives me crazy wondering what it was and who was using it when it was lost over a century ago.

 

[Plug N Play]

Is this the edge view ?
That's an awful thick and heavy looking "rasp" to be supported by such a thin "tang".

What sort of flat rasp flares out like that at the tang ?

Is there any remnant of a pattern or teeth on the "file" part ?
Usually there's a tiny spot somewhere buried in the corrosion that helps confirm a file or rasp.
Anything like that ? Can't see one in the pictures.

 

[BenVa68]

Is this the edge view ?
That's an awful thick and heavy looking "rasp" to be supported by such a thin "tang".

What sort of flat rasp flares out like that at the tang ?

Is there any remnant of a pattern or teeth on the "file" part ?
Usually there's a tiny spot somewhere buried in the corrosion that helps confirm a file or rasp.
Anything like that ? Can't see one in the pictures.

View attachment 1834855

No this is the side view but the edge is almost as thick. There are no remnants of teeth like you would see on a file. It feels heavy for it's size also.

 

[Plug N Play]

No this is the side view but the edge is almost as thick.

You lost me. What's the difference between edge view and side view ?

 

[Doubter in MD]

Here's an 8" square b a s t a r d file from Grainger.