Axe experts- Help me identify this beauty

[halfaxe]

I've seen other True Temper patterns with that type of code stamped. A Jersey B41 and a Dayton A28.

 

[Steve Tall]

I've seen other True Temper patterns with that type of code stamped. A Jersey B41 and a Dayton A28.

A Jersey A48 (with eye ridges):

A True Temper Woodsman (no evidence found of a stamp on either side of head):

 

[300Six]

After talking with my friend again, he says that he was the only one who had touched it because of the condition it was in. He sanded and polished the head. He did not stamp/restamp it.

I'm trying hard not to dampen your enthusiasm but I am also trying to expose deliberate (or even accidental) treachery. Heaven knows you might have paid $200+ for 'quick & dirty' misrepresentation. I'm forecasting that it won't be long before Kelly Black Ravens re-appear on the market, entirely without Chinese ciphers, only because they got intercepted by middlemen in transit.
If your buddy is forthright about all this he'll be able to explain the hand stamp, and the upside down 8.

And hopefully he'll have 'before and after' pictures. Most of us do. Had I got ambitious and hung a real number on a freebie or 'write-off' head for sure I would have had pictures of the whole show. Everybody, once in their lives, wants to profit from believing they could "make a silk purse from a sow's ear".

 

[chev74]

I'm trying hard not to dampen your enthusiasm but I am also trying to expose deliberate (or even accidental) treachery. Heaven knows you might have paid $200+ for 'quick & dirty' misrepresentation. I'm forecasting that it won't be long before Kelly Black Ravens re-appear on the market, entirely without Chinese ciphers, only because they got intercepted by middlemen in transit.
If your buddy is forthright about all this he'll be able to explain the hand stamp, and the upside down 8.

And hopefully he'll have 'before and after' pictures. Most of us do. Had I got ambitious and hung a real number on a freebie or 'write-off' head for sure I would have had pictures of the whole show. Everybody, once in their lives, wants to profit from believing they could "make a silk purse from a sow's ear".

I'll check to se if he has some before and after pics. I know for a fact that he didn't pay any large sum of money for the head. Picked it up at a garage sale for somewhere in the range of $10-15. It was gifted to me, so I didn't pay a dime.

 

[300Six]

The fellow did do an exemplary job of over-refurbishing and hanging an otherwise derelict head. Gotta give him full credit for that. If the blade temper is still intact it should make a good user for you. And if in fact it is a 'freebie' he certainly is deserving of bountiful free cold beers.

 

[Agent_H]

I don't know if this helps but here are two that I have with stamped numbers, both with ridges:









This is from an active listing but looks to be the same kind of beast you have there:

 

[chev74]

I don't know if this helps but here are two that I have with stamped numbers, both with ridges:


This is from an active listing but looks to be the same kind of beast you have there:

First pic, bottom head looks very close to mine. Strange that they stamped a Star vs a Letter?

 

[HARDBALL]

Hi all,

Interesting thread. I have a vintage True Temper Woodsman Hatchet. It has a 14.5" handle and it feels GREAT in hand. I also have a (Red color) Hatchet with no visible markings other than A44 stamped into side of blade.
I have little doubt that RED Hatchet A44 was made by True Temper as it is EXACTLY the same as the True Temper Woodsman Hatchet (save the logo). Everything about RED Hatchet A44 (physically speaking) is the same as the WOODSMAN.

HARDBALL