Hi all. I include these pics of an interesting find turned up in the Hudson valley , NY. Im sure its a firestarter but its harder to pinpoint a date. This area has had white settlement since the 1600s. I cannot find any other fire tool that looks like this one , and ive tried. It is 3" long , 2" wide. I'd love to hear any and all thoughts and would love to know if others have found similar
Help to ID colonial firestarter
- Thread starter MissLee
- Start date
MasonDixonMding
Elite Member
Very cool. Wish I could help.
hoser
Forum Supporter
Yes a very cool find, and an old one too. Hope you get the info on it. Well done.
Metal Pig
Forum Supporter
Really cool! I really wish that I could help you with the ID part. It just so happens that while I have lived in Western Pennsylvania for the past 17 years, I actually grew up in the Hudson valley and lived there for 36 years. Mind if I ask what town that came from? I cut my metal detecting teeth in the Hudson valley, particularly around Orange and Ulster counties. I'm a little bit of a history buff and I do know a thing or two about the local history of the area.
KSDirtfisher
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2024
- Messages
- 392
Hand forged clevis.
graybeard
Elite Member
I don't think it is a fire starter, it don't look right.
GeoAngelo
Full Member
I don't think its a clevis as the loops are uneven, not meaty enough and don't show any wear on the inside. Also don't see how its a fire starter as its too bulky/unwieldy. Puzzling but definitely cool!
Im actually hesitant to nail down any details. You know how diggers are secretive. Sorry , i cant but i love your reply , thanks . I wish i had another local history buff to talk to . Its my obsession , for 30 yrs
I think people would get it if they held and examined it. I do feel quite strongly about my position , thst its a fire tool. Based on a # of observations : where found , obvious usage wear which points to it being held by the U shaped end for MANY decades , lots of thumb/ finger polish ; the fact that i "field tested" it myself to see if mine was a workable theory (yes) , the fact that there ARE very similar historic examples to this tool ; im just saying i havent seen this IDENTICAL model. So im not puzzled on that score but have real trouble dating it , and i believe it could be from the revolution. Thanks
Youd be surprised and more convinced if you held it , used it and felt the obvious wear/thumb polish . It fits my hand well. It really doesnt seem big or unwieldy when you hold it. Js. Im glad to see your response , thanks
Youd be surprised and more convinced if you held it , used it and felt the obvious wear/thumb polish . It fits my hand well. It really doesnt seem big or unwieldy when you hold it. Js. Im glad to see your response , thanks
Thats why im here !! All input is valued and considered. Im putting it all in the hopper
Metal Pig
Forum Supporter
NP. understand.
I have no idea how far you live from Chester, but I have to say that once I did visit the local history guy there who actually had an office between there and Goshen. I can't even remember what it was about, its 20 years ago now. But anyway that whole area was actually under British control. Kings Highway runs from Chester to Warwick and was named for King George, I believe. I knew people who were still digging up British silver coins in the area when I lived there. I used to do a lot of detecting in that area myself and found similar items of the vintage you appear to have there.
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graybeard
Elite Member
Lets say if it was hand forged as a fire starter they would not have left the one side sticking out there to catch on anything, they would made them even on both sides.
If a place was settled in 1603 that don't mean that everything found there was from that time period.
If a place was settled in 1603 that don't mean that everything found there was from that time period.
Hmm . Very interesting. Wish i knew more bc you say you found stuff of similar vintage to my piece. So if i knew the date of YOUR finds , maybe i'd know more about mine (?). Most i can say is that based on many yrs of checking lots of historical sources , my tool is circa 1800 and probably earlier than that. There are many ruins in the vicinity that are without question from the RevolutionNP. understand.
Ok . Im good w that. I have a lot of regard for the people like you who have put more time in than me. Give me your guess as to age , please , would you ? Thanks
Metal Pig
Forum Supporter
That was more than 20yrs ago and I don't have anything left from there except for some late 1700's New Jersey "horsehead" cents I found in a cornfield in Warwick. I'm still hanging onto those. Not sure if I'll ever sell them! Anyway, I'm just guessing at the time period of your piece. We (my buddy and I) found many old iron implements like that which were VERY similar in quality and workmanship. There used to be a barn dated to 1732 across the street from me when I lived in Warwick...and that would have been during British rule. There are also ruins scattered throughout those woods and mountains of old homesteads, ovens and kilns, etc. The Ramapo/Greenwood Lake area.
I THINK youre on the same pg w me here as to date window : say 1750 -1800 (?). If pressed , thats what i would say. And theres a lot more i could say , as to locale , finds , interesting stuff in general , etc but i feel like this isnt the right place. Ya dig ? Pun intended.
Yes. old cabin sites , taverns , furnaces , all through the valley ; anything like that near Bear mtn/hartiman , etc Ive seen ; Queensboro , Sterling forge & furnace , you name it. Lotsa cool stuff out there !!
