Bi-Face Hand Ax or Banged Up Geofact?

[WahinpeWakan]

This is a surface find I found with my daughter while hunting for agates along an eroded river bank 4 miles north of a known Sioux and Anishinaabe battle field from the mid 1700's in central MN.  I still am working on stone identification and can only say this material is solid black, hard, and has a waxy or glass like feel when wet.  My guess was a hand axe, but I had never found this form...any ideas as to artifact or natural rock?

[OnewiththewilD]

well,looks like just a rock,but thats not to say it couldnt have been used as a chopper of some sort.not sure what the material is,its hard to tell.maybe add of pic of it wet?

[WahinpeWakan]

Thanks for the reply, It is in the shop and windchills are suppose to be 35 below soon so it will take a bit to warm it up and then take pictures, and then of course also thawing myself out when it turns out not to be where I left it and I spend 45 minutes in a tee-shirt looking for it.  Gotta love kids!  Thanks Again, Oh, would a basic hardness test help?  Or any other info or angle of pics help?  I am pretty sure it is the same material as another rock I picked up hoping it was knappable.  It seemed to be after a small whack with a bopper, but  but have not got into it yet...I'll post that rock too and since that is unaltered, maybe the natural shape of that would help identify it?  I feel like I am hogging forum GB though, if I am, please let me know.   Here is that large section of a similar rock in texture, feel, color and hardness...Both found within a 200ft area. And it is wet...It is the large black piece to the right of the quart, not that I partake of course. 

[OnewiththewilD]

well,im no expert on any of this stuff, so all my input is just a guess.it does look kinda deliberatly busted in certain ways though. and post away! but we like to see mostly obvious stuff like points and worked tools.though i do understand how your curious about all the stones you've brought home!

[rmartin]

Sorry, but I have to say natural. It looks like the big pieces that have broken off could be freeze fractures.

[WahinpeWakan]

Natural, Authentic, or Freeze breaks, when we were heading back to the van, I asked my daughter if she thought stone tools can work.  She really didn't know or care because it was not an agate.  That is until I showed her this stone and one strike on a fallen oak.  She was surprised to see it skin a huge section of that bark in one strike and not damage the stone. I was tickled also at how well it did with no effort. Either way, I have to keep it for demo's if I ever find and do not want to damage another.

[WahinpeWakan]

Hey guys, I found this similar form in an Australian museum, I think I see much more of where the wear is on that stone, however, getting this one wet like Jay said and perhaps cleaning it as it is as found with dirt now other than a rinse may bring something out.  Ray, looking at the pictures towards the bottom on both to the right and left of the point, I see breaks or chips like you mentioned.  Is that a good example to look for on other stones?  BTW  Done posting for a while, but would love to read what you guys think if you get the time some day!  Thanks,  Scott

http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/first_australians/resistance/bilin_bilin/bilin_bilin_objects