Did I find Thor’s Hammer?

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SvenTheSaxon
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Dear Metal Detecting Friends, please see the picture below. I found it today in Yorkshire.
I looked at it and thought some sort of weird toffee hammer, but it weighs a ton.
What could it be?
As always, many thanks in advance for your time and for any suggestions that you might have.
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Easylife
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Maybe for precision work or leather tooling, a view of the flat ends may give a clue? :thumbsup:
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Let The Sun In
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That's quite a fascinating find! It definitely looks like it has some history behind it. :thumbsup:
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SvenTheSaxon
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The grooves cut into it do not look like they were made by machine. After I cleaned it, it revealed quite a patina.
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Pete E
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SvenTheSaxon wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2026 12:34 am The grooves cut into it do not look like they were made by machine. After I cleaned it, it revealed quite a patina.
Please update us if you find out any more...
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SvenTheSaxon
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Thanks Pete E; I certainly will.
I sent a few pictures to the local FLO, while we’re up here. I thought she might be more in tune with local finds.
I assured her that if it does look of interest it will go to our FLO.
We have no scales with us, but it’s nearly as heavy as a 200g jar of chutney.

A picture of the other side.
And another showing the broken stem, clearly broken a very long time ago.
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SvenTheSaxon
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Exact weight now: 167g; so our estimate made by comparing it with a 200g jar of chutney worked quite well.
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Allectus
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Modern brass gavel.
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SvenTheSaxon
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Allectus wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 10:20 am Modern brass gavel.
Such a heavy hammer on such a slender stem seems a little unlikely if it were going to be used repeatedly like a gavel; especially as the item is one piece.

I’ll see if the FLO is interested.

EDIT: well I guess she won’t be interested then….
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shaggybfc
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I’m with Allectus on this. We’ve had one on here before.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/366157025828 ... KQAZj_tPtm
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Allectus
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I'm with Allectus on this too. :lol:
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Allectus
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Allectus wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 4:53 pm I'm with Allectus on this too. :lol:
This exact one, hedge fodder......https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167912930929 ... VblzKyawOC
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shaggybfc
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Allectus wrote: ↑Sun Aug 23, 2026 4:53 pm I'm with Allectus on this too. :lol:
It was never doubted :lol:
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SvenTheSaxon
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Well, I guess that’s that then, thank you Allectus and shaggybfc.

No chance it’s a Roman gavel hammer I suppose…..

Don’t worry, I know the answer!
I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly.
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SvenTheSaxon
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Well we’re safe from AI for a while yet I think.
We showed pictures of that gavel hammer to 3 different versions, they all thought it was a Roman votive hammer. They went on and on about the patina taking at least 1000 years to form in chalk, the hand cut grooves etc.

I’ll be honest, when I pulled it out of the ground I thought it was a busted gavel hammer. It was only when I looked closely at the grooves that I started to wonder.
When Allectus and Shaggy pointed me in the right direction I knew they were right, but I’d spent so much time on this, I didn’t really want it to be.

Anyway, who needs AI when Allectus is about?
I have learned from my mistakes, and I am sure I can repeat them exactly.
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