Help with Identification of Double Bit Ax (big pics)

R

Remzy

Joined
Feb 7, 2015
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373
Just wanted to see if anyone got any clue as to which maker this could be, it seem to have been painted red at some point, it had 5 ridge inside of the eye and it is stamped with B40 (B46?) on one side of the axe.

Didnt make the handle on this one, only reprofiled and slimmed it.

dph6rd.jpg


1zp17d3.jpg


Any imputs a bout the maker would be greatly appreciated, ive red somewhere in this forum that it might be made by Kelly but i find it odd that they didnt simply stamp that on the side, maybe made by kelly for some hardware store brand with only a sticker on the side? it was bought in the USA.
 
You can never be sure without a marking but I'd guess it's a Kelly/TrueTemper. Maybe a Kelly Woodslasher. They also made 1000's of axes for hardware store chains to put their own labels on. Looks like a good axe.

People will tell you that the B46 is a military designation - Bravo Company, truck 46 - but I've never seen any evidence that this is true and I once read a believable alternate explanation though I can't recall where. Take all this with a grain of salt.
 
I have a single bit true temper which has the b46 stamp. I bought this axe new in 1978. It was a paper label and was wood slasher labeled. It also has the ridges in the eye. My guess about these numbers is that they are an inspectors stamp or a die number. One day I was blacksmithing and noticed that my true temper cross peen hammer has a c11 stamp on it. I bought this hammer about the same time as the axe. I always wondered if someone who worked in the Kelly factory could shed some light on the mysterious numbers. I have seen axes with these numbers with a b c and c prefixes. I'm almost positive they are not military contract axes .
 
martemper said:
I have a single bit true temper which has the b46 stamp. I bought this axe new in 1978. It was a paper label and was wood slasher labeled. It also has the ridges in the eye.
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Thank you. There's no substitute for a first hand account.
 
Woodslasher was my first guess, but mine doesn't have the stamp that I can see. Design is a bit different, too, maybe just different wear pattern, though. 3.5# Michigan double bit (35m2k) from late seventies early 80's.

woodslasher.jpg
 
Thanks alot guys i appreciate the inputs, I dont know why i thought it was a cheap axe because it didnt have any brand stamp but the steel in this is whicked strong and chop down wood like nobody's business, so that made little sense to me.

Thanks mates!~
 
That's interesting. I have a single bit Dayton pattern marked True Temper with a B46 stamp on it. I sold another Dayton perfect pattern marked True temper with an A39 stamp on it. I think they were some sort of internal factory code too but don't know for sure.
 
halfaxe said:
That's interesting. I have a single bit Dayton pattern marked True Temper with a B46 stamp on it. I sold another Dayton perfect pattern marked True temper with an A39 stamp on it. I think they were some sort of internal factory code too but don't know for sure.
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hmmm makes me Wonder if there is something hidden Under all that surface patina/crust and paint, think i whould take a wire brush to it to find out?
 
So the final verdict would most likely be Kelly / True temper made, I can live with that! :)
 
Tru Temper is the only manufacturer I have came across that uses these little letter and number stamps.
Any body come across other manufacturers with something similar?
 
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