Brush Axes

[crbnSteeladdict]

Yeah I had to stop with narration for a while because my microphone busted and I hadn't gotten around to buying a new one. I just got a good deal on a replacement recently so this one'll have narration. It's much easier to record the voice and events separately because when you're dealing with cut material, you can't make it grow back, and if you have a slipup in the filming on that portion then the audio is unusable in that portion. It'll be a fairly short video, but it doesn't take long to explain and show proper use with these.

You might want to include part about sharpening of the brush axes. For example, this video has opened my eyes about versatility of scythe sharpening stones.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Yeah I have some footage recorded touching it up with a Bull Thistle American pattern scythe stone. They're perfect for the task.

 

[quinton]

The only countries to which this particular build style is extant is in North America and the UK, though the patterns are more stylistically varied in the UK than they are here. It's not clear to me if they were a case of Americans continuing to produce variations based off of English tool lineage or if it was an American invention that was then adopted and "naturalized" back in the UK later on, as was the case with American scythe snaths. They date back to at least the early 1800's and the eyes were forge-welded rather than electrically welded. They were not cast, and you are likely thinking of the term "cast steel" which was used to describe cutlery-grade steel produced via the crucible method, and was the highest grade steel production method of its time.

I'm actually working on a short demo video on proper technique right now. I've seen a lot of videos on the 'tube involving bush hooks, but have yet to encounter a single one that shows them being used properly.

A good 50% of YouTube how to videos involve the blind leading the blind. It's prolly more like 99% in homesteading, gardening, and cooking how to, but those who are blind greedily consume and spread misinformation.

 

[Glenn Bailey]

I'm happy I rekindled some interest in Bush Hooks. Here's one piece I puzzle over and one piece I'm happy about.

Happy first. Underhill Edge Tool Co.

Then puzzle. Clearly a True Temper product, but all True Temper lit I've seen markets them as Bloods or Kelly. True Temper owned the name Underhill, so, they could do this. Just a weird piece.

 

[the-accumulator]

Ditch bank blades are a different tool with a lighter weight blade more akin to a short double-edged machete blade bolted to a double bit axe handle

So, while I thought this was a variation of a brush axe, I now know better; a ditch bank blade:





I haven't found any marks, but there might be some hiding under the rust. I also have two brush axes to post once I get the photos done.

 

[garry3]

Here is a large Collins Legitimus and a Camaynary.

 

[garry3]

A small Kelly.

 

[garry3]

Y&P in light and medium...

 

[Glenn Bailey]

A small Kelly.

Do you know what the head weighs on the Kelly?

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Y&P in light and medium...

Beautiful

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

So, while I thought this was a variation of a brush axe, I now know better; a ditch bank blade:

I haven't found any marks, but there might be some hiding under the rust. I also have two brush axes to post once I get the photos done.

Bingo. That there's a ditch bank blade.

 

[Glenn Bailey]

I spent some time digging through old catalogs curious about a few things (like when they started to be know as Brush Axes vs Bush Hooks). Anyway, for me one of the most valuable things about this forum this the accumulation of knowledge posted, so I figured I'd post some stuff I found- if only so I know where it is when I want to review it in the future.

Kelly True Temper Catalog 1925

True Temper Ad 1950

True Temper Catalog 1953

True Temper Catalog 1954

True Temper Catalog 1955

True Temper Catalog 1958

True Temper Catalog 1971

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Collins Catalog 1926

Cadwell Jones Catalog 1895

Cadwell Jones Catalog 1896

Cadwell Jones Catalog 1913

Peck Stow Wilcox Co Catalog 1910

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Fayette R Plumb Catalog 1906

Plumb Evansville Ad 1930

WM Beatty and Son 1892

C M Woolf Catalog 1915

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Welland Vale Catalog 1901

Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co Catalog 1910

Montgomery Ward Catalog 1916

Montgomery Ward Catalog 1920

Montgomery Ward Catalog 1922

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Underhill Catalog 1859

Rixford Price List 1934

Rixford Price List 1947

Rixford Catalog 1951

North Wayne Ad

North Wayne Ad 1952

 

[the-accumulator]

Blood's "brush hooks" were eventually made by True Temper

Here's my TT:





Came from the Savanna (Illinois) Ordinance Depot Fire Department. Maybe from the 1960s? This is likely the newest brush axe that I own. T-A

 

[Square_peg]

A small Kelly.

I'd like to try a light one like that some day.

 

[garry3]

Do you know what the head weighs on the Kelly?

Feels like a boys axe. I'm probably pretty close, I could pull it if you want?

 

[garry3]

Thanks for the info! I'm interested in the demo video. I battle with berry bushes, beech saplings etc. constantly so I'm excited to use the bush hook more.

Not knowing a whole lot about welding, is there a way to reasonable tell the difference between something that was forge-welded vs electrically welded? I picked up a few bush hooks recently and now I'm super-curious.

Thanks!

Some of the eyes were overlaid and forge welded, some inserted. The ones with forge welded bits seem to be inserted. It's a long forge weld but they did it, skilled folks.