Any good for splitting?

[cityofthesouth]

It looks like something terrible happened to the double bit around the eye. If the little one is still weighing 2.25lbs and has a boys axe eye, it should be gtg - looks ok to me - though I can see what you mean the way the toe leans back slightly (looks very slight in the image). I think handle length is ultimately up to you and your preference. If you're wanting a double bit, maybe that one is a little rough. If you want to just hang some axes, then that thing will be good practice and probably a perfectly usable beater. A vinegar bath will tell you how much bit is left and if one side is shot then you can end a life of suffering and abuse and let her rest in peace.

ETA: looks like mako20ft and I were typing at the same time.

 

[zaxxon]

That single bit looks serviceable provided you give it a little love. Let us know after the vinegar bath...that should also quickly tell you how deep the tempering line shows up at.

On the other hand, and just from the one pic so keep that in mind, the DB is really showing it's age. Maybe it's the angle of the photo or my equally aging vision :grumpy: but something looks off balance. As if the left side, as viewed in the pic, is considerably "deeper" from the eye than the right side. That may also be because of the mangling it's taken at the top where the haft would be exposed. Unless it's sentimental or you can figure out a rare maker's mark on it...it kinda looks like it's lived it's life.

It's good to hear that about the single bit. I will post photos of them after the bath. It's funny, I went from not wanting to soak the heads I had in anything a few days ago, to last night being disappointed that my grocery store didn't have more powerful vinegar than what they carry.

Yes, you're right, one of the sides is definitely shorter than the other on the double bit. The head does look very used. It's definitely not sentimental, but if there's enough bit on one side, maybe like cityofthesouth mentioned, I could use it as a beater axe. Were axe heads usually produced in round weights? Would a 3 lb 13oz head be a former 4lb head? Though 3 oz seams like a lot of metal to loose.

 

[zaxxon]

It looks like something terrible happened to the double bit around the eye. If the little one is still weighing 2.25lbs and has a boys axe eye, it should be gtg - looks ok to me - though I can see what you mean the way the toe leans back slightly (looks very slight in the image). I think handle length is ultimately up to you and your preference. If you're wanting a double bit, maybe that one is a little rough. If you want to just hang some axes, then that thing will be good practice and probably a perfectly usable beater. A vinegar bath will tell you how much bit is left and if one side is shot then you can end a life of suffering and abuse and let her rest in peace.

ETA: looks like mako20ft and I were typing at the same time.

"...end a life of suffering and abuse and let her rest in peace." You've got me feeling bad for the axe

I have to say, before I came on this forum I was just interested in splitting firewood. Now, I'm excited about trying out all kinds of axes. I will check the eye size on the single bit, yes, I'd love to make it a boy's axe. It's good to know I wasn't crazy about the toe.

I do like the idea of using the double bit to practice hanging, and as a beater axe. Maybe I could just use it as a backup wood splitter if one side is good.

 

[mako20ft]

Would a 3 lb 13oz head be a former 4lb head? Though 3 oz seams like a lot of metal to loose.

I wouldn't want to be the poor kid that had to grind off 3oz of metal. More likely (maybe) is the original axe weighed in closer to what you have now OR the old boy took a hell of a bash to the edge and someone cut it off instead of grinding.

Just for an example of the former (regards original weight)...I'm finishing a 100% completely unmolested, vintage Plumb Boy's Axe which weighs 2lbs and 7.25oz. That's a bit off from the OEM 2-1/4lb listed in their dated catalog. I just finished a Plumb Double Bit Axe marked "Victory" with a clear and legible mark of 3.2 The .2 indicates (2) 1/4lb increments meaning it should have come out of the box at close to 3-1/2lbs. Since the mark "Victory" indicates either the closing days of WWII or shortly thereafter it's safe to say that any good metal was being rationed. It would also make sense that if the manufacturer was to err on the weight they would certainly be on the lean side. Guess what? 3lbs and13oz of outstanding steel. So in other words...who the hell knows what an axe really weighed from the factory.

Considering how inexpensive a proper, vintage, with good makers mark axe head can be had for; it's not worth investing to much sweat equity. And yes, it does pain me to say that


Don't mind my ramblings...old axes and their history are starting to be a cool hobby for me.

 

[cityofthesouth]

"...end a life of suffering and abuse and let her rest in peace." You've got me feeling bad for the axe

I have to say, before I came on this forum I was just interested in splitting firewood. Now, I'm excited about trying out all kinds of axes. I will check the eye size on the single bit, yes, I'd love to make it a boy's axe. It's good to know I wasn't crazy about the toe.

I do like the idea of using the double bit to practice hanging, and as a beater axe. Maybe I could just use it as a backup wood splitter if one side is good.

Some axes certainly show signs of a hard life. I've been given a couple in bad shape too - I still hung em for the practice. It's a fun hobby, lots of history, lots of enjoyment and pride in restoring and saving them.

 

[300Six]

Don't mind my ramblings...old axes and their history are starting to be a cool hobby for me.

The oldies were purpose-built and had to be good (design and durability) and also had to be competitive price-wise. Quite different from what's out there these days. No one uses axes to make a living or to subsist from day to day anymore. It's not difficult to get in a mindset of appreciating and enjoying a real and classic tool when it also happens to need TLC, sharpening and a new haft.
Then it truly becomes yours' and goes full cycle in the scheme of things again.