Garage Sale Axes & Misc.

T

Triplelock

Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Messages
25
Hopefully not making a pest of myself, just trying to learn the ropes on these old axes. I figure if you guys are anything like me you like seeing old axe pictures and sorting out what is what.

Here's what I have come up with so far this summer (except for the little Norlund and the larger unmarked Hudson's Bay Pattern head I asked about in another thread):

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I haven't really done any real restoration to them, still watching youtube videos on that, and I need to go pick up some vinegar (unless someone here tells me otherwise).

Questions;

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These HB axes seem to have a good reputation. I bought this one for more then any other axe at $40 (everything else in the picture I paid between $2-$5 for) because I grew up chopping wood with a cruiser and this one felt right. Starting to research axes a bit apparently that was a pretty OK price? I saw some at the local yuppie REI kind of store here and the prices seemed...extreme. Is that just for the new ones, and I have an older less valuable axe here?

The handle seems to be weathered a bit much, it's cracking in various places, is there something I can do about that? Or will I need to rehang it?

There doesn't seem to be active rust on it, but it is pretty stained (I think that shows up in the pictures). Any particular thing I should do to clean it up more?


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Any idea how old this Collins is? Or if there is anywhere I can go to date it? Mostly just curious.

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From what I have been able to gather the True Temper was made by Kelly because of the Vulcan marking? I am guessing the Vulcan marking maybe dates it somewhat?

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This one I can't figure out anything on. Can't tell if there's a marking under all this rust.

Any idea who may have made it?

Regarding my plans for these I am going to just keep watching videos on re-hanging axes until I feel comfortable doing it. Try to attack the rust on the True Temper and Mystery axes with a vinegar/salt mixture. Then go about fitting them with new handles.

All in all I'm finding this business of looking for old axes to be a lot of fun. Thanks for bearing with me and helping me learn about them.
 
Vinegar is more suited for very heavily rusted axes that aren’t on a handle. Myself I use a orbital sander most the time for cleaning up heads and light rust, try different grits and it can clean up most projects. As others would probably point out that bottom axe looks to be a plumb permabond. So I would bet it’s a Plumb. It was stubborn to remove when I rehang one.
 
I wouldn't use vinegar - I prefer just a wire cup brush for most things.
The T/T Vulcan looks like a rafting axe pattern - it might have a hardened poll? Nice looking axe!
 
Trailsawyer said:
I wouldn't use vinegar - I prefer just a wire cup brush for most things.
The T/T Vulcan looks like a rafting axe pattern - it might have a hardened poll? Nice looking axe!
Click to expand...

Oh well that's easier. Something like one of those brass wire wheel jobs on a drill press?

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crbnSteeladdict said:
You are on the right track. With any additional axe you buy your appreciation for vintage patina should grow :)
Click to expand...

Oh, if you saw what kind of guns I like you would understand my appreciation for vintage patina. (I assume such pictures are not really something I should put here? Or do you want to see some rad patina'd old handguns?)

As a matter of fact with that True Temper my current plan is just to rub it with kroil and steel wool every time I have a spare 10 minutes. I think I should be able to preserve the lovely brown color but remove any active rust, and if I am right still bring it down to a nice smooth finish, just nicely browned. Or I could just be wasting my time and effort and someone will tell me that so I don't spend a month working on it to no effect.

As to the Plumb (?) I did go at that with the wheel. Honestly I was hoping there was a marking down there somewhere.

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Can't find any markings, but there is a very clear line toward the edge. It didn't show up perfectly in the pictures but I think you can see what I am seeing.

I'm guessing what I am seeing is that they heat treated the whole front of the axe?
 
Worked on the chips on the edge of the Plumb(?).

Based on what I have found online it looks like the best way to go about a lot of fixing up these old axes is to go slow, and use a sharpie to know what metal you are taking off. I have to say, this axe has some rather hard steel, the going is slow with my garage sale files, but I am rather pleased with the results so far. The chips are gone, and something that I can look at putting an edge on has emerged.

I can very much see the appeal of using a bench grinder, but boy I bet you could goober an axe pretty quick like that.

In any case I hung them up on the wall for the moment, keep them away from the toddler who is increasingly interested in what I am doing with them.

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