I am wondering if anyone here has any suggestions on dating a tool that might otherwise because of its lack of detail or obvious trademarks make it undate-able.
Maybe someone has read of some sort of scientific procedure other than the un-reliable carbon 14 dating that might give relatively accurate results. There must be a method of removing and examining chemical compositions of an object and determine its year of manufacture.
I am trying to date a screwdriver that has a wooden handle accompanied with steel blade, I know that the materials found within the steel will contain a cleaner steel, a less muddied steel than what may be found manufactured today, I know there is a way of testing and proving the composition but I do not know the process or whom might be able to do this.
I also know that the wood within the handle can probably be easily identified under scope and possibly identified absolutely by the naked eye once cleaned of foreign material but there must also be a process that can determine its approximate age within a few years.
I would like to identify when this tool was made and am willing to spend the money to do it if I knew where to begin and could familiarize myself with the different processes so that I could make a better educated guess on which might be a more accurate way to go.
Thanks for any info
EDIT: I am also looking for suggestions on the best approach to save the ferrule on this driver, I am pretty certain that it sat inside a tool roll for many years and at least a portion of that cloth remained wet, a portion of the ferrule ( one side ) is deteriorating badly, a small hole has begun at base and some cracking of the steel further up with a whole lot of heavy rust in -between.
I need to find a way to neutralize the rust without doing a damage to the wooden handle, I would prefer at this point to not try and attempt to remove the ferrule as I feel it may lead to further damage and the possibility of not allowing its proper re-positioning again.
Pictured below hopefully will give a clear view of damage to said ferrule
EDIT: While I am not a wood expert I do have a small background in cabinetry and would almost bet that the handle is Oak, what variety of Oak would be beyond me but because of its wide open grain pattern I would not be able to guess of any other variety that may have been used and withstand its purpose here. Any suggestions welcome.
EDIT: Directly over the cars visor you will see a dimple in the ferrule, I am assuming that this is how the ferrule was made to stay on the wooden portion of the handle, I am assuming if it were not for all the heavy rust on the opposite side of I would be able to see another dimple, is this a typical way of fastening these two parts of a driver together? I am thinking that this is possibly a determining factor in showing that the driver was a less expensive model although I have no other ideas of how else these pieces could possibly be joined together.
EDIT: In the center of this handle is what appears to possibly be the remains of an imprint where the handle was chocked in a lathe for turning, ( I am just guessing this is what I am seeing, may not show in the picture as it is very faint and I have to use my magnifying glass in front of my glasses to see it ) is this typically how these handles were made, I mean within a lathe, does anyone have any photos or know of any videos that might show the process.
EDIT: I am also looking for suggestions on how to clean the ferrule whilst inspecting for any identifying marks, I am quite certain there will be none found, if this driver was part of the original Maxwell/Dodge Senior/ Dodge DA toolkit than chances are as with other items within these early tool-kits that the tools will be of the least expensive manufacture devoid of any identifying manufacturing marks but if by some chance there is something there than I would prefer to find it.
