Steve Tall, of course, has removed some more of the educated 'guess and by god' age estimations on Plumbs with his posting of dated magazine ads. Minimum age of non-Permabond axes is now pushed back to pre-1956. And Plumb 'take-up' wedges which originated in the early 1920s disappear from Boy Scout magazine ads by 1942.
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Estimate the age of this Plumb double
- Thread starter quinton
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That there is a late 1970s Plumb axe.
Educate me..
I remember the replacement handles. But, this axe has the original helve.
As with Quinton's Plumb I too would subscribe to the one pictured below being of late 70s-early 80s manufacture (they just don't look suitably old!) but the prevailing opinion is that Permabond was introduced in the mid-50s. Would have been a real fusspot owner that busted a handle on a mostly unused axe and specifically ordered a replacement (plus touch up stain to complete the fitted item) from Plumb so as to match the original colours.
A pre-permabond Plumb 3 1/2 on one of the thinnest 30" slim taper helves I have ever seen. At its thinnest the haft is 3/4 X 1 1/8. The head still has red and gold letters on the Plumb stamp. Also looks like professional axe hangers know how to fix minor wedging issues..
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Are those red and gold letters painted in the Plumb stamp?
Yes, they are red and gold.. The sticker on the handle reads.. Handle of tough springy hickory tested, fitted, and driven by Plumb.
A picture of the handle sticker might be useful.
Here is the exact label on the haft of my axe. I could only make out part of the words on my label, then I found this axe on another site and put the two together. It reads: Handle of tough springy hickory, tested, fitted, and driven by Plumb.
https://img0.etsystatic.com/059/0/9840690/il_570xN.733261212_kjmy.jpg
As with Quinton's Plumb I too would subscribe to the one pictured below being of late 70s-early 80s manufacture (they just don't look suitably old!) but the prevailing opinion is that Permabond was introduced in the mid-50s. Would have been a real fusspot owner that busted a handle on a mostly unused axe and specifically ordered a replacement (plus touch up stain to complete the fitted item) from Plumb so as to match the original colours.
Being a carpenter's son who was born in the 60's, I spent a lot of my childhood in hardware stores in the 70's-80's. I loved tools, so while dad was ordering material I was gawkin' at the axes, hammers, and chisels. One of my favorite lumberyards "The Home Lumber Company", had a nice selection of hand tools, primarily Estwing, Stanley, Bluegrass, and Plumb. All of the Plumb hammers, hatchets, and axes of the late 60's and 70's had a permabond eye.
I'm from the 50's and perused the tool aisles at Beaver Lumber, Cashway Lumber, Bytown Lumber and Home Hardware in Ottawa during the 1960s but American axes weren't featured; all Garants, Swedes in blue or orange, and Walters.
I found that sticker on a early fifties advertisement on a auction sight. I linked it yesterday but my post is gone. Current auction so I may have broke the rules. And my post being deleted.
If so my apologies to the managers of this sight. I meant no harm and had nothing to gain by linking it.
Thanks, Garry.
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Follow to my previous post. Here is where I found that label.
Bob
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According to YesteryearsTools, in 1971 the Plumb Company was acquired by the Ames Co....production was in Monroe, North Carolina and then Parkersburg, WV... Plumb was then noted as part of a brand printed on labels and in advertisements along with AMES, A McDonough Company. In 1981 the Plumb division of Ames was sold to The Cooper Group..."
http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/Plumb%20Co..html
Here's a Plumb axe label from the period that it was owned by Ames (1971-1981):
Here's another Plumb label from the 1970s:
Originally posted by textool on this thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/941074-It-followed-me-home?p=13507980&highlight=plumb+utility#post13507980
http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/Plumb%20Co..html
Here's a Plumb axe label from the period that it was owned by Ames (1971-1981):
Here's another Plumb label from the 1970s:
Originally posted by textool on this thread:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/941074-It-followed-me-home?p=13507980&highlight=plumb+utility#post13507980
Thanks guys! I figured the axe was 30's-40's manufacture when I held it, and looked it over. Now I know it is at least early 50's!Here is one from a 1951 add. Might be the one you found.
Bob