HYTEST AXES, post yours

Nice job,as always :thumbup: How about some more pictures,and possibly a new crosscut thread ?
Better come north to put that beauty in some wood!
Moose
 
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Well used and pitted old Hytest found under shed on my farm. Used a few like this in the Qeensland forestry back in the day.


I love seeing an axe that has been hand-honed well.
 
Thanks Peg...Never have and never will use a power tool on any of my many axes. As a young boy I remember watching my Dad and much older bushmen keeping their axes in top condition. All by hand of course

regards...Frank
 
Now that's gotta be a real dilemma to have NOS top quality axe heads in your possession and not have physically experienced what they were meant to do, and what makes them so good.

Directions:
1. take off boot
2. open mouth
3. insert foot into mouth
 
Hytest is an axe I cut my teeth on. I can remember cases of them arriving at bush camps in Aussie when I worked there back in the day. I was young then, but some of my work mates were much older. The 'old guys' (which I am now) had first pick. It was an education to watch those 'Good Old Boys' choosing their axes. It saddens me to think these guys are all gone now. They taught as a lot...It's our duty to pass it on.

regards...Frank
 
What criteria were they using to choose among a box of new axes? Fit and finish? Did these axes come hung?
 
Hi Peg...Wish I knew then what I know now. The axes were hung when they arrived. It seems that the more senior got first pick. There was much feeling and lifting for balance. What I remember most is the men looking at the hang. They took quite a bit of time over this. Looking along all four sides and from both ends. They never seemed very concerned about head profile as much time was spent on 'Doing-Up' on rained off days.

What I do remember is the hafts appeared to be quite red. The heads were green...except occasionally there would be a blue one in the case. I do not know the significance of that. (Wish I did)

regards...Frank
 
A good find this morning.

This morning I delivered a load of firewood to a neighbour. Lying on the floor of his wood-shed among the chips and bark I noticed an old axe. Very rusty with a taped-up haft.

Although it is rusty, it has not pitted yet. The head has been very well shaped, more like a felling axe rather than something for splitting firewood. Immediately I saw this axe I was interested. After a bit of rubbing I can clearly make the words; HYTEST close to the poll. Then underneath: Forged Racing Axe. This is not a huge axe as some racers are. I would guess it started life at 4 1/2 pound.

Hopefully I will be able to buy or make a swap for this axe.

Would really like put up a pic but for some reason I am unable to up load photos. I used to be able to do it using the program associated with Blade Forums.
Can anyone help me with that. It's not the same without photos to back-up text.

regards...Frank
 
Hello M3mphis...

I have not spoken with my neighbour yet. But when I do I will talk about his axe. He may not want to part with it. I know many things he owns used to belong to his Grandfather.

I picked up a very nice 4 lb U.S.A. Plumb yesterday for 20 bucks. Maybe he may like to swap.

Thanks for your interest mate. My top three are KELLY, HYTEST and PLUMB but must admit I have many others and like them too.

regards...Frank
 
Hi all. I'll post this over here too for Hytest fans.

I recently acquired a Hytest Racing Axe, unmolested, complete with original box. The story is that seller won it in a raffle some 40’ish years ago, put it in the garage and forgot about it. He’s older and cleaning house, downsizing. As far as I can tell, it’s basically new-old-stock.

Wasn’t cheap, but not that expensive either considering brand, condition and age. Regardless, I wanted it at whatever cost.

Hasn’t been touched in any way that I can determine. The only wear is on the foil labels from sliding the axe in and out of the box (which is a bit squashed and tight fitting from having stuff piled on it for years) along with some yellowing and scuffing of the lacquer coating on the head, which I cleaned up. Haft is nice and straight, too.

The label on the haft reads ‘Hickory’ but is probably not not American Hickory but most likely one of several native hardwoods Australian mfrs use for striking tool handles that they refer to as Hickory.

I have read ...... that at one time Hytest was a predominant brand down under in forestry just as Kelly, Sager, Mann, etc. were here. I believe it was developed as a made-in-country product for the forest industry so that they didn’t have to rely on imported U.S. tools from Plumb, Kelly, etc. I’m sure there are many like it but it’s the first one I’ve encountered here in the U.S., but I’m just now getting into the axe thing.

