Uncle Ron... I just now saw your post. Maybe I'm
lucky to have all of my fingers and also my pretty
face, but like you I have been running into old fuse
type blasting caps... I even have several somewhere
in my junk... I asked this question on Chris's forum
and Montana thought they would be duds... ???
As you know, many oldtime placer miners used a stick
or two rather than use a pick to soften the ground.