It followed me home (Part 2)

300Six · Apr 23, 2016

Steve Tall said:
In case it's not too obvious, W. Germany existed for only 41 years, between 1949-1990, so that narrows down its age.

Interesting. The war in Europe officially ended May 8th 1945. The Soviets and Allies partitioned Berlin into 4 sectors almost immediately. I didn't realize it took another 4 years for two formal states (east and west) to be recognized. When post war industries slowly came back on line what did they stamp their products with to identify country of origin? Namely what would an axe, can opener, stock pot or hammer head manufactured between 1945 and 1949 have stamped on it?

300Six · Apr 23, 2016

Old Axeman said:
That is exactly what a broad axe should look like, In my opinion (and my grandfather's opinion). I know that Doug Reed, a life long professional broad axe hewer, agrees also. Thanks for the great pictures Bob.

I've never wielded a broadaxe but have used wide chisels often enough over the years to be able to understand why you prefer a slight curve on an overly wide blade. It's a real sonovagun to directly center the inertia of a force on to something and causes one outside edge or the other to want to bite deeper than the other. A very slight scallop or curve would be a godsend. Winged adzes came about probably for the same reason.

Agent_H · Apr 23, 2016

So, the West Germany axes I have a handful of these in different patterns but dont know anything about them other than some seem better-made than others. There have been a couple I passed on to others as gifts but have tried to keep better examples of the different weights.

Here is a picture that might help us figure something out about them. Unfortunately I dont where I came across this picture but I think it turned up when I was trying to figure out the story on WECO Japan tools. I distinctly remember it was marked Made in West Germany but didnt screenshot that picture.

Maybe after the war/political resolutions, investors swooped in to contract with them to make export tools for the American markets? Would explain being made in West Germany but marked in English and in pounds as well?

Ill try to take a picture of the Made in West Germany heads I have they all look roughly finished, have slightly different strike marks (placement/depth/which side) but are interesting nonetheless. I havent before just because I figured they were roughly made oddballs. The hatchet I carry in my truck is one of them and is also marked FEDSPEC and seems like some hard steel. That one has been used quite a bit and holds up really well. Another hatchet of the same size I came across was so soft one could have removed steel from it with a butter knife.

I hadnt seen one of them in the same pattern at Marbats:

marbat said:
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What pattern would you say that is, more or less?

300Six · Apr 23, 2016

Agent_H said:
So, the West Germany axes I have a handful of these in different patterns but dont know anything about them other than some seem better-made than others. There have been a couple I passed on to others as gifts but have tried to keep better examples of the different weights.

Maybe after the war/political resolutions, investors swooped in to contract with them to make export tools for the American markets? Would explain being made in West Germany but marked in English and in pounds as well?

When the second war ended the victors didn't burden the losers with insurmountable reparation debts such as they did to Germany at the end of the first world war. Encouraging manufacture and export trade required invoking Imperial measures and English script on goods because USA and Commonwealth countries expected this. Besides, money was tight everywhere else! All of Europe had adopted the metric system before 1900.

Steve Tall · Apr 23, 2016

300Six said:
Interesting. The war in Europe officially ended May 8th 1945. The Soviets and Allies partitioned Berlin into 4 sectors almost immediately. I didn't realize it took another 4 years for two formal states (east and west) to be recognized. When post war industries slowly came back on line what did they stamp their products with to identify country of origin? Namely what would an axe, can opener, stock pot or hammer head manufactured between 1945 and 1949 have stamped on it?

If a product was allowed to be exported from an occupation zone, then it may have been stamped like this example:

Made in Germany
US-Zone

RICKOFF · Apr 23, 2016

Went to the flea market this morning and came away with a no name dbl bit and single bit nothing special but I saved them from the smelter.
The hatchet with the nice looking haft and 11 nails is I believe a Walters.

Is 11 nails some kind of record?

Edit: The SB has eye ridges so would that make it a Wood Slasher?

garry3 · Apr 23, 2016

Old Axeman said:
That is exactly what a broad axe should look like, In my opinion (and my grandfather's opinion). I know that Doug Reed, a life long professional broad axe hewer, agrees also. Thanks for the great pictures Bob.

I thought I understood but maybe not. I have a Pennsylvania that has a slight crown in its cheek from bit to eye and from heel to toe. Is this correct for that pattern?

I also have a Canadian that is dead flat.

rjdankert · Apr 23, 2016

garry3 said:
I thought I understood but maybe not. I have a Pennsylvania that has a slight crown in its cheek from bit to eye and from heel to toe. Is this correct for that pattern?

I also have a Canadian that is dead flat.

Old Axeman said:
. . .Yes, on the Canadian the back flat side should actually be flat. But that is exactly the reason it is not my favorite. I prefer the "flat" side to have a slight (very slight) arc from toe to heel and also from bit to poll. This in essense makes it a very large gouge. I have found this geometry to be the best for hewing. This is why I prefer the New Orleans pattern and the Penn. pattern . . .

