Slow day saved with the recovery of a Spanish cob

[Bill D. (VA)]

Got a last minute invite to join my friend Stan to check out a colonial trash pit he'd located on a 1600s site earlier this year. After taking nearly 2 hours to drive up, we started opening up some large test holes near where he had previously dug and recovered 2 huge and very early onion bottle bases. The area was loaded with the usual large oyster shells, but the finds were almost non-existent - one pipe stem and one piece of pottery were all I could muster. We quickly gave up on that effort and hit the fields for some surface hunting. This is a site that I had actually hunted before many years ago with another friend, but after digging a load of early relics and coins in the first 30 minutes the owner changed her mind and made us leave. That was a huge disappointment, and I've often wondered what we left in that small section of field. Stan was able to secure permission since he had a personal connection with the owner, but was told that many others had been allowed to hunt there in recent years. That fact was quickly proven as I was having a hard time getting my coil over any decent sounding signals at all. For the day, my overall quantity of finds were the lowest in quite a while (including zero buttons!), but I was lucky to save the day when I picked out a small, thin, and very worn cob from an iron patch. My only other interesting find was a nice little iron padlock with the keyhole cover intact. Need to figure out how to use electrolysis to clean the lock without damaging the cover. I remember someone posting the trick on how to do that, but can't seem to recall how that was done. If anyone knows please I'd appreciate if you'd post that info. Not sure if this is my last hunt of the season, but unless I can find a way to gain access to a new site that I already have permission for I might be done until the fall.

 

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[Carolina Tom]

Very well done, as usual Bill. The cob is just killer! I like the silver Rosie best though, as that is what I dig most of the time!

Congrats on the finds and good luck out there!

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[digging440yrs]

NICE SAVE !

 

[deershed]

Might be a bad day for finds for you but still some Sweet finds for most of us here. Lol

That silver cob sure is Sweet!!

 

[Ahab8]

Bill that's a killer find bud! A cob is a specia find in my opinion. It actually has more detail than i thought it was going to from your email. I'll be expecting some killer finds from you soon buddy. Like end of this week

 

[cjon455]

Slow or not, that cob would make my day, my week, my month!

Very cool finds yet again

 

[Steve in PA]

That's a shame the owner had kicked you out then turned around and let a bunch of other people on the place. At least you added another cob to the collection and you can stop wondering about that place now that you know it's been picked clean.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Nice recoveries Billy boy i would love to find a Cob!

I have that same exact lock i found at an early Cellar some years ago..

~Blaze~

 

[pepperj]

Veery nice saves Bill, I'd be happy with just the lock and the other finds, but I'd say it was a home run with getting the Cob as it's something that I'd probably never see come out of the dirt around me.

 

[joeyfresh]

That's a great day Bill! I don't think you've pulled out many cobs this year, have you? I think there's a hunt or two left for you this year though it is getting rather warm out there.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

That's a great day Bill! I don't think you've pulled out many cobs this year, have you? I think there's a hunt or two left for you this year though it is getting rather warm out there.

I've only dug one other one this season that I can recall Joey, and it was definitely nicer than this ugly one. I keep hoping to get back into that new site I've only hit for a half day 3 weeks ago when Evan was here, but its impossible to gain access due to all the hunting activity there. And with planting only a few days away its looking bleak so I may be done. Are you going to try revisiting that site where you found the thimble recently?

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Nice finds! Any one would beat my clad hands down!

Hope you get to hunt that field before they plant it!

 

[Vino]

A cob will save any hunt..
Nice going Bill..

 

[RelicDude]

That cob is nice but I really like that pad lock.

 

[joeyfresh]

I've only dug one other one this season that I can recall Joey, and it was definitely nicer than this ugly one. I keep hoping to get back into that new site I've only hit for a half day 3 weeks ago when Evan was here, but its impossible to gain access due to all the hunting activity there. And with planting only a few days away its looking bleak so I may be done. Are you going to try revisiting that site where you found the thimble recently?

I'll probably save that field for us for the fall. Your water hunting should be getting started soon. Maybe you can find your wife a diamond necklace this summer!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

I'll probably save that field for us for the fall. Your water hunting should be getting started soon. Maybe you can find your wife a diamond necklace this summer!

Water temps are still only in the 50s to low 60s so it'll be a while before anyone ventures into the swimming areas. Can't wait to get neck-deep in the water. Gotta get you out there this year too.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Great finds Bill! I'd be interested in hearing about electrolysis on that lock too. I've found some nice iron ones with brass hardware, and I always have to ruin the brass patina to stabilize the iron with electrolysis. Always wondered if there was a trick to electrolysis on something like that. It'd be nice to get the rust off and not clean the brass in the process.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Great finds Bill! I'd be interested in hearing about electrolysis on that lock too. I've found some nice iron ones with brass hardware, and I always have to ruin the brass patina to stabilize the iron with electrolysis. Always wondered if there was a trick to electrolysis on something like that. It'd be nice to get the rust off and not clean the brass in the process.

There's definitely a way to do that as I remember it being discussed here before. Was hoping someone would chime in. If I can figure it out I'll let you know.

 

[pepperj]

There's definitely a way to do that as I remember it being discussed here before. Was hoping someone would chime in. If I can figure it out I'll let you know.

Just looking through some old posts regarding restoring iron and this thread from 2010 there's an interesting mot hod using molasses posted up by NHBandit. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/c...90623-best-method-cleaning-iron-relics-2.html
I'm not sure if it would work on deep root rust or just surface type rust, interesting methods discussed at length either way.