Axe ID

[Old Axeman]

I have a older French Carpenter's style hatchet head that is only marked "FERFOR No 1" I can not find any info on it, anybody help ?

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Ferfor is a Portuguese company. Their website, unfortunately, is basically nothing but a landing page. But they make various agricultural tools.

Ferfor Group | Ferfor - Tecniforja - Fersem

ferfor.pt

 

[Old Axeman]

Thanks FTB

 

[Square_peg]

I have a older French Carpenter's Hatchet head that is only marked "FERFOR No 1" I can not find any info on it, anybody help ?

Send me a photo and I'll put it up for you.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I was able to find pictures of this one. Is yours similar?

 

[Old Axeman]

Yes that is the same, except mine is a No. 1 and in better condition. The head weight is right at one pound, The eye is roughly the same size top and bottom, no taper. It looks like it could work with a slip fit haft.

Any idea of a date or the quality of steel ?

I like it a lot and would like to make two hafts, a 14"-16" and a 24"-26." If the wife finds out about this I will be in big trouble because while she was visiting her sister I was to get some of my better axes ready to sell, not add anything!

Thanks

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I'm not sure if it holds true with Portuguese/Ferfor axes but Rinaldi of Italy uses numbers to indicate head weight of a given pattern head. Chances are if Ferfor used numbers in a similar way they have different weights corresponding to each, but as an example, for Rinaldi:

No.000 = 350g
No.00 = 400g
No.0 = 500g
No.1 = 600g
No.2 = 700g
No.3 = 900g
No.4 = 1100g
No.5 = 1300g
No.6 = 1500g

 

[Old Axeman]

FTB-Hawaii has a very diverse population and Portuguese have been here for a long time. That could explain why I found this hatchet at a junk shop in Hilo.