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1379127-Hew-would-have-thought

Bob

jblyttle · Apr 23, 2016

My favorite thing there and there is tons of good stuff is that large bench stone. The stone is 12"x2.5" and there are two stones. It sits in oil and it flips and locks into place. I've never seen one like it.

Canadian Mojo · Apr 23, 2016

Who made the griddle and what size is it? (Antique cast iron cookware, another weakness)

Square_peg · Apr 23, 2016

Canadian Mojo said:
Who made the griddle and what size is it? (Antique cast iron cookware, another weakness)

A weakness for me as well. It's just good stuff.

I like the cool stone but I prefer water to oil. Love all the blacksmithing stuff you're getting, JB.

Square_peg · Apr 23, 2016

I scored a couple of these today.....

Bought directly from the manufacturer who is still in business here in Seattle. They found some in a storage room and I got clued in on them. Rumor is these might get made again.

They are feather light when empty. Titanium bit and poll.

More info on these here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1156508-A-Floating-Axe

Canadian Mojo · Apr 23, 2016

Square_peg said:
A weakness for me as well. It's just good stuff.

Other than the stainless pasta pot it's the only cookware we use. The modern Lodge stuff is very good, but the antique stuff is just so much nicer.

jblyttle · Apr 23, 2016

Canadian Mojo said:
Who made the griddle and what size is it? (Antique cast iron cookware, another weakness)

Me too. The griddle is a Wagner 1891, not old but works fine ($5) and I'll use it. The pan is a Griswold #4 large logo and that I will sell.

Square_peg · Apr 23, 2016

Wagner and Griswold are both good. Griswold is what people look for but I think Wagner is just as good.

The new Lodge stuff is majorly flawed because is only sand cast and not machined on the inside like good vintage stuff. But if a fella has a 4-1/2" angle grinder and a flap disc he polish the inside of a Lodge and have a decent piece of cookware. I have several cast iron skillets and a couple griddles plus three dutch ovens. Love the stuff. If you haven't discovered grape oil yet then start looking. Best thing I've found for seasoning cast iron.

garry3 · Apr 23, 2016

JB, something about that picture just looks right.:thumbup: Hardy tools galore. They are not easy to find out here.
Is that a "Norton Multi Oil Stone" with a stone missing? I have the one made by Norton and still use it. Mine has all synthetic stones in it unfortunately, they are 2 1/2" X 11 1/2 ". Wish I had another one with Arkansas stones that big in it. I can not seem to get away from the Arkansas stones. I have a love affair with them rocks going back to my first pocket knife. They say that the stone quarry's are producing just as well as ever, but my best stones are vintage. You find very nice ones all the time, translucent even.

RICKOFF · Apr 23, 2016

jb, I think I'm lucky when I come home with 3-4 items and you come home with 100s! Always amazed at the stuff you find but it's a matter of location, location, location.

And that was 13 nails in the Walters, gotta be some kind of an award for that, seems to me that SoCal was the last place the was settled in the entire country and they didn't use axes.

garry3 · Apr 23, 2016

JB, something about that picture just looks right.:thumbup: Hardy tools galore. They are not easy to find out here.
Is that a "Norton Multi Oil Stone" with a stone missing? I have the one made by Norton and still use it. Mine has all synthetic stones in it unfortunately, they are 2 1/2" X 11 1/2 ". Wish I had another one with Arkansas stones that big in it. I can not seem to get away from the Arkansas stones. I have a love affair with them rocks going back to my first pocket knife. They say that the stone quarry's are producing just as well as ever, but my best stones are vintage. You find very nice ones all the time, translucent even.

300Six · Apr 23, 2016

RICKOFF said:
jb, I think I'm lucky when I come home with 3-4 items and you come home with 100s! Always amazed at the stuff you find but it's a matter of location, location, location.

And that was 13 nails in the Walters, gotta be some kind of an award for that, seems to me that SoCal was the last place the was settled in the entire country and they didn't use axes.

Far as I know all Morley Walters products were stamped so either this is or isn't with regard to positive identification. And 13 nails would be bad luck! Pound in one more before you go taking it apart. SoCal is 'bone dry' compared to SE USA area where Walters hickory came from and Hull Quebec where the wood lathe and implement assembly took place.

garry3 · Apr 23, 2016

RICKOFF said:
jb, I think I'm lucky when I come home with 3-4 items and you come home with 100s! Always amazed at the stuff you find but it's a matter of location, location, location.

And that was 13 nails in the Walters, gotta be some kind of an award for that, seems to me that SoCal was the last place the was settled in the entire country and they didn't use axes.

Thirteen might be a record. I just dug out another sickle bar tooth yesterday and a first for me a penny.
Remember this thread. Its always interesting.

Forgot to ad the link. Just not with it today.