Dating A Collins Axe

[KentuckyBlackBird]

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAWs8k

I have a Collins Michigan pattern. I am unsure of the “era” it is from. Is it a pre-‘66 or is it a Mann era? Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Good evening, all.

 

[Square_peg]

I'd guess pre-Mann by the nicely convexed cheeks. The later Collins axes had pretty flat cheeks.

 

[KentuckyBlackBird]

I'd guess pre-Mann by the nicely convexed cheeks. The later Collins axes had pretty flat cheeks.

Thanks Square_peg. I was hoping it is pre 1966.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Thanks Square_peg. I was hoping it is pre 1966.

It could be a 60's axe from before the '66 METCO buyout, but without finding an example with the label still present it can be hard to say whether it's pre or post METCO because I think they continued production with the Collins forging dies.

It looks quite a lot like my Collins Homestead, while it has a slightly higher centerline then my Michigan it's not too far off from my DB swamper of it's same era.



I think mine are both early post '66 but could be late pre '66.

All I really know is that they're good ones, a definite far cry from those 80's and 90' examples.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I'd guess pre-Mann by the nicely convexed cheeks. The later Collins axes had pretty flat cheeks.

The later ones we think of did, but early post '66 axes were still pretty nice.

 

[Square_peg]

I haven't seen positively dated axes from the time just before and just after the purchase. I was under the impression that the Collinsville factory never ran after the sale. I don't know if the Collinsville dies were ever used in Lewistown.

Have you seen a positively dated Lewistown Collins with the classic convex cheeks?

 

[Hickory n steel]

I haven't seen positively dated axes from the time just before and just after the purchase. I was under the impression that the Collinsville factory never ran after the sale. I don't know if the Collinsville dies were ever used in Lewistown.

Have you seen a positively dated Lewistown Collins with the classic convex cheeks?

I have seen an example of the same swamping pattern DB with a Lewistown addressed label.
I just went looking online though and this is the best I could turn up , not homestead stamped and has the 80's sticker but it is the same head and is slightly convexed.

My theory is that Mann used some of the Collins forging dies and the heads got less convex over time as those dies wore out.
Maybe they weren't Collins dies, but the worn out dies would still apply.

You can see the Homestead DB on the right here is even more convex.

 

[Square_peg]

To make a hollow cheek requires adding material to a die not removing it.

 

[KentuckyBlackBird]

It could be a 60's axe from before the '66 METCO buyout, but without finding an example with the label still present it can be hard to say whether it's pre or post METCO because I think they continued production with the Collins forging dies.

It looks quite a lot like my Collins Homestead, while it has a slightly higher centerline then my Michigan it's not too far off from my DB swamper of it's same era.

View attachment 2337444
View attachment 2337445
I think mine are both early post '66 but could be late pre '66.

All I really know is that they're good ones, a definite far cry from those 80's and 90' examples.

It could be a 60's axe from before the '66 METCO buyout, but without finding an example with the label still present it can be hard to say whether it's pre or post METCO because I think they continued production with the Collins forging dies.

It looks quite a lot like my Collins Homestead, while it has a slightly higher centerline then my Michigan it's not too far off from my DB swamper of it's same era.

View attachment 2337444
View attachment 2337445
I think mine are both early post '66 but could be late pre '66.

All I really know is that they're good ones, a definite far cry from those 80's and 90' examples.

I like that Michigan pattern of yours!

 

[Hickory n steel]

I like that Michigan pattern of yours!

I do too, it was my 1st axe and belonged to my great grandfather.
By all accounts he was a great man and I wish I had gotten to meet him.