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Ebay find: vintage/unmarked?

M

Mach189

Joined
Mar 8, 2014
Messages
27
Hey guys! New around these parts and to axes/hawks. Bought a couple CS hawks a month ago and waiting on a couple H and B throwers at the moment. Was lurking ebay and decided to pick up a project, just won it today so not in my hand yet for me to really give it a look over.
Ad said

"Vintage/primitive unmarked"
"9 1/2" Long X 3 7/8" Wide by cutting side, 1 1/2" X 1 1/4" By Head. The Eye is rectangular, and measure 2" X 1/8" is about 4 LB"
Coming from New Mexico

Now I know it's not "primitive" lol. Looks like they took grinder to, wish they wouldn't have done that but for $12, don't think I can get burned by it, save for a crack or something, in which case I'll make it a wall hanger.

Planning on pulling a handle from scratch. I'm wanting to learn any and all about axes/hatchets.

Long shot but anyone recognize anything about it? These pics were the ones on Ebay


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That rectangular eye is called an 'adze eye'. Many common hammers have an adze eye. And it's not uncommon for a blacksmith to convert an old hammer into a 'hawk or hatchet. But this one has me puzzled. Claw hammers usually an adze eye but a claw hammer wouldn't easily convert into that. A ball peen hammer would forge into that fairly easily but ball peen hammers typically have an oval eye.

The other thing that makes me think it's not forged from a hammer is the thickness of the eye walls. Those look like something left behind from a blacksmith's punch & drift operation. I think this is a one-off hand forged hatchet made from a piece of bar stock. Depending on what type of steel was used and the heat treat it could be anywhere from wonderful to POS. Check how easily the bit files. And just for fun check the poll, too. That will give you a good idea of what you're got.

If nothing else, with that adze eye it should be easy to buy handles for it.
 
Hey thanks for the reply! I can see what you're saying. Looks like there's a definite line where the blade part meet the eye. Gotta get this thing in my hands so I can look at it better.
 
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