Axe restoration questions

[tccpn5]

I am restoring 3 axes. I have a McKinnon Rockaway, American Fork and Hoe, and Diamond.

I have searched on Google and yesteryeartools.com for information about McKinnon and diamond without success.

Any info the forum can provide is appreciated. Also is there any information I should know before restoring this old axe? I don't want to damage it?

The American Fork and Hoe is marked US 1944. It has some original OD green paint left on it. I plan to restore it as issued in 1944. I am assuming it was completely covered in OD Green but please correct me if my assumption is wrong.

The diamond axe was painted red but I have no info on the maker. Again, any info the forum provide is greatly appreciated.

I have provided some photos of the axes and a bonus pic of a Norlund I restored.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Steve Tall]

Here's the photo of your McKinnon Rockaway (on the tumblr page, I right-clicked on the photo and copied the image URL):

Those McKinnon Rockaways are pretty uncommon. Here's some info from a search of this forum:

...
The following is from
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/c/k/Janet-B-Mcknew/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0065.html

Notes for William McKinnon:
From "Industries of New Jersey", 1883. Sent by Robert J. Fridlington, Dept. of History,
College of N.J., Union, NJ.

...about his McKinnon Axe Company, Rockaway, NJ....
The business was established in 1845 by Mr. Wm. McKinnon, who conducted it successfully and
won a reputation for his productions placing him in the front rank among the leading makers
of the best axes in the country. In 1868 (?) his sons, William and Walter McKinnon,
succeeded to the business, and have from that time continued it and carefully guarded and
maintained the old standard reputation which made the name of the McKinnon axes famous in
all business centres.

(Quote, Fridlington) - "I also have a McKinnon axe - two of them, as a matter of fact. One
is a felling axe (which the McKinnons called a "chopping axe") of the distinctive Rockaway
pattern that became so famous. It is a fine, hand-forged piece, made by your great
grandfather. The other one is a broad axe, made by McKinnon Brothers. By the way, I am
trying to find out if the "Rockaway" pattern is still being made. The last authenticated
date that I have is 1937, when the Warren Axe and Tool Co. of Warren, Pa. was making them.
That was forty years ago, of course, but several people have told me that someone is still
making them. Unfortunately, tool manufacturers are not very good about responding to
inquiries of this sort." (from letter dated 6/1/1977 to Dorothy Lord Moore.)

...there weren't many of these McKinnon axes made. The company started making axes in 1845, and by 1860 they were only making 500 axes per year. In 1909, the company was reported to employ only 5 people.

Compare this with the Collins company, which began around 1826. By 1871, more than 15 million Collins axes had been produced! (Thats over 330,000 Collins axes per year, on average.)
...

from http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/955589-William-Mckinnon-rockaway-amp-unknown-cleanup

Those diamond axes are typically from China.

 

[tccpn5]

Thanks Steve for the quick response. That is a bummer about the diamond axe. I will sharpen it up and use it. I hope it holds an edge. The McKinnon was a good find it seems. I am excited to restore it. I soaked the axe head in apple cider vinegar for 7 days. The next phase is to file off the mushrooming and then sand from 60 to 400 grit sand paper. The bit doesn't have any nicks out of it other than the damage from the rust so it should sharpen nicely.

 

[tccpn5]

I will attempt to attach the pictures again.

McKinnon marked Rockaway, NJ

American Fork and Hoe marked U.S. 1944

Norlund

Diamond apparently Chinese

 

[nickzdon]

That McKinnon looks pretty good. Nice bit shape. Looks like it might have some rebound rust from the vinegar. I'd scrub it down with a scrubby pad and a little more vinegar, then give it a generous coat of WD-40 or linseed oil.

As for the Chinese Diamond axe, use it to try out a different handle than you normally would, or try a different bit profile. I think these axes are actually quite useful for trying stuff out that you wouldn't try on a 'worthier' axe.

And as always, share pics!

 

[wdmn]

Was the American Fork and Hoe 1944 a military axe? I ask because of the military green paint; has this been a common colour to paint axe heads?

 

[M3mphis]

As for the Chinese Diamond axe, use it to try out a different handle than you normally would, or try a different bit profile. I think these axes are actually quite useful for trying stuff out that you wouldn't try on a 'worthier' axe.

That's a great idea. I think I have a chinese axe that I might try some different grinds on.

 

[flexo]

Was the American Fork and Hoe 1944 a military axe? I ask because of the military green paint; has this been a common colour to paint axe heads?

i guess yes,mine is olive green painted too. the date too makes me think it was.

 

[dave9969]

I picked up a no name rockaway pattern axe head not too long ago at the flea market but it has NO stamps on it
for where or when just the same pattern as your picture up top
and unless I am completely off base, its not that old. mine was painted RED
with some really difficult to remove paint that was very stubborn but eventually gave up
to the 80 grit sand paper, haven't hung it yet its just a project pending

 

[tccpn5]

Wdmn I don't know when the military started painting everything OD green but there are flecks of green paint on this hatchet. From what I have found online American Fork and Hoe made axes for the military. Based on the US 1944 markings and the green paint I believe this is a military issued axe.

 

[tccpn5]

i guess yes,mine is olive green painted too. the date too makes me think it was.


Flexo would you post a picture of your axe?

 

[nickzdon]

I know Cooperhill is working on an identical 1944 American Fork and Hoe. If he logs on maybe we can get him to shed some light on it.

 

[300Six]

I am restoring 3 axes. I have a McKinnon Rockaway, American Fork and Hoe, and Diamond.

I have searched on Google and yesteryeartools.com for information about McKinnon and diamond without success.

Any info the forum can provide is appreciated. Also is there any information I should know before restoring this old axe? I don't want to damage it?

The diamond axe was painted red but I have no info on the maker. Again, any info the forum provide is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help!

Walters Axe of Hull, Quebec used to make a grade of axes that were called "Black Diamond". The ones I have don't feature a graphic of a diamond on them and generally are stamped Walters Black Diamond or just Black Diamond. Could be you have something like this. Certainly the head looks familiar.

 

[Steve Tall]

About that Diamond stamp, here's a similar one from another thread. I didn't think about taking a photo of those NOS Chinese mauls I saw with the identical diamond brand.

...

looks to me like made in China, company is Diamond. So it looks like anyways...

Today at a "vintage tools" store, I saw a box with a bunch of splitting mauls with the Diamond brand, made in China. Not definitive proof regarding your axe, though.

It looks like under the comapny name it does say Made IN China. The last letter do like NA mabey INA

 

[G-pig]

The steel in that Chinese axe might still be better than anything made in American today, including Barco and most Council fare. Axes you aren't overly attached to are very handy-- axes will take a beating and something to take that burden off of a nice or rare axe is valuable in it's own right.

 

[tccpn5]

The diamond Axe just has the image of a diamond and what I can make out "amond" is stamped underneath

 

[Operator1975]

The McKinnon is very pretty uncommon as stated. It is the father of the jersey pattern that everyone loves today.