Sledgehammer Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 I was able to get the head off saving the handle pretty well. Two original steel wedges. The handle is interesting. Never seen one shaped like this before. It transitions from smooth to hexagonal towards the top. I got the old wooden wedge out and will replace that with new. Original steel wedges will hopefully go back where they were and put the head back on firmly where it started. A little extra work but should look almost totally original when I get done. I may or may not dress the edges of the poll. It saw some hammer usage in a prior life. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Re-hung the hatchet head on the original handle. Turned out pretty decent. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Beale Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 A bit more axe history for you "Origins of woodchopping as a sport https://www.robertonfray.com/2022/12/30/origins-of-woodchopping-as-a-sport/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 Went shopping yesterday at my favorite junk place. A measly $10 got me these: The striking hammer is 16 pounds, one of the biggest I've seen, but I'll bet @Sledgehammer has some bigger. The slitting chisel has a name on it I can't make out, it's also on the larger side. The axe head is a Collins with a bad paint job that'll be coming off soon, and it'll be hung sometime this spring. I need to make handles for the others as well. My brother does my striking for me, he's gonna hate his new hammer! Mac 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 1 hour ago, MacAR said: Went shopping yesterday at my favorite junk place. A measly $10 got me these: The striking hammer is 16 pounds, one of the biggest I've seen, but I'll bet @Sledgehammer has some bigger. The slitting chisel has a name on it I can't make out, it's also on the larger side. The axe head is a Collins with a bad paint job that'll be coming off soon, and it'll be hung sometime this spring. I need to make handles for the others as well. My brother does my striking for me, he's gonna hate his new hammer! Mac Striking hammer looks like a “Warwood” brand. They are good quality from what I’ve seen. I dont go for heavy striking hammers. It seems like much over 8lb and accuracy suffers greatly if more than a couple strikes are needed. The hatchet should clean up nicely. Collins made nice things for civilian and even the military. The “slitting chisel” is large for sure. Could even be a rail splitter possibly? They are normally longer like that I believe. I call the left one a rail splitter but that’s probably not a technical term. It all works the same 😊 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
int 504 Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 The striking hammer looks like a stone hammer but should work for metal. I have or maybe had some of those long chisels which were marked some rail road or other and were for cutting off rails as far as I know. They did some work back then. My dad used to tell me I'd be using one of those hammers in the state pen if I didn't smarten up. Was effective when I was 8 or so years old. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 5 Author Share Posted March 5 1 hour ago, Sledgehammer said: Striking hammer looks like a “Warwood” brand. They are good quality from what I’ve seen. I dont go for heavy striking hammers. It seems like much over 8lb and accuracy suffers greatly if more than a couple strikes are needed. The hatchet should clean up nicely. Collins made nice things for civilian and even the military. The “slitting chisel” is large for sure. Could even be a rail splitter possibly? They are normally longer like that I believe. I call the left one a rail splitter but that’s probably not a technical term. It all works the same It is a warwood! My current striking hammer is an 8 pound sledge, and I agree, anything over that is inaccurate. The Collins is actually a 3.5 pound Michigan axe, but does look puny next to the other two. I'm going to try and clean up the chisel and see if I can make out what it says. Mac 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 I cleaned up the chisel this evening, and it appears to be a rail cutter as everyone said. It's marked Cut-Devil and also T (two illegible letters) W Ry. Not entirely sure what they are. Any ideas? Mac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 I found a couple axes over the weekend at my favorite junk store. This first one is a Collins homestead Kentucky pattern, on original handle: Best I can tell, it's had very little use, and definitely not one you see everyday. This next axe is very special to me. Its a 3.5 pound Winchester, believe it or not. For the price I couldn't turn it down even if the handles been replaced. I have sharpened it to what I call a "surgical grade" edge, but just can't bear to stick it in a piece of wood yet. The Collins may stay in it's current state since I hate to clean it up, and I really don't trust the handle. I suppose it's about time to get an updated group photo, since I've managed to add several since this thread began. Might try to make that happen this weekend, weather and time permitted. Mac 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 8 minutes ago, MacAR said: I found a couple axes over the weekend at my favorite junk store. This first one is a Collins homestead Kentucky pattern, on original handle: Best I can tell, it's had very little use, and definitely not one you see everyday. This next axe is very special to me. Its a 3.5 pound Winchester, believe it or not. For the price I couldn't turn it down even if the handles been replaced. I have sharpened it to what I call a "surgical grade" edge, but just can't bear to stick it in a piece of wood yet. The Collins may stay in it's current state since I hate to clean it up, and I really don't trust the handle. I suppose it's about time to get an updated group photo, since I've managed to add several since this thread began. Might try to make that happen this weekend, weather and time permitted. Mac Both are nice but a Winchester is a rare find in these parts. Good score! