Grandad's Ax

C

Cooter Brown

Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
173
Well, you fellers inspired me. I've had my grandfather's old ax for many years. It's marked "R. KING TOOL STEEL U.S.A.". Apparently this was a Collins stamping that was used from 1830 until 1925 or so.

I've lurked around for a while, picked up a few things, watched the FS video "An Ax To Grind", and decided I'd sharpen the old thing.

I'm not sure this ax ever had an edge on it. It was probably used mostly as a splitter, and from the condition of the poll occasionally as a hammer. The edge profile (which I preserved during sharpening) appears to my eye to be pretty full. No bad nicks either. It was very thick behind the edge--I used the gauge from the "Ax to Grind" manual to check edge geometry. I stayed off the edge while thinning with a file, and finished up with a round stone. I also took down a little mushrooming on the poll.

After I got it where I wanted it, I went out in the yard and felled and bucked (mostly) a 7-8 inch oak. When I was done with that, I very briefly touched it up with the stone and decided to check the edge--it did this to a piece of paper:

grandpawsaxresized.jpg


I was very impressed with how well it held an edge! Not to mentioned how it makes the chips fly!
 
That's a real looker for sure :)
I'm sure your grandpa would be proud... and... welcome to the forum ;)

BTW; I'm originally from 'Bama, it's nice to see another fellow southerner around!
 
Great rescue!!
welcome back, Gramps!
 
Cooter Brown said:
After I got it where I wanted it, I went out in the yard and felled and bucked (mostly) a 7-8 inch oak. When I was done with that, I very briefly touched it up with the stone and decided to check the edge--it did this to a piece of paper:

grandpawsaxresized.jpg
Click to expand...


The proof's in the putting. Grandpa bought a fine axe and you did a great job of sharpening it. Way to go!
waytogo.gif
 
Thank, guys. I'm guessing this came off the farm he grew up on in Ohio, but really can't be sure about that. The edge was in such fine shape it couldn't have been used much--like I said it was likely mostly a splitter. That's all I've used it for, but now I usually use a go devil. At 4 1/2 lbs it's a heavy booger.

I had fun sharpening it. At some point I'll rehaft it. The handle on it now I put on maybe 20 years ago, and the grain direction is not good. Now that I know more about these things I'll get a nice handle and do a pretty job--the old thing deserves it.

I've also got a Craftsman boys ax that was his that I carry in my truck.
 
I'm pretty sure it's in an oval. I'll pull it out tomorrow. It's a handy little critter and has gotten me past a couple of blowdowns encountered on roads while grouse hunting.
 
Square_peg said:
Let's see pics of that one, too. Is the 'Craftsman' logo in an oval or a rectangle?
Click to expand...

Here's the boy's ax. I worked on it too. The edge is not quite where I want it but a little better than before. I haven't checked to see when that stamping was used by Craftsman, or tried to find out who may have made it. 28" handle.

boysaxresized2.jpg
 
Cooter Brown said:
I haven't checked to see when that stamping was used by Craftsman, or tried to find out who may have made it.
Click to expand...

When you find out could you please let point me in the direction of where you found out that information. I have been having trouble figuring out the date of a different craftsman stamp myself.

Very nice axes.
 
I think that those are the older one's, but I'm not sure :confused:
Maybe Operator will chime in.

Nice looking axe too BTW :)
 
bearhunter said:
I think that those are the older one's, but I'm not sure :confused:
Click to expand...

I don't know Craftsman stamp dates and haven't been able to find them. But my suspicion is that oval stamps pre-date rectangle stamps and that single oval stamps pre-date double oval stamps.
 
Square_peg said:
I don't know Craftsman stamp dates and haven't been able to find them. But my suspicion is that oval stamps pre-date rectangle stamps and that single oval stamps pre-date double oval stamps.
Click to expand...

It's funny. You can find most anything you want on the internet (and a LOT of things you don't want) except date ranges for Craftsman axe logos. Some kind of conspiracy?
 
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