Axes on History Channel

Chris Montgomery

Chris Montgomery

Joined
Dec 8, 2011
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I caught an episode of Modern Marvels on The History Channel today on axes. It was informative and well done. From stone hand axes to race axes. There was a tour of the Counsel Axe facility. If you get a chance watch it. It aired right after a look at the evolution of logging. Great couple of programs.

Chris
 
I saw that episode a while back, it was a good one. I really enjoyed the tour through the Council Facility.
 
Hi Chris,

The AXE ep. of Modern Marvels re-aired late yesterday afternoon and it was quite good. The tour of the Council Axe factory was indeed interesting and RMJ Tactical was well represented. I enjoyed the part where a Father and Son from New England (MA) fell a big tree (the son) using his favorite "vintage" Maine made Axe (S&N) ?
I especially liked the "side by side" testing when the son tried out his "new" Axe (brand unknow) vs. his vintage Maine Axe. No contest! The vintage Axe, kicked Axe! I look forward to seeing this ep. of "Modern Marvels" again.

Regards,
HARDBALL
 
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HARDBALL said:
Hi Chris,

The AXE ep. of Modern Marvels re-aired late yesterday afternoon and it was quite good. The tour of the Council Axe factory was indeed interesting and RMJ Tactical was well represented. I enjoyed the part where a Father and Son from New England (MA) fell a big tree (the son) using his favorite "vintage" Maine made Axe (S&N) ?
I especially liked the "side by side" testing when the son tried out his "new" Axe (brand unknow) vs. his vintage Maine Axe. No contest! The vintage Axe, kicked Axe! I look forward to seeing this ep. of "Modern Marvels" again.

Regards,
HARDBALL
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Watch the one on "wood". It is really good as well, and it ties in the axe and its use.
 
I watched the same shows last night. Axes followed by the show about wood.
I got a kick out of the guy with 1,000 axes and thought of this forum.
I have a couple questions if anyone knows the answers.
First being- Doesn't Council use robots for grinding? They list robot grinding for cleaning the grind lines/ shaping the head and cutting edge. Secondly, Is that the entire heat treating process of their axes? No temper just edge heat and quench?
I have to say the comparing the new single bit to a bigger double might have sounded good for the tv show- don't think was a fair comparison.
 
A Visitor said:
First being- Doesn't Council use robots for grinding? They list robot grinding for cleaning the grind lines/ shaping the head and cutting edge. Secondly, Is that the entire heat treating process of their axes? No temper just edge heat and quench?
I have to say the comparing the new single bit to a bigger double might have sounded good for the tv show- don't think was a fair comparison.
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I think the video was made prior to the switch to robotic grinding that's now listed by Council. That's probably only in reference to removing the forge scale and establishing the finish/shape though. Sharpening the bit is probably still done by hand (a rudimentary grind for their production models and a more precise, refined grind for their Velvcicut line).

Also, I think it's probably a hot bath of not just water (note that they say water "solution") so as to temper the head slightly during the quench. That's why they give a hardness range of 48-55 hrc for the bit. Less exact vs someone like Gransfors that uses exact heats, times and a separate tempering process for an exact 57hrc. That's added production costs though.

Also, I agree - unfair comparison. Mostly because that vintage double bit would have probably been equally dull or not much better when it was newly purchased off the shelf at a hardware store. Woodsmen generally altered the grinds to suit their needs so manufacturers started to simply provide just a passable grind, leaving the rest to the consumer. Lower production costs and safer to ship/store. Of course an aftermarket grind is going to bite better than a manufacturer's - has nothing to do with old steel vs new.
 
Ha. I'm within an hours drive of "The Gentleman with One Thousand Axes". In this area of the country though I'm not surprised. I pass log trucks every day and there're stumps in my yard with forty year old trees growing over 'em that still show the springboard notches. There's even a logger supply store within 20 min of my place that almost exclusively stocks Council axes.
 
The man with the 1000 axes is Larry Mcphail, writer of Axe Manufacturers of North America. Good friend of mine.
 
I think it's probably a hot bath of not just water (note that they say water "solution") so as to temper the head slightly during the quench. That's why they give a hardness range of 48-55 hrc for the bit. Less exact vs someone like Gransfors that uses exact heats, times and a separate tempering process for an exact 57hrc. That's added production costs though.
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It must work for them. I would have thought a automated process would be cheaper and more consistent. Perhaps there is more that didn't make the video.
 
The man with the 1000 axes is Larry Mcphail, writer of Axe Manufacturers of North America. Good friend of mine.
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I hope he has a plan for his collection in the future. That would be a hell of a yard sale if he didn't lol
 
Operator1975 said:
The man with the 1000 axes is Larry Mcphail, writer of Axe Manufacturers of North America. Good friend of mine.
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Larry's a good guy. We've had a couple chats on the phone while I was trying to get a manufacturer for this old "Forester" axe I found.

I'd love to talk him out of that NOS Canadian Warren-Pink-Sager Chemical Process Puget Sound Pattern head that's illustrated on the front of the 2nd edition of that book. I would build an altar for that head and worship it every day. :p
 
Skiv said:
Larry's a good guy. We've had a couple chats on the phone while I was trying to get a manufacturer for this old "Forester" axe I found.

I'd love to talk him out of that NOS Canadian Warren-Pink-Sager Chemical Process Puget Sound Pattern head that's illustrated on the front of the 2nd edition of that book. I would build an altar for that head and worship it every day. :p
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I think that somebody from this forum might have already talked him out of it.

Operator1975 said:
...

So, not only did WATCo operate in the US, they also operated in Canada. The Canadian Warren Axe and Tool Co was founded in 1912 after WATCo purchased Standard Axe and Tool Works, then transported all that machinery N to St Catherines, Ontario. Then, after 2 mergers later, it was settled in as Canadian Warren Pink. They also has a distro center in Vancouver, BC.

An example of one of those -



These axes only said "SAGER" on one side - no other markings - that is one way to tell them apart from other offerings from the USA. This was a way to get into the Canadian business side of things, especially the logging camps. True Temper would be in the mix also (USA wise), though later on, as Welland Vale(TT bought out Welland Vale in 1930 - but they(Welland Vale) had been there in some capacity since 1869....)

The WATCo continued on until 1950 (or 1955 depending on what you read and talk to) until Collins bought them out. Collins then of course was bought out by Mann Edge Tool in 1966. ...
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