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike newman Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 ...now this little contribution from me....pales into insignificance amongst the many fine picture's from Sledge and others.......however, I chanced by a ''second hand '' shop very recently...and saw this 41/2 lb Plumb axe.....I immediately brought it..it has cleaned up very well....and I reckon 99% of its initial weight is still there....The handle is not original...but has ok shape and feel...and is tight in the head.... I realise for @MacAR...I should have given a Paul Bunyan pose......however, when I last saw Paul , (US 101 ??...I think.)..I looked like a circus midget compared with his stature....so gave that thought a miss.... Mike 5 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Beale Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 5 hours ago, mike newman said: ...now this little contribution from me....pales into insignificance amongst the many fine picture's from Sledge and others.......however, I chanced by a ''second hand '' shop very recently...and saw this 41/2 lb Plumb axe.....I immediately brought it..it has cleaned up very well....and I reckon 99% of its initial weight is still there....The handle is not original...but has ok shape and feel...and is tight in the head.... I realise for @MacAR...I should have given a Paul Bunyan pose......however, when I last saw Paul , (US 101 ??...I think.)..I looked like a circus midget compared with his stature....so gave that thought a miss.... Mike Mike I've got 2 of those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Looks like a nice one @mike newman I find plumb axes to be great quality. That one has a large, broad cutting edge probably more taken to felling? Seems we don’t see patterns like that here much. Good score 👍🏼 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 11 hours ago, mike newman said: saw this 41/2 lb Plumb axe.....I immediately brought it..it has cleaned up very well....and I reckon 99% of its initial weight is still there....The handle is not original...but has ok shape and feel...and is tight in the head.... That's a very nice Plumb. I have a Plumb Victory 3 1/2lb Michigan pattern on it's original (I think) handle and it has great feel to it as well. What do you call that pattern (style?) of axe in Oz? I've seen them before online but never encountered on in the States in the "wild", but would like to. They look like wood-chopping fiends. Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E160BHM Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 This auction is coming up near Dubuque, IA and has several nice axes listed that are way out of my budget. https://iowa.hibid.com/catalog/440167/signs--primitives--embossed-axes--pottery--advertising I have no connection to the auction. One thing that caught my eye was this neat axe stand, probably a store display. Brian 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 8 minutes ago, E160BHM said: This auction is coming up near Dubuque, IA and has several nice axes listed that are way out of my budget. https://iowa.hibid.com/catalog/440167/signs--primitives--embossed-axes--pottery--advertising I have no connection to the auction. One thing that caught my eye was this neat axe stand, probably a store display. Brian That's sorta different, isn't it. I know I haven't ever seen one like that, would be neat to have. Thanks for sharing! Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E160BHM Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Just now, MacAR said: That's sorta different, isn't it. I know I haven't ever seen one like that, would be neat to have. Thanks for sharing! Mac Or not hard to make. My tightwad imagination says a 5 gallon bucket could be a cheap and easy starting point for something similar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 2 hours ago, E160BHM said: Or not hard to make. My tightwad imagination says a 5 gallon bucket could be a cheap and easy starting point for something similar. Not a bad thought! I like that style better than what I have now, since it would protect the cutting edges much better. There are a lot of very high priced axes there, but I think a few of them are very overpriced or someone is running them up. One single bit Lincoln is up to $850 and either they have more money than sense or they're running their own items up. Either way, that's a foolish price to pay for an axe! Mac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E160BHM Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Here is a Collins Co broadhead? axe that came from my father’s family. He had it rehandled and restored. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 That's an oldie, for sure! I'd hate to know I had to use one of those all day long. Mac 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E160BHM Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 And another one from Dad. A Simmons hardly used adze with his name written/etched in rust below the name. Edit: Stamped: D SIMMONS COHOES NY CAST STEEL WARRANTED. Brian 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just Dave Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 On 3/29/2023 at 1:06 PM, E160BHM said: And another one from Dad. A Simmons hardly used adze with his name written/etched in rust below the name. Edit: Stamped: D SIMMONS COHOES NY CAST STEEL WARRANTED. Cast steel is an interesting product. It is used a lot in pump impellers in highly abrasive environments. It can be very hard and tough. Not brittle like cast iron. Cool find , thanks. Brian 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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