Interesting relic and need help with ID

[Full Metal Digger]

Hey Diggers,
Today I dug a very old pick. I showed it to our local knowledge guru and he thinks it's early 1700's but I wondered what you guys thought since you dig way more old iron tools than I do. Also I found part of a shoe buckle and when I cleaned it I was SHOCKED to discover it's not bronze like all the others. I don't think it's silver but I have no idea what it is made of. Perhaps Del or one of the New England boys has seen this type of metal before. Anyway, thanks for looking and for any help. HH, Dave.

 

[del]

The pick is a small one ( single hand held ) and looks hand forged but unsure of the age it would be from . the shoe buckle frame is interesting , did it have typical dirty crust like most you recover ?

 

[Full Metal Digger]

The pick is a small one ( single hand held ) and looks hand forged but unsure of the age it would be from . the shoe buckle frame is interesting , did it have typical dirty crust like most you recover ?

Thanks Del for helping. The pick is extremely heavy and was fun to lug out of the woods! LOL. Yes, the buckle was covered in crust and when I started to clean it I saw it was shiny underneath. It's not plated but solid. I can tell it was cast. The color looks the same as tombac buttons. Could it be some sort of nickel-silver?

 

[del]

its probably tombac , we do find them here ( although I only have fragments of shoe or knee buckles ) but they are not very common at all

 

[Full Metal Digger]

Thanks Del,
I just looked it up and I didn't realize tombac was a copper alloy just like bronze but with a higher amount of zinc and maybe a dash of arsenic! I would sure love to find a buckle made of tombac that's not broken! HH, Dave.

 

[Lodge Scent]

I love that little pick ax DD. Cool buckle. You don't see them made of tombac over here.