Any idea what he was doing with this?

[PhilipWimberly]

This rides in the Gator with me all the time and I find a lot more "one off" uses for it than I'd expect...but no job regular enough to have made it myself. I tried to get pictures that showed the indications it was modified. Hope you can see them. My guess is this was a fire axe or pulaski that a pretty skilled craftsman turned into this "hook" tool. Does anyone disagree with my guesses? If not, does anyone have an idea about what brand might've been on it before the modification?
Mostly, though -- anyone have good ideas about what he was doing with it? I tell myself it was a Norlund fire axe on a boat and the captain wanted a dockline hook...or maybe a vineyard worker using it for vine wires...

 

[phantomknives]

that, my friend, is a harbor freight fire hatchet, and if i had to guess it was used for hooking lines like traps or crab pots, or maybe just a really bad nail puller, could also possibly be a shingle ripper

 

[PhilipWimberly]

Ha! Now I don't feel so bad about the dumb stuff I use it for most days. So I'm right it was modified? How do you know it is Harbor Freight? I wish I knew how you guys tell the difference between good old steel and new garbage...

 

[phantomknives]

Ha! Now I don't feel so bad about the dumb stuff I use it for most days. So I'm right it was modified? How do you know it is Harbor Freight? I wish I knew how you guys tell the difference between good old steel and new garbage...

I just recognize the pattern, the patina on it is pretty nice but no sir you dont have to worry about beating on it

 

[Hickory n steel]

Ha! Now I don't feel so bad about the dumb stuff I use it for most days. So I'm right it was modified? How do you know it is Harbor Freight? I wish I knew how you guys tell the difference between good old steel and new garbage...

The main giveaway on this is the fact that it's a European type pattern but is marked 2-1/2 suggesting having been made for sale here in the US.
These HF 2lb "fire hatchets" are very common for modification.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

This rides in the Gator with me all the time and I find a lot more "one off" uses for it than I'd expect...but no job regular enough to have made it myself. I tried to get pictures that showed the indications it was modified. Hope you can see them. My guess is this was a fire axe or pulaski that a pretty skilled craftsman turned into this "hook" tool. Does anyone disagree with my guesses? If not, does anyone have an idea about what brand might've been on it before the modification?
Mostly, though -- anyone have good ideas about what he was doing with it? I tell myself it was a Norlund fire axe on a boat and the captain wanted a dockline hook...or maybe a vineyard worker using it for vine wires...

Could be modified German Helko