✅ SOLVED This Iron Relic is Bugging Me! Please Help to Identify!

[FreeBirdTim]

Had this iron relic for awhile now and I just can't figure out what it could be. Almost looks like a shifter, but not sure. A piece of it feel off when I cleaned it up (last pic). Any help would be appreciated.

 

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[KenG]

Looks like a lock from a flintlock rifle to me. The part that fell off is the frizzen. The part the hammer strikes to create sparks. Nice find.

Cheers,
Ken

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Flintlock and frizzen. Possibly Model 1816 Musket (that was made from 1816 to the late 1830's).from what I can make out of the cock. Would need to be cleaned up a bit to be sure.

 

[Roundness]

That is a lockplate with hammer & frizzen from a flintlock rifle. Excellent find...

 

[DCMatt]

Wow. Awesome... I typically don't dig much iron but maybe I should start. I'd take that find any day.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Wow! Time to break out the electrolysis setup! Thanks for the ID, guys!

 

[Tony in SC]

That goes beyond nice, so I'll say GREAT find. Were the two pieces in the same hole? Check around for more.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

It came out in one piece, but the frizzen fell off when I was cleaning it. It was the last find of the day, but I know exactly where I dug it. If this stupid snow ever melts, maybe I'll find the barrel or the trigger. It would be really incredible to find all the metal parts to it!

I'm counting this as my first gun find! Only took me 5 years to find one!

 

[Joe-Dirt]

Yup, intact flocklock mechanism, can’t wait to see it cleaned up!!!

 

[aka da Prof]

!! nice ! I found one a few years ago. I was just thinking of updating what I heard about mine. I was telling a friend out in OH about is and a grizzly customer chimed in and said, 'Know what you found?, one of these' and he pulled a Bic lighter out of his pocket. Then explained he was a 'Mountain Man' member and that's how they started a quick fire back in the day !!! and that that guy musta been 'upset' when he lost it!!

 

[aka da Prof]

that's all I found in the area, no gun parts, no nuthin--here's my old post--http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/385056-flash-pan-works-2.html#post5743714

 

[FreeBirdTim]

So I'm going to spend hours looking for other parts to this musket and come up empty? Bummer! I'll still give it a shot, though. You never know.

Did you ever try to clean up your flintlock?

 

[NOLA_Ken]

So I'm going to spend hours looking for other parts to this musket and come up empty? Bummer! I'll still give it a shot, though. You never know.

Did you ever try to clean up your flintlock?

You never know, the rest of it could be nearby. I'd have to look for it, but even if you don't find anything else that is an awesome find by itself

 

[smokeythecat]

From Rhode Island, it could easily be from the Revolution. Be very careful with electrolysis on it. If it was found anywhere near salt water it is imperative you let it soak in fresh water long enough to get the salt out of it. Takes a long time. Very, very, very nice relic.

 

[Kurios1]

Who says rust ain't COOL! Very nice find Tim. You have some very historic grounds my friend. Well done in the snow.

 

[against the wind]

Nicely done Tim,,
Can't wait to see that bad boy cleaned up.

 

[Goldiver]

Very cool find! If you found it in a field I would suggest searching areas bordering the field. If a complete musket was there the barrel may have been pulled up by a plow and thrown to the side of the field or picked up with the rocks and thrown in the rock pile you typically find near farm fields. Farmers would pick rocks after nearly every plowing in rocky areas before planting the crops. I remember doing this as a kid. Scrap metal, large sticks and the like would be thrown on the wagon along with the rocks and dumped elsewhere.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

From Rhode Island, it could easily be from the Revolution. Be very careful with electrolysis on it. If it was found anywhere near salt water it is imperative you let it soak in fresh water long enough to get the salt out of it. Takes a long time. Very, very, very nice relic.

Fortunately, it wasn't found near salt water. Just a low lying area that is probably wet most of the year.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Nicely done Tim,, Can't wait to see that bad boy cleaned up.

Thanks! It's getting there after 12 hours of electrolysis. I can see the screw head notches clearly now and other parts of it are losing the crust. Going to take awhile, though. Not hoping for a miracle, just want it to look more like a flintlock and not a crusty hunk of iron! I'll keep you guys posted on it's progress.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Okay, here's what it looks like after 18 hours of electrolysis. Not bad, but I've got a ways to go.