Axe Manufacturer Stampings, Dates, Implications

Operator1975

Operator1975

Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
2,395
Well I saw this ugly duckling on the auction site, and got to looking at it, and couldnt believe my eyes when I saw it. Not that it is a looker, far from it, but from the implications it can present when it comes to manufacturers, dating, quality, etc. I found this to be a fascinating piece, and one of my favorites. Of course this wont be for everyone, seeing I am more into the history and timelines than most on here, but still something I thought I would share, as discussion is always good.

So as you can see, this is a double bit true temper, nothing special -

SAM_1109_zps40ed727f.jpg


Further inspection you can see the imprint - again not in great shape by any means, but that wasnt what I was after here -

(and I know you guys are digging the background too :) )

SAM_1110_zps7d8c7e63.jpg


But now when we flip it over, this is where my eyes got big, and started thinking, what the hell - ???

SAM_1111_zps97499c90.jpg


So, what does this mean? Anything? Well here is what we know - or thought we knew -

AmericanAx(AATCo) was the conglomerate of ~16 axe companies formed in the 1889 to dominate the axe market. And they did this for some time, until in fighting started to break them up.

1921 comes and Kelly buys out the AmericanAx operation. This means they now own the rights to all the imprints, labels, markings, etc etc that were once AmericanAx property. This included all the previous lines swallowed up by AATCo, such as Red Warrior, Superior, Lippincott, Duquesne, etc. So now Kelly has the rights to all these names.

So, if you have read my manufacturing thread on Kelly, it is known that then Kelly was bought out by American Fork and Hoe(AFH) in 1930, and the Kelly name switched to Kelly Axe and Tool Works. All other information out there pointed to the fact that in 1949 restructuring within AFH lead to the axe division being called/named True Temper.

So this axe means one of two things - it was made post 1949 and still used the AmericanAx logo, which went defunct some 28 years prior, or the True Temper stamping was used prior to 1949 on Kelly axes.

Research/conversations/emails show that the latter seems to be true, that the True Temper stamping was used prior to 1949. I always thought it was post 1949 after the reorganization. So, I will have to update my Kelly manufacturing thread. I find this really interesting, because now it throws a monkey wrench into how old we(I) have dated axes with True Temper on them. This makes sense though, as I have always thought - there are a ton of True Temper axes out there - but if they came about post 1949 - that doesn't really make too much sense, because the chainsaw was starting its massive take over in the 1940s and 50s, and post war axe production never reached anywhere close to pre war. Also, you will find many axes stamped True Temper Kelly Axe and Tool Works, basically showing that the transition was in the process. Interesting. At least to me.

So, the jury is still out on your True Temper axes - Vulcan, Red Warrior, Kelly Perfects, Hand Made, Flint Edge, etc as far as dating goes. I will continue to dig in and see if there is any kind of resolution to this debacle. Sorry for the confusion, but it is better to learn and discuss then ignore.

Enjoy. Don't shoot the messenger!

Thanks!

Mike
 
Is it me or does the stamping on this 'World's finest' look different from the common ones we see in the Flint Edge and Kelly Perfect lines. Maybe the "World's Finest" is older? At the very least it is on the opposite side as the "line" name. Are there other lines where the TT logo is on the opposite side of the axe.





 
To my knowldege, the Worlds Finest was the export imprint/logo/stamping for overseas use, - aussie, new zealand, etc. True Temper was put on the other side because no one in Aussie or NZ had any idea what True Temper was anyway, but Kelly had name recognition. That being said, you dont want to handcuff yourself with a product, so True Temper was put on the other side for name recognition in the USA, and then to also hopefully build name recognition in the other countries.

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Mike
 
I love it, Mike. I wonder if and how long the plant in Glassport, PA and the plant in Charleston, WV ran simultaneously under Kelly ownership?
 
Some more clues:

"Some time before the acquisition of the Kelly Axe & Tool Co., possibly in the “teens”, the term TRUE TEMPER had been introduced by the A. F. & H. Co. and combined with many of the parent company’s products. That combination of names continued after the A. F. & H. Co. became a major axe supplier."
-- from YesteryearsTools http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/American%20Fork%20%26%20Hoe%20Co..html


The illustration with various axe patterns in "An Ax to Grind" shows the insignia "True Temper / Kelly Quality" and "Kelly Axe and Tool Works":

fig009.jpg


The caption says "Figure 9--Some standard patterns manufactured by True Temper Kelly in 1925." However, the 1925 date must be incorrect (?) since American Fork & Hoe supposedly acquired Kelly in 1930.

"An Ax to Grind" in another format shows Figure 9 along with the cover of the True Temper Kelly catalog (Catalog 30), and this catalog is also marked both "Kelly Axe & Tool Works" and "The American Fork & Hoe Company".

https://docs.google.com/viewer?pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESh1oXp7fMqns_lrbzU3ldBeFt_MqHfPMnMWZWsBDya_g4SJRlAzGg3RmrEdC2IfKxQ0BAKD7wLms8dWRBk9kWVJR8aUi9nPpslQuTe-h7Yc3hIPVwGnWij1A56Z3F1-xcWvzu_y&q=cache%3AUnKZ7r1NnEgJ%3Awww.pcta.org%2Fpdf%2Fan_ax_to_grind.pdf%20an%20ax%20to%20grind&docid=8108814c0c2f6a5dfe2b6693d9647f30&a=bi&pagenumber=11&w=800
 
Steve bringing the pictures and facts as always. Thank you! Discussion will come from this, which is a good thing. What this all means, as far as exact timelines, remains to be seen, but at least we are aware now.

Thank you!
 
Wow, cooperhill, thanks for that. Looks like the best of the 3 claw hatchets listed, same marks and all.

What a surprising amount of hatchets and other tools, not as many axes as I expected.
 
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