They did once claim their axes could cut steel...
That ad gives a good idea, though, of the difference between Keech's methods and other axe makers. Sure, plenty of manufacturers were still casting axes then, but those were only ever el cheapo axes, never professional or racing axes, or, as the ad implies, casting a poll and eye around a forged bit.
Also gives their history - they really were the axe that got us through the war, since we had no factory that could tool up for axe making to meet demand. I think Plumb Australia (Cyclone) were the only axe makers in the country at the time. We need an easily-made, good, strong axe. Drop-forging would take too long. Keech would've been less then a decade old when the Army contract came in, and they would've had to convince the government a new-fangled cast axe could work. No mean feat, considering how bloody conservative the Aus military was back then, and how anti-self-reliant we were (look up the history of the Owen gun).
I've always wanted one of their corrugated "washboard" axes. I forget what they were actually called ("Klean Kut" or "Keen Kut" or "Kutall" or something along those lines).
They were a household axe, with grooves in the side. You see them labelled as "poisoners axes" or "poisoning axe", the idea being you fill the grooves with herbicide and swing one or two cuts into a tree, injecting it. Really they were just done because there was less surface area to bind with wood, and it's a great way of getting a bigger axe without adding the cost and weight of more steel. They were just a woodpile, and occasional fresh chicken, axe.
But they look unique, and you could only do those grooves if you cast 'em.
(Image found elsewhere)
That ad gives a good idea, though, of the difference between Keech's methods and other axe makers. Sure, plenty of manufacturers were still casting axes then, but those were only ever el cheapo axes, never professional or racing axes, or, as the ad implies, casting a poll and eye around a forged bit.
Also gives their history - they really were the axe that got us through the war, since we had no factory that could tool up for axe making to meet demand. I think Plumb Australia (Cyclone) were the only axe makers in the country at the time. We need an easily-made, good, strong axe. Drop-forging would take too long. Keech would've been less then a decade old when the Army contract came in, and they would've had to convince the government a new-fangled cast axe could work. No mean feat, considering how bloody conservative the Aus military was back then, and how anti-self-reliant we were (look up the history of the Owen gun).
I've always wanted one of their corrugated "washboard" axes. I forget what they were actually called ("Klean Kut" or "Keen Kut" or "Kutall" or something along those lines).
They were a household axe, with grooves in the side. You see them labelled as "poisoners axes" or "poisoning axe", the idea being you fill the grooves with herbicide and swing one or two cuts into a tree, injecting it. Really they were just done because there was less surface area to bind with wood, and it's a great way of getting a bigger axe without adding the cost and weight of more steel. They were just a woodpile, and occasional fresh chicken, axe.
But they look unique, and you could only do those grooves if you cast 'em.
(Image found elsewhere)