Fred's ramblings

[Handstitched]

10 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

i love natural history in all forms. Ive been watching a show called time team, its a bunch of Scottish archeologists, who spend three days digging sites.

I've often thought about getting a metal detector and just go around my property , just out of general interest, might find some of the tools Dad lost over the years,  lol   

I enjoyed Time Team when Tony Robinson  and the other regulars were on it.One of the TV series I really enjoyed was ' Worst Jobs In History '  hosted by Tony Robinson. He takes a hands on approach and gets involved . Some jobs  were just totally gross, and some were just down right dangerous. 

On 8/1/2023 at 10:23 AM, fredk said:

But most of the time I just use my two old simple types which I started off with; The safety beveller and the super skiver

The safety skiver is what I use, haven't really needed anything else. 

HS

[Sheilajeanne]

My dad found this arrowhead not far from the farm where he grew up, near Bradford, Ontario. I've been told it's from the archaic period and  may be about 2000 old. It's made out of chert, not flint.

My parents had a property that had been a Presbyterian church in the pioneer days. My dad/ found an old harness bell when digging fence post holes near where the drive shed had been located. I still have it - it's a real beauty! Solid brass, and about 3 1/2" in diameter. Except for one quarter of it being bent in it was in excellent shape. I pried out the bent part with a screwdriver, polished it up, and it's good as new!

The big sleigh bells were called chimes, and there would be 4 of them in a row across the horses' withers. You had to be fairly well-heeled to afford a set! The smaller bells were much more common.

One of my uncles went over the site with a metal detector, but found nothing else of interest. I did find an inkwell with the cork still in it, and an old sugar bowl that  had been smashed. It was Meakin pottery, probably the most common brand name for early Canadian pottery. It was a British firm that catered mostly to the export market.

The inkwell probably belonged beside the guest book in the church entrance. Nice little piece of history! I use it to display my feather collection. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Sheilajeanne

[chuck123wapati]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:55 PM, Sheilajeanne said:

My dad found this arrowhead not far from the farm where he grew up, near Bradford, Ontario. I've been told it's from the archaic period and  may be about 2000 old. It's made out of chert, not flint.

My parents had a property that had been a Presbyterian church in the pioneer days. My dad/ found an old harness bell when digging fence post holes near where the drive shed had been located. I still have it - it's a real beauty! Solid brass, and about 3 1/2" in diameter. Except for one quarter of it being bent in it was in excellent shape. I pried out the bent part with a screwdriver, polished it up, and it's good as new!

The big sleigh bells were called chimes, and there would be 4 of them in a row across the horses' withers. You had to be fairly well-heeled to afford a set! The smaller bells were much more common.

One of my uncles went over the site with a metal detector, but found nothing else of interest. I did find an inkwell with the cork still in it, and an old sugar bowl that  had been smashed. It was Meakin pottery, probably the most common brand name for early Canadian pottery. It was a British firm that catered mostly to the export market.

The inkwell probably belonged beside the guest book in the church entrance. Nice little piece of history! I use it to display my feather collection. 

In my book it appears to be a Dickson point and 2000 is about mid point of when they were made 1500-3500  some of them were heat treated. 

Very cool point.

 

[chuck123wapati]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:26 PM, Handstitched said:

I've often thought about getting a metal detector and just go around my property , just out of general interest, might find some of the tools Dad lost over the years,  lol   

I enjoyed Time Team when Tony Robinson  and the other regulars were on it.One of the TV series I really enjoyed was ' Worst Jobs In History '  hosted by Tony Robinson. He takes a hands on approach and gets involved . Some jobs  were just totally gross, and some were just down right dangerous. 

The safety skiver is what I use, haven't really needed anything else. 

HS

i have a detector  and a small tin of old coins and other metal stuff  i found in my yard, Three rings, one is a very old silver ring that is a cross with Jesus, it turned sideways,  the long part of the cross goes around the finger. On our family homestead i found an axe head which my dad cleaned up and re fitted a handle, unfortunately it cracked along the weld one day while i was using it. I've found some cool stuff around the country with it including arrow heads lol as your eyes are always watching the ground you find all kinds of non metallic items.

[fredk]

On 8/4/2023 at 3:55 AM, Sheilajeanne said:

The big sleigh bells were called chimes, and there would be 4 of them in a row across the horses' withers. You had to be fairly well-heeled to afford a set! The smaller bells were much more common.

Now there's a phrase based in leather work; in early times shoes did not have heels. Men got heels on their riding boots, to keep their feet in the stirrups. A rider only needed a low heel riding a slow nag but for riding the more expensive and livelier hunters the rider needed a deeper heel. Thus a rich man, who could afford a good hunter was 'well heeled'

now you know

I'm full of interesting (read useless) information like that

[toxo]

3 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

i have a detector  and a small tin of old coins and other metal stuff  i found in my yard, Three rings, one is a very old silver ring that is a cross with Jesus, it turned sideways,  the long part of the cross goes around the finger. On our family homestead i found an axe head which my dad cleaned up and re fitted a handle, unfortunately it cracked along the weld one day while i was using it. I've found some cool stuff around the country with it including arrow heads lol as your eyes are always watching the ground you find all kinds of non metallic items.

Wish I'd had a decent sized "yard" to explore. You guys take that sort of thing for granted, over here there's far too many people for the amount of land hence the "portions" are smaller. Also, whenever someone buys so much as a garage they put a fence around it. That's the only thing I envy you guys for is the space and the freedom. You should cherish it cos someday some arsehole will try to change it.

[chuck123wapati]

17 hours ago, toxo said:

Wish I'd had a decent sized "yard" to explore. You guys take that sort of thing for granted, over here there's far too many people for the amount of land hence the "portions" are smaller. Also, whenever someone buys so much as a garage they put a fence around it. That's the only thing I envy you guys for is the space and the freedom. You should cherish it cos someday some arsehole will try to change it.

And grow a garden  or own a few chickens or rabbits.

i really appreciate that sentiment  and believe me I don't take one bit of it for granted and cherish what i have been given for a life immensely.  I cant even imagine living with that many people so close.  Even though my place is fully paid off if I don't pay the arseholes their taxes yearly they will take it from me.

[Handstitched]

18 hours ago, toxo said:

You guys take that sort of thing for granted,

No, never   Don't wish to go too far off topic, but our lives can change in an instant.  And as @chuck123wapati said, I cherish the space I have and what I have  . I used to live in the  southern ' burbs of Perth . I could never go back, it would make me feel claustrophobic , and, in all honesty, the busy  crazy cities are f**ked !!  

Here, I have fresh air, I can see my my neighbors , but they are at a distance* . Its damn cold in Winter, stinking hot in summer, but I wouldn't  change it for all the ' tea & china' . Apart from the utilities, govt. charges  etc. nothing is owed, its all paid off.  Not something too many people can state  considering the misery people are facing when it comes to those stuck in a endless grind stone of debt,( monster) mortgages, high cost of living and so on. 

* the houses in Perth are now built so close together , you could literally jump from one roof to the other.  " Little boxes on the hill side" 

My 2 cents worth...+ tax  

HS

[fredk]

4 minutes ago, Handstitched said:

* the houses in Perth are now built so close together , you could literally jump from one roof to the other.  " Little boxes on the hill side" 

 

[Handstitched]

@fredk and they don't have different colours,  they all look the f**k'n same , drab &  dreary ...and tacky .  Kids in school could come up with better designs...and colours. We all use more colours in our leatherwork than they do on a house, crazy!!

HS

Edited August 6, 2023 by Handstitched