As prolific as they may once have been, my searches don’t find much info on them other than one old Australian Forest Service doc (http://www.foresthistory.org.au/afhsnewsletter05.pdf) giving a brief history of Hytest and the development of the Australian work Axe. The doc also references three Hytest commercial models: Craftsman, Challenger and Forester, plus a racing Black Axe, not stamped, that may or may not be painted black. I think that may be what I have as the specs seem close but I am not sure.
No paint and no embossed marks on the head that I see, just a foil label reading:
Trojan Ltd, Victoria Australia
Manufacturers of
Hytest
Forged Steel

Also, a label on the haft reading:
Manufactured by Hytest
Select
Hickory
Handle

I am guessing this is from the late 1970’s, post 1977.
Weight overall: 6.8 lbs. The head itself must be around 5 - 5-1/2 lbs.
Cutting Edge: 7”
Poll: 4”
Edge to Poll: 8”
Max Width: 1-1/2”
:

I included an original older (60's) Arvika 5-Star for size comparison. Its head is larger than more current AGDOR 5-Stars’ (the ones without the actual 5 stars embossed). Both axes are beasts’. I know little about Hytest so I’m interested in any info (history, metallurgy, use, history, etc.) anyone may have to contribute. Thanks.




P1000655%201024x768_zps5dyrhary.jpg


P1000641%201024x768_zpsmmwsgfkk.jpg
 
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Wow that's nice, to say the least.

Not finding much more info on Hytest that can be read on google. Here's some info from a 1953 newspaper article:

HYTEST AXE AND TOOL PTY. LTD. There is a healthy demand for Hytest forged steel axes, as experienced axemen recognise "Hytest" as a quality product, most suitable for use in all types of Australian timbers. Substantial successes were again achieved at the wood chopping contests at the various Royal shows, particularly in Sydney and Adelaide. We are now marketing an improved design 5 lb. axe with a wider cutting blade, the shape of which was designed in conjunction with Australia's leading axe men and timber getters. It is proving most popular.
quoted from The West Australian, 31 Oct 1953
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/52937839
 
More info on Hytest from the National Library of Australia. Says they're forged from "special B.H.P. steel" (BHP was evidently a steel company down under).

As Australia's foremost manufacturer of axes, wood splitting wedges and other forged tools, Hytest Axe & Tool Pty. Ltd. is well aware of its important role; its products are in daily use from the Bulolo Valley to the big timber country of Western Australia. Hytest, however, does not consider that Australians should buy axes simply because they are made in Australia.

The man who is looking for a new axe is entitled to the best value for his money. When he picks up any of the three axes marketed by Hytest, he can count on its quality. Forged from special B.H.P. steel, the Hytest Forester, Hytest Craftsman and Hytest Challenger compare more than favourably with overseas brands. Hytest axes are de signed for Australian conditions—and the toughest timbers are found here, and not' in Scandinavia or North America. Blue gum, ironbark, karri, jarrah, blacknutt, tallow wood, white and red mahogany —these are some of the timbers that test Australian axe men and their axes.

The closer the contacts be tween timberworkers and manufacturer, the better for both. Last year, when Hytest introduced its three new axes, they incorporated technical improvements in set and bal ance recommended by the men best qualified to advance them —Axemen from all parts of the Commowealth. Thanks to this practical advice, Hytest was able to make a really good axe into an even better one. Since Hytest axes can outlast and outcut their foreign rivals, there is every reason why the professional axeman—as well as the farmer, and the house holder—should insist on these Australian-made axes. Even the most successful export drive can be hamstrung by Australians who thoughtlessly purchase imported articles in stead of Australian-made products.


quoted from Western Herald, 27 Jun 1958
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/103990451?searchTerm=hytest%20axe&searchLimits=l-availability=y

Lots of search results at that site, for articles mentioning Hytest, if somebody is willing to wade through them for nuggets.
 
An ad from 1958 listing 3 models of HYTEST axes, with descriptions of each in the linked page:

nla.news-page000010639358-nla.news-article103990718-L2-d70ae970cb5ae77c05902efd6bb3478d-0002.jpg


http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103990718





A 1946 ad from a hardware store, with prices for their axes. Hytests were priced the highest, Kelly had the lowest prices (below Plumb).
(Prices were in Australian Pounds and Shillings, prior to 1966)

KELLY AXES 16/3
PLUMB AXES 17/4
KEESTEEL AXES 18/6
HYTEST AXES 19/6

article151461476-4-001.jpg

from http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/151461476?searchTerm=hytest%20axe%20design&searchLimits=l-availability=y
 
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Thanks Steve, for the info and links. I'll do some more searching. Good to know it's quality steel. Whatever B.H.P. steel alloy is equivalent to it apparently handled the extreme hardwoods they have without issue.

It was $100.00. Regardless of actual worth, to me a bargain because I wanted one and thought I'd never see on here, let alone an unused one.
 
Hytest. Love this. In the early 1970s Province of Quebec makers marketed a novel Molson beer called Brador (abbrev. from 'bras d'or' (arm of gold)) with an alcohol content of 12%. This stuff readily floored us ordinary Canuck college students and really did wonders for visiting red-neck Americans that were entirely used to their own watered-down stuff. Two bottles was the equivalent of drinking a flask of wine!. Thanks to various octane grades of gasolines (Sunoco 260 was big at the time) the Brador brand quickly became known as "Hytest - Hi-test".
 
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