Broad Axes...post 'em up.

[MatthewFang]

Just acquired this small bearded hewing axe. Danish style? Unknown Stamp.

 

[Axe Master '94]

Not to necro-post, but man, this should be stickied!

I just sold my Stiletto hewing hatchet, and picked up a New England pattern Blodgett center bevel for under $20! From what I could find, Blodgett only was around from 1853-1862, when it was absorbed by Amoskeag. Chump change for a 150+ year old piece in my book.

 

[Sharpsteelblade]

Just got this today at the antique show. Don't know much about it other than its a peck.

 

[jake pogg]

Very cool. What was the science behind that shape? Does anyone know? I can imagine an advantage and a disadvantage. A possible disadvantage would be that while cutting at the lower edge of the blade the force applied to the handle is further off center from the eye, possible putting more torque on the handle and wearing it more quickly. OTOH, the initial contact with the wood would be more directly centered on the eye, possibly absorbing the impact better and then having only a lesser cutting force (no impact) applied during the remainder of the cut. Does that make sense?

A type of axe common in Bulgaria and some Balkan regions,it isn't necessarily a "broad-axe"(only so in a specialised way if a single-bevel tool,and many in the photo don't look to be).The folks there are expert axmen,and manage to combine all functions in one yard-axe,chopping,splitting,and hewing (people lived there a long time,so that their trees don't run to any terrific size).
The eye is a fair size compression eye,bigger'n a regular adze-eye that it most resembles.So,when razor-sharp,and in skilled hands,the physics acting even on a very long beard are tolerable.

 

[loxotonwoodcraft]

 

[300Six]

Loxotonwoodcraft: remind me not to blindly drive across your grass with my lawn tractor. Kidding aside that is quite the collection of 'wide blade' axes you've managed to gather up. None of them look to be of north American origin nor destination.
In any event squaring timbers out of first growth pines in the backwoods of the Ottawa Valley 150 years ago would have been quite different from what these implements were used for. A bend or break in the blade shoulder would have put a hewer out of work (and out of pocket) for too long so those bushwhackers gravitated to the sturdiest gear they could get their hands on. And extra mass behind a swing as a consequence was not deemed a hindrance.

 

[Agent_H]

Is that a socketed goosewing in the upper left?

 

[Square_peg]

Fine collection of axes. I like the scroll work on those two on the right.

 

[ipt]

Here is one of my hewing axes...

 

[Square_peg]

The steel in your hatchet/adze was surprisingly good. I hope these are the same. They would be truly functional.

I'd like to see a more open hang with the eye canted out so your hands stay safe from the work. And it would be nice if there were a North American pattern with the bit centered on the eye, in other words not a bearded or goosewing style axe. I'm thinking of something like a Canadian pattern or even a New Orleans or Pennsylvania pattern broad axe.

 

[ipt]

Yes.
The steel is the same.

The main advantage of bearded style is that in less weight you are getting more cutting surface.
As you may see from the pictures above my axe has the same pattern as the bearded hewing axes which are 100+ years old and they are proven in time...