Double-bit age

A

akarig

Joined
Mar 2, 2022
Messages
7
This is not too terribly old of an axe I don't think , a more recent Michigan pattern double bit.
I would say 60's+, it has a suggestion of phantom bevels but they're barely there at all and don't appear to have just corroded away.
This reminds me of more modern axes where the forging dies were on their last legs.
It could very well be an 80's+ budget import from India or mexico.
 
Hickory n steel said:
This is not too terribly old of an axe I don't think , a more recent Michigan pattern double bit.
I would say 60's+, it has a suggestion of phantom bevels but they're barely there at all and don't appear to have just corroded away.
This reminds me of more modern axes where the forging dies were on their last legs.
It could very well be an 80's+ budget import from India or mexico.
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HnS...thank you for the insight. Once I remove the rust, I'll see if I spot Hecho en Mexico markings. We'll see.
 
akarig said:
HnS...thank you for the insight. Once I remove the rust, I'll see if I spot Hecho en Mexico markings. We'll see.
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You'd probably just see MEXICO or INDIA.

It might be a late pre mexico Collins Commander made by Mann , based on how close those bevels come together it's really looking like one to me.
 
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The bits sure were hardened very evenly and pretty far back, it also has extremely little wear to it so It probably wasn't used very much before the handle broke or came unhung.
It's definitely a more modern axe probably 1980's+, but whether an inexpensive import or not I would certainly have enough confidence from what I see here to put it to use.


Btw for future reference, the vinegar bath is generally not the recommended method for removing the rust from an old / vintage axe.
Of course one can do as they wish, but theres patina being removed and of course this dull grey doesn't look quite as good as dark aged steel.
A wire cup brush in an angle grinder is the way to go, brass or steel it's up to you but just don't go crazy.
 
Hickory n steel said:
The bits sure were hardened very evenly and pretty far back, it also has extremely little wear to it so It probably wasn't used very much before the handle broke or came unhung.
It's definitely a more modern axe probably 1980's+, but whether an inexpensive import or not I would certainly have enough confidence from what I see here to put it to use.


Btw for future reference, the vinegar bath is generally not the recommended method for removing the rust from an old / vintage axe.
Of course one can do as they wish, but theres patina being removed and of course this dull grey doesn't look quite as good as dark aged steel.
A wire cup brush in an angle grinder is the way to go, brass or steel it's up to you but just don't go crazy.
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H&S... I truly appreciate your response, guidance, and suggestions. You make a great point on the patina and I agree. Depending on the heads and the plans I have for them usually determines my cleaning method. I'm going to just sharpen and oil it up for actual use. I need to make a handle first.
 
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UpandAdam said:
Welcome! Firstly, wow! That’s an awesome old DB axe. It looks like the 4 comma marks could be some type of intended indention to keep the axe from sticking much like normal phantom or ghost bevels are there for. That axe head appears to be hand forged, possibly turn of the century. Might’ve been created by a towns blacksmith or it could’ve been sold by a general or hardware store in the late 19th century…I’m merely a collector and not one of the handful of Yoda-esque axe aficionados that smell internet bandwidth from continents away much like a sharks smells blood. That said I feel the presence of one of the all-knowing seeers so I’m logging out. Stay safe and Badaxe!!
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This looks like a pretty common more modern head pattern, and does not look like the bits are forge welded.
I believe it's just rough from pitting and it is not likely to be a hand forged piece or to be terribly old.

That being said it does look like it's probably a decent quality axe.
The bits are hardened fairly far back, and the eye seems to have been drifted fairly evenly.
 
The marks on the side make me think it's a Kelly axe. We used those on our farm here in Texas in the '60s, and my grandfather had one that he probably bought in the '40s that looked like that. The Kelly perfects, as they were named, were high quality axes at the time. I just went and looked at my old Kelly single bit axe, it has those identical markings on the side of the blade.
 
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Fred1950 said:
The marks on the side make me think it's a Kelly axe. We used those on our farm here in Texas in the '60s, and my grandfather had one that he probably bought in the '40s that looked like that. The Kelly perfects, as they were named, were high quality axes at the time. This was prior to them becoming True Temper, they lost the side marks sometime then
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Hi Fred, thanks for the note. I'll look in this direction and see what I come up with. The history is interesting to me more than anything. I'm not about putting together pretty things to look at, it's going to be used by my sons and I for cutting. I enjoy the process of cleaning things up and getting them working again. Take care.
 
Fred1950 said:
The marks on the side make me think it's a Kelly axe. We used those on our farm here in Texas in the '60s, and my grandfather had one that he probably bought in the '40s that looked like that. The Kelly perfects, as they were named, were high quality axes at the time. I just went and looked at my old Kelly single bit axe, it has those identical markings on the side of the blade.
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The TTKP axes had real full length phantom bevels, I've not seen any like this.
The closest thing I've seen were on a modern Barco industries KP single bit, and not even they were an exact match.
 
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