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 40ish years ago, put it in the garage and forgot about it. Hes older and cleaning house, downsizing. As far as I can tell, its basically new-old-stock.
Wasnt cheap, but not that expensive either considering brand, condition and age. Regardless, I wanted it at whatever cost.
Hasnt 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 didnt have to rely on imported U.S. tools from Plumb, Kelly, etc. Im sure there are many like it but its the first one Ive encountered here in the U.S., but Im just now getting into the axe thing.
As prolific as they may once have been, my searches dont 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 1970s, 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 Im interested in any info (history, metallurgy, use, history, etc.) anyone may have to contribute. Thanks.
