Cast-Steel Warranted Collins....

[gben]

From an old electrician my father used to work with. I am guessing it is at least from before WWII, and maybe even from around WWI. :

 

[A17]

After looking on this http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Collins Pt. 1.html I would say its from 1875 to 1966. Seriously though, its a cool axe, with an even cooler story. I would guesstimate that its in the WWI or older era. Are you planning on using it or hanging it on the wall? Either way, please oil the handle and upload a after oiling pic.

 

[gben]

I would guesstimate that its in the WWI or older era.

Thank-you for your input. Usually when you see "cast steel" or "warranted" on an old hand-tool it is from the last half of the 19th century or the early 20th century. I don't think the Legitimus line was around before the late 19th century.

 

[A17]

The Legitimus trademark was first used in 1875 just so you know.

 

[phantomknives]

I've been meaning to make a post about this, my little "hotrod" splitting axe has an unusual mark on it, it's a cast steel legitimus but instead of the crown and Hammer being off to the side, it's smack In the middle

The crown is at the bottom with a small bit of the arm and the hand is above with the lettering going g through the middle

 

[300Six]

Tom Lamond of yesteryeartools is an 'unsung hero' as far as I'm concerned. He gathered up, sorted through and organized a mountain of 'largely raw' information; pre-Internet.
I'm thinking the secret to cracking the mystery of yours is establishing a timeframe when Collins - Hartford - address started and stopped using the term 'cast steel'. The method of forging heads from 'Bessemer process cast steel' was hugely prestigious back in the days of competitor's wrought iron heads with steel insert bits but the 'shine came off', far as I know, starting before or during the Great War when it became affordable for most or all businesses to use steel.

 

[gben]

my little "hotrod" splitting axe has an unusual mark on it, it's a cast steel legitimus but instead of the crown and Hammer being off to the side, it's smack In the middle.
The crown is at the bottom with a small bit of the arm and the hand is above with the lettering going g through the middle

Let's see a photo of it!

 

[phantomknives]

i'm sorry it's rotated. my phone does this for no reason. none of the stamps are flat and parallel with each other, i think it's a fake, but it's got good steel and good design so i still love it

 

[Square_peg]

That's goofy. The Legitimus stamp isn't aligned with Hartford stamp and the cast steel stamp looks like an afterthought. I think this might be a fake - which is cool in itself.

 

[gben]

i think it's a fake, but it's got good steel and good design so i still love it

Nobody seems to know enough about early Collins axes to even pinpoint when they were made, so it would be silly to call one a fake just because the way it's stamps are placed. Yesteryear tools has a lot of pretty pictures and general information, but nothing astoundingly helpful is there as far as dating these axes.

 

[Grem89]

I have a Collins Axe with this same exact stamping and you can either see the heat treat or its a different metal towards the edge. I can say that it holds an edge very well.