Firewood after logging

Frank-New Zealand

Frank-New Zealand

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Jan 16, 2012
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333
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Recently removed about 60 Pinus Radiata from around our house yard. They were around 30 years old. Probably one of the best things we have ever done to reduce the debris of pine needles. They're great for camping on but a nightmare around decks, roofs, gutters, water tanks etc.

What you see in the pic is the left-over off-cuts and reject wood with a small amount of the slash piled up behind. The logs are now on the Port of Napier awaiting export.

The axe is my absolute favourite woodpile axe. A KELLY Dandenong. Her name is 'Big Bertha'. I also have one almost the same named 'Big Bertha's Sister'.

regards...Frank
 
You know; gathering and collecting is a whole different game from actually using those very same artifacts. Good for you! When a piece of wood cuts or splits nicely through a nice blow from an 'appreciated' axe, that well precedes your date of birth, then suddenly you feel like you're in the shoes of your great grandfather or some other now non-living person.
I got into black powder rifles for the same reason. No Italian replicas for me. I have to cast my own lead bullets, re-form the brass cases etc etc in order to operate the 1876-made Remington-Danish Rolling Block I got hold of 15 years ago. Same or similar cartridge would have knocked down a buffalo 140 years ago and now makes impressive clouds of dust at 500 metres and, God-willing, will someday anchor a white-tailed deer that steps in front of mine during hunting season.
 
Frank. The Dandenong looks a lot like a US Connecticut pattern. Does that seem about right to you? The axe looks like it's in excellent condition.
 
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I can't really comment on the Connecticut pattern but here are another two of my KELLY Dandenong 4/12 pounders. My favourite Kelly after the Silver Eagle.
 
Hello Op. Hope all is well with you.

I saw a KELLY Tasmanian sell a few weeks back for quite big money. Not sure when that branding started but the weight is stamped in Kgs not lbs.
 
Plumb was the first company to really go after this pattern. Tasmanian and racing(original) were a couple names associated with this axe head configuration.

From what I have seen/read, the pattern started in Tasmania and with the logging camps established there. Of course these lumberjacks, working long days and busting their rears( I couldn't even imagine it) were an interesting bunch, and of course sooner or later talk and jabs were had at who was indeed the best, fastest, biggest bada$$ lumberjack around - so competitions arose of course. The need for a "racing" axe was born, and Plumb was already in the area and very happily took the information from these guys and started to produce these axes.

Similar to the connecticut pattern, but bigger, heavier, thicker and wider at the bit. Some of the early ones were beasts, in the 6 lb range.

These original racers date from the 1880s, and would lead to the Champion line of Plumbs, and then the emergence of axe champion Peter Mclaren in the USA and then also around the world.
 
Operator...

At some stage take a look at world champ Jason Wynyard from NZ. He once came second in a chopping contest where the person who won had finished before Jason was allowed to start. So much for handicapping.

regards...Frank
 
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