Recommendation? BBB - Cruiser Axe or Worn Down Double Bit? What size haft to hang it on?

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Jul 15, 2017
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So I have had this Binghams Best Brand double bit sitting around for quite a while, bought it on a weekend last fall when I picked up a whole bunch of axes, had kind of forgotten about it in an old drawer. I saw one pretty much just like sell on ebay a month or two back, I almost bid on it... until I remembered this one and wanted to pull this out and work on it. I got loads of rust off this puppy and cleaned it up to now have the head how I'd like, was getting ready to hang it, but unsure on this.

It is maybe 8" from edge to edge, weighs in a 2 pounds 10 ounces. The eye on it matches a few double bits I had sitting around, I am pretty sure a true cruiser axe is not only smaller in weight and size, but also should have a smaller eye dimension... is this correct? (far right one on the pic of eyes from above). I'm between moving and dont have my woodshop gear available right now, its all packed away, so can't deal with that now for making my own, shopping for handles online seems like all the cruiser handles are all too small of eye, not wide enough to cover this one fully on the sides of the bottom of the head.. most of them seem to be 26-28"

My guess is this was more likely a double bit that saw many different sessions of filing and grinding the edges over time, until it lost a lot of its width and weight... Or is this an actual cruiser? I've heard cruisers are usually more in the 2 to maybe 2.5 pound range.

I've got a 30" double bit handle ready to go, but think cruisers are usually smaller, like 28" or maybe ever shorter.. What do you think, should I hang this on the 30"? Seems like it might look a little goofy with the head being smaller. If I did a good regular hang on this would probably get close to an inch poking over top of the eye, which if I want to cut flush would leave this at 29" I've got enough shoulder on it to knock it down maybe a 1" or 1.5" lower into the shoulder, but beyond that I'd be going too far past it. Plus that would be a bit of pain in the rear considering this handle is ready to go with an easier hang as is.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Also - side note, what is a Saddle Cruiser, same as a Cruiser, or even shorter handle? Or some other difference. I'm assuming it's meant to be carried on a saddle and used to clear branches or brush in the way on a trail while riding a horse. So I'd think a 28 incher would be a bit bulky on a saddle, maybe something more like a 20" or so? But I'm no horse guy. Or what is the difference on these styles?

Second side note - the one on Ebay looked liked it had red paint on it... Mine had old red remnant paint in the crevices of the logo (still a bit left in the E on Cleveland), was this what these were painted from the factory? or just a freak coincidence... That one on ebay was also 2 pound 11 ounces, and 8 1/8" which pretty much the exact same specs as this one I have. Most of the BBBs I have are all the thin etching in a oval logo with just BBB, I only have one other like this version, it is a single bit and had no paint remnants in the etched/embossed logo area, was just black or dirty... Can't find many of these types to reference their original look... just curious if one of you with your wealth of knowledge knows what these originally looked like.
FullSizeRender 3.jpg IMG_1869.jpg IMG_1870.jpg
 
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On second thought I don't know if I can go much further down on shoulder than leaving it at 29", which actually looks okay. Forgot most of my double bits are on 34" and 36", so starting with the 30" is actually not too bad. Thats a 36" one next to it. With the head an inch lower on the 30" it looks okay, but I'm still torn on it though... may have room to bump down another inch or so, just dont want to go too far past the shoulder bulge.
Sorry I think I cut the bottom inch or so out of this pic, but bottoms of the hafts are level here.

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Here's the more commonly seen BBB logo I mentioned. Were these logos vs. more elaborate ones like on dbl bit, differences between different eras of the company?
This Jersey pattern had a fiberglass handle cut off in the eye (was a total nightmare getting that mess cleaned out) when I got it, so assuming this is likely the more recently used of their two logo versions.
BBB Jersey.jpg
 
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If it's the head on the far right in the group shot someone did a thorough thinning out of the entire blade. Usually the bit just becomes more and more obtuse angled from sharpening. I've never seen anything nicely done like that.
 
Let's assume there is hardened steel.
Someone can do the math or ratios but the head weighs 2lb 10oz so only a couple of oz over a "cruiser".

If 28" is a working standard at cruiser weight then I would mount it on that 30" handle. A touch over 2.5lbs? = a touch over 28"?
I mean, it is a neat looking head and writing it off seems a shame.

Might be the best handling double bit you ever use. Besides it looks kinda "wood lonely" like it is right now.
 
Some of the newer handles (Link and others) are overly thick enough that you might be able to fit a full size handle on the head and whittle down the shaft enough to create a new butt swell at whatever location you want.
 
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