Help Me Identify These

Jak3

Jak3

Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
506
If you could help me identify these two hatchets that would be immensely appreciated. Axes are not my area of expertise (In fact nothing is my area of expertise :) ) and I need help getting some information about these. So far I only know that obviously they were manufactured by Plumb. I also know that they both need to be sharpened, they are quite dull, and both need a new handle. What I would like to know is how old they are, what is the quality of the steel, and are they worth being fixed up? Like I said any information is appreciated. Thank you.





 
Both of these half-axes should be of great quality where the steel is concerned.
The top one has been way over sharpened at the toe , and the bottom one has also been over sharpened ( not terribly though ) as their edges should be straight. I would keep the edge curved on the bottom one though, as it makes them better as a regular hatchet for camping and woods work.
Half - axes are a general carpentry tool that are useful for many things .
 
The age of many products manufactured by Plumb is often hard to tell. As you can read on other threads or from basic internet searches, their logo hasn't changed much over the years. This makes it hard to give an accurate estimate of age. Judging by use and patina, these are likely 30+ years old. That's based more on my opinion than hard evidence unfortunately.
 
Thank you and any advice on sharpening/ re-profiling is appreciated as well.
 
Jak3 said:
Thank you and any advice on sharpening/ re-profiling is appreciated as well.
Click to expand...

All you really need is a single cut mill bastard file ( double cut files leave a rougher finish ) and a dual grit sharpening stone.
You could reshape the first one but you have the nicer condition second one, so I'd probably just sharpen it and use it for tougher work. ( they made so many of these for a long time so value is no concern )
 
Lunchbucket said:
The age of many products manufactured by Plumb is often hard to tell. As you can read on other threads or from basic internet searches, their logo hasn't changed much over the years. This makes it hard to give an accurate estimate of age. Judging by use and patina, these are likely 30+ years old. That's based more on my opinion than hard evidence unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Probably a lot older than that unless some zealous cedar shake/shingle roofer (pre-air nailers) used them instead of a roofing hammer. Carpentry tradesman didn't have hatchets in their kit anymore during the 70s and 80s when I was involved. There's a good chance these were in common use only up until lathe and plaster finish was supplanted by gypsum board after the second world war.
Nice thing about Plumbs, if they still have original handles, is Take-up Screw wedging was used from 1922 to about 1943 and Permabond (a type of epoxy) hangs came out in the mid 1950s. Take a good look at the front of the eyes on yours.
 








My grandmother said they might have belonged to her grandfather, I think. They either belonged to my great grandfather or my great great grandfather. I got them from her old home place in the mountains and my grandparents recognized them when I showed them. I'm only 16, which is why I wanted information from y'all, because I don't know about them. I'm really hoping they will become a restoration project for me and my grandfather to do together. I appreciate all y'alls help so far. Here are some more pictures.
 
A regular "dog's breakfast" in the way of improvised handles and wedging materials there! The heads themselves still look to be a great shape but in every other way you've got your work cut out for you to rehabilitate these.
 
Luckily there's not too much rust on them, so you could easily get what is there off with a wire wheel for a drill . normally an angle grinder wire wheel is better, but not needed for this amount of rust.
 
Plumb, if my memory serves me, initiated that simplicity stamp in the early 1920s. Before that they were Yerkes & Plumb with some sort of anchor motif built in. It's true that 1920 wasn't 'recent' by any stretch of the imagination but then again I am still corresponding monthly with my 'all of the lights are all still on' WWII veteran uncle who was born in 1921.
 
The hammer polls on these appear to be slightly closed. Or maybe it's an optical illusion? I know that the sixty five Plumb catolog shows a perfectly flat top with polls on a ninety.

Is the hammer face square to the top of the head Jak? Just curious.
 
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