Nuckles? pewter? age?

DirtyMike · Mar 16, 2010

They look like lead but much too light to be lead. Found in the middle of no where in a civil war camp. I have heard of them being used in the Civil War but don't think these are period. I have only seen brass ones until now. They were found at about 8 in deep. Any ideas of age or type of metal?

AU24K · Mar 16, 2010

Does a magnet stick to it?

Scott

kuger · Mar 16, 2010

That is a killer find!!!I would bet they are period.I have seen them made of lead

DirtyMike · Mar 16, 2010

AU24K said:
Does a magnet stick to it?

Scott

No.

SkyPirate · Mar 17, 2010

I know someone here who found some similar. They were used during the Civil War. Nice find!

Woodland Detectors · Mar 17, 2010

Hey Mike.
I think it's pretty modern buddy.
It appears from this side of the glass the composition of metal resembles 1940 pot metal.
JMO

72cheyenne · Mar 17, 2010

I'm going with 4-H on this one. Sure has a pot metal look to them. And I would never want to hit someone with lead knuckles on. Might not get them off after that. Not saying there wasn't some made though.

ivan salis · Mar 17, 2010

might be some sort of alloy --"brass" knuckles are a nasty thing to be hit with and a great thing to hit others with if you really want to hurt em --been on both ends giving and recieving -- I have seen modern aluminum ones (*junk) and seen old lead ones -- the lead ones were not straight lead (too soft) but were a lead based alloy =similar to pewter ( thus much harder than straight lead was)

DirtyMike · Mar 17, 2010

They are much too light to be pure lead. :icon_scratch:

vayank54 · Mar 17, 2010

I'd have to go with some of the other and say the look like they are made from aluminum or pot metal.

kuger · Mar 17, 2010

kuger said:
That is a killer find!!!I would bet they are period.I have seen them made of lead

Well I stand corrected on period.I meant to say pewter,instead of lead.Sorry.Still will display nice!

BuckleBoy · Mar 17, 2010

I have several sets of lead knuckles dug from CW era and slightly pre-CW sites (one of which has the soldier's name scratched in). They did make them out of lead. But... this set looks like pot metal. I'd say it's modern. Positively.

Best Wishes,

Buckles

ivan salis · Mar 17, 2010

might be a lead alloy that has zinc in it --zinc as we all know (zinc cents anyone ?)--often doesn't hold up well in the dirt.

BuckleBoy · Mar 17, 2010

ivan salis said:
might be a lead alloy that has zinc in it --zinc as we all know (zinc cents anyone ?)--often doesn't hold up well in the dirt.

I think that still drives the coffin nail in on the possibility of it being old. I have yet to dig anything made of zinc or zinc alloy from the 1860s or before. Iron, Brass, and Lead were by far the most common materials. Below are the two lead knuckles from recent hunts. Kuger, hoping you check back in and see this...does the item right above the redware pottery shard in the first photo look like anything you've ever seen on a rifle or musket?

kuger · Mar 17, 2010

Good points on the Knuckles Buckles!
Man,I cant recall seeing a piece like that,but I have a box of gun parts,I will look through and see if anything comes close.I usually look to you for those answers!! :thumbsup:

BuckleBoy · Mar 17, 2010

kuger said:
Good points on the Knuckles Buckles!
Man,I cant recall seeing a piece like that,but I have a box of gun parts,I will look through and see if anything comes close.I usually look to you for those answers!!

Thanks, my friend. You have me beat over the years on recovering gun parts, so I'll defer on that one. Sometimes I get stumped too.

Best Wishes,

BB

kuger · Mar 17, 2010

I can find em,but cant I.D. em :laughing7:

I am looking through some right now,nothing matching up yet

ivan salis · Mar 17, 2010

buckles -- (agree most common items were made mostly from --iron , brass, lead or * pewter (a common alloy of lead and other metals) --pewter was a very heavily used item way back then it was the "pot metal of its day".-- this before the dangers of lead posioning became known. --lots of food items --plates , mugs and eating tools were made of it

as you know and say yourself --lead "brass" knuckles were known of and used during the civil war , so to find a set in a civil war camp site would not be "out of line" timeline and useage wize -- its the meterial it made of that makes it odd -- not every piece is "common" this might be "uncommonly" made -- things like lead knuckles were often "home made" or sandcast items --thus one of kind made off a mold made from a real brass set most likely.

mrs.oroblanco · Mar 17, 2010

I have 2 pairs of "knuckles" from my father (he had them for years, and I don't know where they came from). But, one is brass (traditional type), and the other set is considerably lighter, and, over the years, has managed to get a coating of white, gravel-type stuff that can be brushed off, but seems to leave some pitting. Don't know what it is (the metal), but I do know, when we moved, I had them in with some of my kitchen stuff (a garlic press, an old hand orange juicer, etc.), and that one pair, and my garlic press, both got that "look" and stuff on them. I think it is probably made out of the same stuff my garlic press was - the press is about 40 years old, give or take 5 years or so.

B

kuger · Mar 17, 2010

Hey Buckles I have yet to I.D. your part but did notice another piece in your pic,that I have dug many of and recently realized what they were(thanks Ironman)part of a whale oil lamp!!! :thumbsup:

http://www.thelampworks.com/lw_info_burner_id.htm