Help identify this axe head

U

Utican

Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
215
Picked up this hatchet at a antique show. Does anyone have any idea what brand its. Any help wold be appreciated.



 
Does not appear to be domestic based on the shape. Likely European. What you are looking for on this item are factory headstamps; value, providence and quality are much easier to ascertain if it has some. Take some close-ups of both sides and the front and figure out what the head weighs in either ounces or grams.
 
Logo. It is marked 800, if you click on the photo it will give you large image






 
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I can't enlarge any of those images! However at least there is a stamp on there to help you out and the 800 mark indicates that the head is 800 grams (1.3/4 lb).
 
I have seen a pretty cool Walters in this shape, but the grams suggests it's Euro. Maybe Mueller or Ochsenkopf. I can't see the stamp very well either.
 
joshiecole said:
I have seen a pretty cool Walters in this shape, but the grams suggests it's Euro. Maybe Mueller or Ochsenkopf. I can't see the stamp very well either.
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Don't think so. A sort-of-similar Walters would be Montreal Pattern but those blades are not as long and the shape is different.

WaltersAxe001Large_zps5c2536e1.jpg
 
Don't think so. A sort-of-similar Walters would be Montreal Pattern but those blades are not as long and the shape is different.
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I was already agreeing with you, I think it's most likely a German axe given the shape and gram weight stamping. I was just saying that I had seen similar a similarly-shaped Walters axe.

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Does this work for anyone?

If it help to me it looks like an image of a bearded man wearing a military style officers brimmed hat.
 
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Here is the picture of the mark enlarged


Reminds me of the "Kissing Cranes" logo, but my googlease couldn't make a connection to axes. You might say I went on a wild crane chase.:(
robert-klaas-kissing-crane-factory.jpg
 
Yes thats it! Thank you guys, thats a beginning, at least I know it German. The guy who sold it to me thought the brand was "Mountainman". Regardless I hefted, sharpened it and I think its going to be a nice axe. It's hi carbon as my files could not sharpen it. I paid $22 for the head and put a home depo handle on it for now. Where do you guys source your hefts from ?
 
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joshiecole said:
I was already agreeing with you, I think it's most likely a German axe given the shape and gram weight stamping. I was just saying that I had seen similar a similarly-shaped Walters axe.

_57_zps060b6586.jpg
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That particular Walters is a new one on me even though I've casually inspected hundreds of their axe heads. Either they (post Morley Walters (company owner from 1913-1969) who died in 1969 at age 99) were contractually commissioned to reproduce a European design, or (during the company's dying breaths (1972-73)) discretely imported European-made heads and stamped them with Walters ID for the purpose of resale), I really don't know what to say about this one.
 
I agree, it is very likely German. Home Depot is a source for hafts, but being in the US, you probably have better options. I will let the American guys inform you in this regard. In Canada, our options are much more limited, as to get a good haft, we need to order from the US and then pay shipping! I think you must have many good options in your part of the world. Lucky!
 






Made a quick sheat and removed whatever coating Ames co. Puts on the hafts. Did couple of coats of linseed oil. I want a shorter haft I think. Ill give it a go like this and see what happens. It will be good for limbing it is pretty thin compared to modern axes of this size.
 
joshiecole said:
I was already agreeing with you, I think it's most likely a German axe given the shape and gram weight stamping. I was just saying that I had seen similar a similarly-shaped Walters axe.

_57_zps060b6586.jpg
Click to expand...

I have one just like it on what might be an original 28" straight haft. Nice geometry to the bit with a high center line. I have never used mine but it sure looks the part of a good axe.

I thought it was a Canadian pattern, but I could be wrong.
 
Utican said:
. . . at least I know it German. . .
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Well . . maybe. I went to the site generously posted by Steve Tall. It appears that the site is for woodworkers who are interested in hand tools. Some time ago I acquired a plane iron with a cap iron together and looked them up on that site. The iron had a "PEUGEOT FRERES" mark that was identified as from France. The cap iron mark was identified as Ward & Payne from England.

Anyway, IMHO, you have a heck of a nice looking axe there.
 
Utican said:


I want a shorter haft I think. Ill give it a go like this and see what happens.
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In general, people seem to like a light axe on long haft better than a heavy axe on a short haft. At 800g your axe was probably sold with a 28" haft or shorter. But try it with that long haft. You might like the extra power it gives you. I wouldn't go shorter than 24".
 
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