BUSHWACKED! Let’s see some vintage or well loved bush axes!

KentuckyBlackBird

KentuckyBlackBird

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Sep 7, 2023
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Haven’t seen any posts like this. I’m an axe nut and love them all along with the history and story behind them all. Matter of fact, I like and collect most kinds of striking tool. Mostly Kelly. This Council is the only bush axe I own. She’s a beaut though. Are there any cool bush axes out there that have been used and loved equally? Let’s see ‘em. IMG_4389.jpeg
 
I'll have to snap a photo or three of mine. I purchased it from an antique tool store when I was a teenager and learned how to sharpen with a file on it. I've since ground it properly thin and I still use it. The handle's a little beat up but it's functionally fine so I've never bothered with replacing with it--still has lots of life left in it.
 
This has the original handle in it. You can see the faint writing on it still. I felt pretty good about this purchase. I ran across it at a peddlers mall for less than $20. I’d like to know which decade it is from.
 
Definitely not the original handle on this one, obviously being a modified aftermarket single bit axe handle. But it's the one that was on it when I first picked it up! Reground the edge to a ~9° per side a few years back which is basically zeroing the original primary grind and it massively increased performance. The cover is one I made from PetroCor HDPE sheet.

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FortyTwoBlades said:
Definitely not the original handle on this one, obviously being a modified aftermarket single bit axe handle. But it's the one that was on it when I first picked it up! Reground the edge to a ~9° per side a few years back which is basically zeroing the original primary grind and it massively increased performance. The cover is one I made from PetroCor HDPE sheet.

486618086_10234610901722182_740529328688647773_n.jpg


486317990_10234610902602204_6442604958306603464_n.jpg


485832365_10234610903282221_897087417641221195_n.jpg
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That’s a good looking axe! Looks to be a bit thicker than mine. Do you know the manufacturer?
 
No clue as far as the maker is concerned. Plausibly it originally had a paper label which is now long gone. Given that I'm in Maine it could be a 1950's NWT Co. for all I know, but could be anyone.
 
I'm so sad that Council discontinued their bush hook. Maybe someday it can make a return.
 
One of these days I'll finally pick up one of the older Collins hooks. They're nice light ones with a good shape to 'em. While a hefty hook can be handy since it's less likely to get bogged down, a common problem one runs into with bush hooks is them twisting in the hands when meeting a resistant target and the lighter ones "kick" less when it happens and are faster, which is handy on a lot of the lighter targets.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
One of these days I'll finally pick up one of the older Collins hooks. They're nice light ones with a good shape to 'em. While a hefty hook can be handy since it's less likely to get bogged down, a common problem one runs into with bush hooks is them twisting in the hands when meeting a resistant target and the lighter ones "kick" less when it happens and are faster, which is handy on a lot of the lighter targets.
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I haven’t seen any Collins when out looking for tools. I’ll have to kee my eyes peeled and try to pick one up if I come across it.
 
garry3 said:
I suspect inserted but I'm not %100 sure. Cleaning them up better it would probably show.

I have at least one more that the lamination shows up pretty well.
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Inserted would be an odd method for blades constructed like that. I'd expect it to be much more likely for them to produce them in the same manner as scythe blades--laminated by folding a piece of iron around a piece of steel and then drawing the whole out to shape.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Inserted would be an odd method for blades constructed like that. I'd expect it to be much more likely for them to produce them in the same manner as scythe blades--laminated by folding a piece of iron around a piece of steel and then drawing the whole out to shape.
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That could be.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
One of these days I'll finally pick up one of the older Collins hooks. They're nice light ones with a good shape to 'em. While a hefty hook can be handy since it's less likely to get bogged down, a common problem one runs into with bush hooks is them twisting in the hands when meeting a resistant target and the lighter ones "kick" less when it happens and are faster, which is handy on a lot of the lighter targets.
Click to expand...
For whatever reason the lighter Collins have eluded me, everyone I have come across have been heavy weights not even a medium.

 
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