Embossed #'s on handle

[Agent_H]

I just disassembled an older hewing hatchet and noticed "1677" embossed it.

Do you think it's original to the hatchet or was it a replacement? The hatchet it came from is a Northern King if that helps date the handle.

 

[halfaxe]

Replacement handles were sold under the Northern King brand for years, that's all I know.

 

[Square_peg]

I haven't seen embossed numbers in that area before. It's interesting.

Wasn't 'Northern King' a Marshall-Wells hardware store brand? I recall reading that Welland Vale made many of their axes for them. I don't know who made their replacement handles.

 

[Agent_H]

Replacement handles were sold under the Northern King brand for years, that's all I know.

I've seen a few Forest King handles but haven't come across Northern King marked handles.

I haven't seen embossed numbers in that area before. It's interesting.

Yeah, seems like a spot that wouldn't be relevant unless the numbering was used in ordering a new handle or used by the company as a result of reference in production- in which case, why the embossing? The guys putting them together wouldn't need such detail...

I have another implement with an embossed "Premium" on the exposed handle- that is for the customer I would imagine.