American Axe History: Single bits

[rjdankert]

https://www.bahco.com/int_en/camping-axes-with-curved-ash-wood-handle-pb_hgps_.html#technical-details

Bob

 

[Square_peg]

Rhineland pattern with an oval eye instead of a German "D" eye.

Agreed. That's what it is.

 

[Gato do mato]

https://www.bahco.com/int_en/camping-axes-with-curved-ash-wood-handle-pb_hgps_.html#technical-details

Bob

I thought it was a generic "European model" or "German model".

Thank you for the informations.

 

[GrampaJoe]

The "European" model appears to be a German Rhineland pattern with an oval eye instead of a German "D" eye. A Hudson Bay typically has a flat top.

The "Canadian" model appears to be a Dayton.

Even later response. Just a quick note to say, "agree." Ditto. But to ad that the "golden era" pattern nomenclature conventions almost irrelevant today -- or much harder to apply. There actually *is* -- or technically used to be -- a distinction between Maine Wedge, Dayton, Yankee, etc., which took into consideration much more than just the pattern outline. But by at least 1970, Mann Edge Tool Co., who owned by then just about all previous brands who fled from a failing ax market post-portable, one-man chainsaw (becoming last man standing, almost literally) -- evidently deemed the distinctions irrelevant.

In a 1970 METCo. catalog, beneath what most of us would call a "Dayton," they listed it as a "Dayton/Yankee/Maine Wedge" pattern.

The thing most closely matched a Maine Wedge as modern manufacturer Brant and Cochran now produce them, having no convexity of the face at all, being flat as a straight rule from sharpening bevel to eye, and from side to side. Here in the U.S., most of us generally call that pattern "outline" (ignoring all other geometry) a "Dayton." And Europeans, most likely associating the word "Yankee" for "American," since it is an iconic American pattern, call the very same modern Dayton-esque shape a "Yankee."

In short, after about 1970... they're all the same. Call them what you like, you're right. Take into account the OP's observation that most of the little differences seemed trivial and the names to be regional contrivances, maybe. In other words, there always was a bit of ambivalence from place to place, era to era over time, and from one manufacturer to another.

Myself? I very much prefer to call that first example a Rhineland, and the second a Dayton. But maybe the most accurate description is "Rhineland-ish" and "Dayton-esque." In the end, safest conclusion is, answers will vary -- but these are acceptable!

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Even later response. Just a quick note to say, "agree." Ditto. But to ad that the "golden era" pattern nomenclature conventions almost irrelevant today -- or much harder to apply. There actually *is* -- or technically used to be -- a distinction between Maine Wedge, Dayton, Yankee, etc., which took into consideration much more than just the pattern outline. But by at least 1970, Mann Edge Tool Co., who owned by then just about all previous brands who fled from a failing ax market post-portable, one-man chainsaw (becoming last man standing, almost literally) -- evidently deemed the distinctions irrelevant.

In a 1970 METCo. catalog, beneath what most of us would call a "Dayton," they listed it as a "Dayton/Yankee/Maine Wedge" pattern.

The thing most closely matched a Maine Wedge as modern manufacturer Brant and Cochran now produce them, having no convexity of the face at all, being flat as a straight rule from sharpening bevel to eye, and from side to side. Here in the U.S., most of us generally call that pattern "outline" (ignoring all other geometry) a "Dayton." And Europeans, most likely associating the word "Yankee" for "American," since it is an iconic American pattern, call the very same modern Dayton-esque shape a "Yankee."

In short, after about 1970... they're all the same. Call them what you like, you're right. Take into account the OP's observation that most of the little differences seemed trivial and the names to be regional contrivances, maybe. In other words, there always was a bit of ambivalence from place to place, era to era over time, and from one manufacturer to another.

Myself? I very much prefer to call that first example a Rhineland, and the second a Dayton. But maybe the most accurate description is "Rhineland-ish" and "Dayton-esque." In the end, safest conclusion is, answers will vary -- but these are acceptable!

There has never been a "Maine Wedge" pattern. There were 2 distinct Wedge and Maine patterns. B&C lost me as customer when they failed to learn basic pattern names.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Even later response. Just a quick note to say, "agree." Ditto. But to ad that the "golden era" pattern nomenclature conventions almost irrelevant today -- or much harder to apply. There actually *is* -- or technically used to be -- a distinction between Maine Wedge, Dayton, Yankee, etc., which took into consideration much more than just the pattern outline. But by at least 1970, Mann Edge Tool Co., who owned by then just about all previous brands who fled from a failing ax market post-portable, one-man chainsaw (becoming last man standing, almost literally) -- evidently deemed the distinctions irrelevant.

In a 1970 METCo. catalog, beneath what most of us would call a "Dayton," they listed it as a "Dayton/Yankee/Maine Wedge" pattern.

The thing most closely matched a Maine Wedge as modern manufacturer Brant and Cochran now produce them, having no convexity of the face at all, being flat as a straight rule from sharpening bevel to eye, and from side to side. Here in the U.S., most of us generally call that pattern "outline" (ignoring all other geometry) a "Dayton." And Europeans, most likely associating the word "Yankee" for "American," since it is an iconic American pattern, call the very same modern Dayton-esque shape a "Yankee."

In short, after about 1970... they're all the same. Call them what you like, you're right. Take into account the OP's observation that most of the little differences seemed trivial and the names to be regional contrivances, maybe. In other words, there always was a bit of ambivalence from place to place, era to era over time, and from one manufacturer to another.

Myself? I very much prefer to call that first example a Rhineland, and the second a Dayton. But maybe the most accurate description is "Rhineland-ish" and "Dayton-esque." In the end, safest conclusion is, answers will vary -- but these are acceptable!

Some European manufacturers tried to adopt American nomenclature for their North American patterns but most kind of homogenized several common patterns into one and called that a Yankee. I'd have to see a photo of that catalog page before believing it described anything as a "Maine Wedge" since the Maine and Wedge patterns are two different things. A Maine has more of a sweep to the jaw line and a somewhat thinner bit. The Wedge pattern COMES from Maine but is not a "Maine Wedge" and the lack of distinction is a sign of ignorance rather than proper identification.