Date on a Broad Axe

[jprime84]

My father in law asked me to see what I could find about an axe that his wife bought for him.

He sent me photos, and it appears to be a Philadelphia Tool Company broad axe on a newer handle. I did some searching, and it sounds like this was one of Plumb's brands.

However, the stamps I have seen are different than this one with a script-like font rather than the all caps stamp you see here. It would be neat to get an idea on the date range and authenticity for it.

He has plans of building his own cabin one day, so it will certainly he of use to him as he hews down poplars!

 

[Steve Tall]

Nothing definitive, but this 1915 advertisement for Plumb shows a "Philadelphia Tool Company" hatchet that appears to have similar stamping on the cheek, in addition to a label.

from Commercial America, Vol. 12, 1915

 

[jprime84]

Nothing definitive, but this 1915 advertisement for Plumb shows a "Philadelphia Tool Company" hatchet that appears to have similar stamping on the cheek, in addition to a label.

from Commercial America, Vol. 12, 1915

Yes I had found this same image in my searching, but the resolution is so low that I couldn't really make out the stamp in the picture. No to mention how the axe in question looks like a shingles hatchet with a claw on the back instead of a chisel ground broad axe.

 

[garry3]

My father in law asked me to see what I could find about an axe that his wife bought for him.

He sent me photos, and it appears to be a Philadelphia Tool Company broad axe on a newer handle. I did some searching, and it sounds like this was one of Plumb's brands.

However, the stamps I have seen are different than this one with a script-like font rather than the all caps stamp you see here. It would be neat to get an idea on the date range and authenticity for it.

He has plans of building his own cabin one day, so it will certainly he of use to him as he hews down poplars!

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I think that is a two piece axe. Which I suspect Plumb stopped making in the late teens. Look for a seam in the steel on the bevel of the sharpened bit and on the flat side of the axe. I see what may be these seams but can't be positive from the photographs. That would date it pre 1920 I think.

 

[Steve Tall]

Yes I had found this same image in my searching, but the resolution is so low that I couldn't really make out the stamp in the picture. No to mention how the axe in question looks like a shingles hatchet with a claw on the back instead of a chisel ground broad axe.

Well, the stamp in the ad appears to be block letters, not the script font you mentioned before. And the manufacturer's stamp is typically (but not necessarily always) the same whether it's a claw hatchet or a broad hatchet (and I think that this one is what's called a "broad hatchet").

 

[Steve Tall]

I think that is a two piece axe. Which I suspect Plumb stopped making in the late teens. Look for a seam in the steel on the bevel of the sharpened bit and on the flat side of the axe. I see what may be these seams but can't be positive from the photographs. That would date it pre 1920 I think.

That sounds like a good way to identify an older Plumb. By 1915, Plumb was advertising the strength of its one-piece hatchets, and implied that all their hatchets (including broad hatchets) were now made this way.

from https://books.google.com/books?id=y87mAAAAMAAJ&dq=plumb axe "one piece"&pg=PA37#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[garry3]

That sounds like a good way to identify an older Plumb. By 1915, Plumb was advertising the strength of its one-piece hatchets, and implied that all their hatchets (including broad hatchets) were now made this way.

from https://books.google.com/books?id=y87mAAAAMAAJ&dq=plumb axe "one piece"&pg=PA37#v=onepage&q&f=false

Thanks for that Steve. I had not pinned it down to 1915.

 

[Steve Tall]

Here's one with the PHILADELPHIA TOOL COMPANY in block letters. Interesting to see a chip on the poll. Does this mean that the poll was hardened, and thus more likely to be a one-piece head?


PHILADELPHIA TOOL CO.CARPENTERS SIDE AXE HEAD-NR

 

[jprime84]

Here's one with the PHILADELPHIA TOOL COMPANY in block letters. Interesting to see a chip on the poll. Does this mean that the poll was hardened, and thus more likely to be a one-piece head?


PHILADELPHIA TOOL CO.CARPENTERS SIDE AXE HEAD-NR

Great find! I will have to ask him to try and find a seam on it.

 

[jprime84]

I think that is a two piece axe. Which I suspect Plumb stopped making in the late teens. Look for a seam in the steel on the bevel of the sharpened bit and on the flat side of the axe. I see what may be these seams but can't be positive from the photographs. That would date it pre 1920 I think.

Would this be a seam running pole to bevel?

What is the benefit of that design?

 

[garry3]

Here's one with the PHILADELPHIA TOOL COMPANY in block letters. Interesting to see a chip on the poll. Does this mean that the poll was hardened, and thus more likely to be a one-piece head?


PHILADELPHIA TOOL CO.CARPENTERS SIDE AXE HEAD-NR

With those little hewing hatchets that I own the hardened poll seems to be the norm. On the forge welded ones the poll is also welded.

 

[garry3]

Would this be a seam running pole to bevel?

What is the benefit of that design?

It's a throw back from when steel was at a premium and expensive, most tools were made of iron at that time. On most of the older stuff they would have either inserted a steel bit or over coated it with steel. On hewing axes it is just forge welded to the flat side and will show up as a seam running down the length of the sharpened bevel and also a seam on the flat side parallel to the bit. I think I see one on that axe about an inch back from the cutting edge.
Can you see this seam? Its marked more by different color steel in the picture and appears as a wavy line. It will be more of a straight line if you can see it on the bit. The knife is pointing to it.

 

[Square_peg]

Here's one with the PHILADELPHIA TOOL COMPANY in block letters. Interesting to see a chip on the poll. Does this mean that the poll was hardened, and thus more likely to be a one-piece head?

That would be my assumption.

 

[jprime84]

It's a throw back from when steel was at a premium and expensive, most tools were made of iron at that time. On most of the older stuff they would have either inserted a steel bit or over coated it with steel. On hewing axes it is just forge welded to the flat side and will show up as a seam running down the length of the sharpened bevel and also a seam on the flat side parallel to the bit. I think I see one on that axe about an inch back from the cutting edge.
Can you see this seam? Its marked more by different color steel in the picture and appears as a wavy line. It will be more of a straight line if you can see it on the bit. The knife is pointing to it.

Got it. I would have just assumed it was differentially hardened, but an insert of nicer steel makes sense.

 

[garry3]

Jprime, one thing I should probably mention since the owner is thinking of using that hatchet and it looks to have some wear is them forge welded bits wear out before all the steel is used up in them. The steel just becomes to thin to support the sharpened edge. The one I pictured is retired, it will sharpen but won't stand up to use.
Not sure that's the case with the one you pictured but something to be aware of.

 

[Square_peg]

It's a throw back from when steel was at a premium and expensive, most tools were made of iron at that time. On most of the older stuff they would have either inserted a steel bit or over coated it with steel.

The practice continued into the 1960's not because of the expense of high carbon steel but simply because the eye was easier to form with medium or low carbon steel. By the early 1900's high carbon steels were readily available. The expense of advanced forging equipment is what kept makers from switching over.

 

[garry3]

The practice continued into the 1960's not because of the expense of high carbon steel but simply because the eye was easier to form with medium or low carbon steel. By the early 1900's high carbon steels were readily available. The expense of advanced forging equipment is what kept makers from switching over.

That's true.
I wish some of these other manufacturers had the add campaigns that Plumb had. So many questions could be answered...