Hatchet question-made in Germany
- Thread starter stax
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Sounds like it was made by the company that is now called Helko.
About Helko:
"...In the early thirties, a partner named Kotthaus joined the enterprise, and the company became known as helko (helsper / kotthaus). When helko took over the Carl Helsper Werkzeugfabrik in the early sixties, the complete company name in the German Register of Commerce became Carl & Aug. Helsper GmbH & Co., KG, helkowerk. Since then, the company has continued to improve the quality of its products, and helko axes and hatchets are now recognized worldwide as some of the finest woodworking tools available.
"helko axes and hatchets are crafted to meet stringent German DIN manufacturing standards (DIN 7287, 7294, 7295, 5131, and 5132). They are then safety proofed by German testing institute Versuchs und Prüfanstalt Remscheid (VPA), and permitted to wear the VPA/GS label.
"In accordance with DIN/GS directions, the hardness of helko axe and hatchet edges is between 47-56 HRC (Rockwell) up to 30 millimeters from the cutting edge, while the eye is generally left unhardened to prevent cracks in the steel. During the manufacturing process, the axe heads are hardened and cooled down in an oil bath prior to being heated to about 400° Celsius. This relieves strain on the surface of the steel after hardening, and provides the correct level of hardness. Unlike many axes which are cooled in a water bath, helko tools are cooled in lukewarm oil in order to avoid small chinks in the material. Afterwards, the tools are sandblasted to remove oil residue from the surface prior to grinding and painting..."
quoted from helkonorthamerica.com
(Note: The 400 degrees sounds right, but they must have forgotten to label it Fahrenheit instead of Celsius.)
...the Crown with CH is Carl Helsper, Wuppertal-Küllenhahn...
Carl Helsper exists today as Helko....
...
About Helko:
"...In the early thirties, a partner named Kotthaus joined the enterprise, and the company became known as helko (helsper / kotthaus). When helko took over the Carl Helsper Werkzeugfabrik in the early sixties, the complete company name in the German Register of Commerce became Carl & Aug. Helsper GmbH & Co., KG, helkowerk. Since then, the company has continued to improve the quality of its products, and helko axes and hatchets are now recognized worldwide as some of the finest woodworking tools available.
"helko axes and hatchets are crafted to meet stringent German DIN manufacturing standards (DIN 7287, 7294, 7295, 5131, and 5132). They are then safety proofed by German testing institute Versuchs und Prüfanstalt Remscheid (VPA), and permitted to wear the VPA/GS label.
"In accordance with DIN/GS directions, the hardness of helko axe and hatchet edges is between 47-56 HRC (Rockwell) up to 30 millimeters from the cutting edge, while the eye is generally left unhardened to prevent cracks in the steel. During the manufacturing process, the axe heads are hardened and cooled down in an oil bath prior to being heated to about 400° Celsius. This relieves strain on the surface of the steel after hardening, and provides the correct level of hardness. Unlike many axes which are cooled in a water bath, helko tools are cooled in lukewarm oil in order to avoid small chinks in the material. Afterwards, the tools are sandblasted to remove oil residue from the surface prior to grinding and painting..."
quoted from helkonorthamerica.com
(Note: The 400 degrees sounds right, but they must have forgotten to label it Fahrenheit instead of Celsius.)
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Yep. 400°C would ruin the heat treat unless it was made with some unique air-hardening steel.
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Is this a Carl Helsper firemans belt axe with the P on top ?
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Is this a Carl Helsper firemans belt axe with the P on top ?
The "crown with a P above it" is the stamp of
Gebr. Pandel, located at Wuppertal-Küllenhahn
from 1863 until around 1997.
Helko's stamp is very close...
but that "Danish" surplus axe has an identical stamp, including the P.
Note the label is clearly marked "Germany", with "GPP" above the crown. This exact trademark is listed on this excellent website of European (mostly German) tool trademarks:
http://www.holzwerken.de/museum/hersteller/marken.phtml
"Krone mit Initialen G P P = Gebr. Pandel, Wuppertal-Küllenhahn"
Translates to "Crown with initials G P P = [company name:] Gebr. Pandel, [location:] Wuppertal-Küllenhahn"
Looking up info on Gebr. Panel in this .pdf document
http://stadtgeschichte-wuppertal.de/hheyken_bilder/CronenbergText2.pdf
reveals that the company was founded in 1863 and closed around 1997.
A rough translation by google:
Gebr. Pandel
founded 1863 -. around 1997
Tools - Axes, plantation equipment
Küllenhahner Str. 223
The company was founded as a smithy by Karl Pandel
(1834-1881). He was the third son of the nail smith
Abraham Pandel, the Ahn all Pandel on Küllenhahn. Its
Sons Adolf and Rudolf took over the forge and
they built from the tool factory. After the death of
Father, the company received the name "Gebr. Pandel". 1892
a gas engine was installed in 1902 a steam engine, and
1921 delivered electric motors, the energy required. 1916
the company built on its own grinding, 1921 followed
new office building with packing facility. In 1937 the company 50
Employees.
Building and company survived the 2nd World War, to the
1990s were manufactured tools. beginning of
1990s production was then adjusted.
Opened in 2001,
in the walls
the old works
toy factory, a fabric store "material in the factory" with
quality fabrics for patchwork and clothing.
Sources: Small Pandel Chronicle, 1947), address books (ad
with photo 1942), Private (newspaper) archive, photo Heyken 2005
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Hi Steve thx very much this is indeed a Danish surplus axe I found in between some junk they would throw away at my workplace.