Type of hoe maybe?

[Underwonder]

Hi.

This was found in New England woods near a stone foundation bu a tree. It’s very crude looking. My guess is that it was a type of hoe or land furrowing tool...but only a guess. Any ideas as to function? Age? Does it look hand foraged?

As always...Thanks!

 

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[smokeythecat]

Yes, it's a hand forged colonial period hoe! Nice find. I have dug two - ever! I cleaned it with a bristle brush and tack hammer with 1/4" chisel for the big rust, then outside put it in a baking pan with a lot of melted microcrystalline wax and heated the whole thing up until the iron started to bubble and continued until the bubbles were gone. The air and moisture are driven out and the wax fills the pores to preserve it.

 

[bowwinkles]

At first I was maybe looking for some nylon stockings , but yes I do think that it is a hand forged hoe but another mystery is the size of the hole for the handle is large which doesn't fit the hoe thing. We use to have a heavier version of a hoe which we called a "pick ax" which did have a heavier handle. Anyway a great find.

 

[Tony in SC]

I thought hoe, but because of the large hole I thought adz?

 

[smokeythecat]

A fair amount of the "wings" of the hoe have worn away with time.

 

[Underwonder]

Yes, it's a hand forged colonial period hoe! Nice find. I have dug two - ever! I cleaned it with a bristle brush and tack hammer with 1/4" chisel for the big rust, then outside put it in a baking pan with a lot of melted microcrystalline wax and heated the whole thing up until the iron started to bubble and continued until the bubbles were gone. The air and moisture are driven out and the wax fills the pores to preserve it.

Thank you smokeythecat for your ID and for the specific method of preserving. I have put it through electrolysis to expose more if it but it is already rerusting as I hadn’t applied anything for preservation yet. Hmmm I will have to try the wax method! I am happy to hear of the age...so...maybe mid to late 1700s? Yes..the wings seem a bit fragile.
Thanks again!

 

[Underwonder]

At first I was maybe looking for some nylon stockings , but yes I do think that it is a hand forged hoe but another mystery is the size of the hole for the handle is large which doesn't fit the hoe thing. We use to have a heavier version of a hoe which we called a "pick ax" which did have a heavier handle. Anyway a great find.

Thanks bowinkles! LOL Hope you weren’t disappointed. I love finding hand forged items! It makes me wonder whose handiwork it is and who used it!

 

[Underwonder]

I thought hoe, but because of the large hole I thought adz?

Wow....Thanks, Tony! I had to look up the adz tool...for shaping wood! The edges are so worn it’s hard to tell what the original shape was. I appreciate the input!

 

[xaos]

a bit light for an adz..

Looks like an old metal shoe form...

 

[pepperj]

Thank you smokeythecat for your ID and for the specific method of preserving. I have put it through electrolysis to expose more if it but it is already rerusting as I hadn’t applied anything for preservation yet. Hmmm I will have to try the wax method! I am happy to hear of the age...so...maybe mid to late 1700s? Yes..the wings seem a bit fragile.
Thanks again!

Had a hull of a steel boat done, tarped, and the company wanted to prime 30 minutes after a section was done. Rust starts to re-appear.
Kind of crazy when I thought about it.

 

[Underwonder]

a bit light for an adz..

Looks like an old metal shoe form...

That’s an interesting thought.

 

[Tpmetal]

with that large of a hole in the head and the skinny tool surface(when compared to a hoe) it reminds me of those tree planting tools, they swing like a pickaxe to sink into ground then lever up on the handle to create a hole for the sapling. hard to say though, its pretty rusted out.

 

[Tpmetal]

i think they called em a "hoedad"

 

[Underwonder]

i think they called em a "hoedad"

Thanks. I learn so much here!