Help on AXE ID ?

Webscrounger · Feb 3, 2015

HI. I have an old Jersey Pattern axe that is unmarked on the head but is embossed on the haft.
Holding the head against the head of a Kelly Perfect Jersey, the dimensions, profile and angles are about identical, the exception being the scallops in the Kelly. Also, the Kelly has two ridges on each side of the eye where the unmarked axe has three on each side. There are traces of red paint remaining.

Width at poll: 1-5/16
Height of poll: 3-5/16
Edge to poll: 7
Toe to Heel: 5
Top to bottom point of lip: 4

On the haft, the embossing reads (as far as I can make out):

3 - 5 LBS
STAR FIRE 302
36 IN. BENT AXE

Anybody have any info on this? I'll include some more pics in a followup post as only 5 are permitted per post.

Webscrounger · Feb 3, 2015

Additional pics of axe.

DarthTaco123 · Feb 3, 2015

An image of the embossing helps too.

Webscrounger · Feb 3, 2015

DarthTaco123 said:
An image of the embossing helps too.

Embossing is on the third pic down from the top. You can make it out partially. It's very faint, visible only when light is shined on the haft in certain direction.

halfaxe · Feb 4, 2015

The handle is a replacement. Nicely but not perfectly fitted. Kelly originated the ridges in the eye and some people claim others used the ridges too.

stalbot · Feb 4, 2015

That head is in great shape! Nice, crisp corners on the poll. Lusting after jersey patterns and watching the auction site for one I can afford. We have mostly Michigan patterns here in louisiana, followed closely by Daytons.

Webscrounger · Feb 4, 2015

Thanks for the feedback guys. I assumed the handle was probably not original to the axe but I wasn't sure. Nowhere near an expert in the axe field but never heard of an axe mfr of that name.

Yes, the handle could have been set better with a haft with at larger shoulder but I gave it a test on a fallen maple out back and it appears to be set solid as is. Head didn't move. Definatly needs a new edge though. Nowhere near sharp enough for any real work.

It is very nicely made and in nice shape. I guess it's just another no-name head made by one of the main axe mfr's for sale in hardware stores, etc.. Would be nice to have more info, even approximate year of mfr but I'm happy with it. A nice pick that's good-to-go as is.

Square_peg · Feb 5, 2015

halfaxe said:
The handle is a replacement. Nicely but not perfectly fitted. Kelly originated the ridges in the eye and some people claim others used the ridges too.

I don't claim it. I simply observe that I own Collins and Stiletto axes with ridges in the eye. It's possible that the Stiletto was made by Kelly - they surely had an affiliation at some point. But I've never heard of any affiliation between Collins and Kelly.

halfaxe · Feb 5, 2015

Square_peg said:
I don't claim it. I simply observe that I own Collins and Stiletto axes with ridges in the eye. It's possible that the Stiletto was made by Kelly - they surely had an affiliation at some point. But I've never heard of any affiliation between Collins and Kelly.

From now on I will state that differently.:thumbup:

Webscrounger · Feb 5, 2015

That looks just like the splines in my unmarked axe. I know there was a Collins/Sager merger at one point but not Kelly that I know of. So...mine may be an unmarked Collins, which is great because, number-wise, they've probably made more good quality axes than anybody I can think of. Maybe it was made for third party marketing, hardware stores, catalog sales, etc.