Any Help Appreciated

[LAJKE]

Hey,

Not an axe guy so was wondering and hoping someone might have anything to share. Took down our family barn (built ~1870) this spring and found this old rusty axe head buried in the ground. I've soaked in vinegar, scrubbed and removed almost all the rust over the last 10 days. Not a fancy axe but has personal meaning so am curious for any info as I continue to restore and put back to use. Only marking I can see is a V, which I assume means for 5lb head?

Trying to post pics, hope it works.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yqwqu4dg6jbl9lf/AADBUQCeR5aDRAJSIY__fK6Sa?dl=0

Thxs.

 

[garry3]

Hey,

Not an axe guy so was wondering and hoping someone might have anything to share. Took down our family barn (built ~1870) this spring and found this old rusty axe head buried in the ground. I've soaked in vinegar, scrubbed and removed almost all the rust over the last 10 days. Not a fancy axe but has personal meaning so am curious for any info as I continue to restore and put back to use. Only marking I can see is a V, which I assume means for 5lb head?

Trying to post pics, hope it works.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yqwqu4dg6jbl9lf/AADBUQCeR5aDRAJSIY__fK6Sa?dl=0

Thxs.

Looks like an axe made with an overcoated steel bit rather then an inserted one, forge welded to a really soft steel or iron body. That type of axe is considered to be of twentieth century construction.

 

[LAJKE]

Thank you garry for your time. I knew it wasn't the best axe but has family value so thank you for helping date it. Was found in and around some bottles that I dated from the 20s and 30s so makes sense. Best guess would it be around this time or later, or no way to tell?

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Thank you garry for your time. I knew it wasn't the best axe but has family value so thank you for helping date it. Was found in and around some bottles that I dated from the 20s and 30s so makes sense. Best guess would it be around this time or later, or no way to tell?

The usual suspect would be Kelly (some of their axes had fairly big, deep single letter mark on the cheek.
Second, less likely option has to do with location of the barn: Are you maybe in Maine or close by?

 

[LAJKE]

Sorry, I should have prefaced this by saying I'm in Canada. That said though I am about an hour from ny state and 4 from maine. So relatively close and given most of our items were made in the states, I'm all ears and thank you crbn.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Sorry, I should have prefaced this by saying I'm in Canada. That said though I am about an hour from ny state and 4 from maine. So relatively close and given most of our items were made in the states, I'm all ears and thank you crbn.

This is all speculation. There supposedly were Emerson & Stevens axes marked with single letter "V". However, the mark was located near the poll and the pictures I saw were of only wedge pattern axe heads. Much more likely it came from Kelly factory than Maine. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell who made that axe. It could be Mann Edge Tool, AA&Tco, Kelly or somebody else.
If you try to use, it probably be better than any axe made nowadays.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/kelly-hand-made-axe-1831651641

and Wedge pattern axe

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-emerson-stevens-maine-axe-1900755533

 

[garry3]

Thank you garry for your time. I knew it wasn't the best axe but has family value so thank you for helping date it. Was found in and around some bottles that I dated from the 20s and 30s so makes sense. Best guess would it be around this time or later, or no way to tell?

I think that the ones that have really soft bodies tend to be earlier. Judging from the damage, the way it mushroomed and the lack of a quench line on the body, I think that is iron or a really soft steel body axe.

 

[LAJKE]

Hey Guys,

Thanks again for the help. I've weighed the axe and is only 3.5lbs so i'm not sure what the V is for. I've attached a better pic of the V and it's location.

As well, I'm not sure if the other pics are natural wear or not. Is what I thought it was originally but as I cleaned it, it started to look like a face. Which didn't make sense but then if you look closely it appears to be XX with maybe other letters underneath (by the butt)? I've attached pics and could just be trying to read something into it but looks like possibly some sort of mark.

Either way the axe will be put back to use soon enough. Have a tree outback that I was about to take the chainsaw to but saving it for the axe now.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2ctjx9cxfyqcdml/AACT0TxTE9N3lyOr9qo7uk5ca?dl=0

Thxs.
Jeff

 

[Gh0zt36]

That thing has seen better days for sure. Appears to me atleast it had a strip of steel taken off the top . I love seeing old tools brought back to life. Be sure to post pics when this thing is all cleaned up OP . Cool find !