It followed me home (Part 2)

If I'm not mistaken you can switch the haft and make it a lefty...please someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
RICKOFF said:
If I'm not mistaken you can switch the haft and make it a lefty...please someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

Just pull the head and flip it and it will be a lefty. No need for a new haft. The head is symmetrical.
 
I grabbed these today, they were posted on Craigslist. $10 for the axe, $2.50/each for the hammers. The axe looks like it has never been sharpened and the handle is tight.

 
That's a cool score on the Kelly, JB.

This one followed me home a couple of days ago.

lDYA5VH.jpg


Ts8tfpV.jpg


6Jxn5WH.png


It's marked 3-2 and weighs 3#s 7oz so I think most of it is still there. Not sure about the "A" stamped on it.
 
Last edited:
JB, is that Kelly a no stamp with or with out eye ridges? Not much wear on that one.

That's a pretty sweet Keen Kutter, Agent H.
 
This was a crusty mess when I got it. There is no name or mark on it but it is so pitted that there really isn’t any flat surfaces to hold a stamp.

I just cleaned it up and was thinking of hanging it. It has a little bit of wear on one heel or toe…
So, it does have forge marks on either side of the eye that kind of gives the “impression” of maybe more taper. The deeper forge marks are on opposite ends of the eye if that makes sense. I can’t seem to get a picture looking down the eye of it that shows what I see - or don't in this case. The eye measures exactly the same on either end so I couldn’t figure out which end to hang.

There is slight wear on one bit – The one on the lower right. So, the slight impression that makes me think “narrowing” towards the shoulder of an axe is on the bottom front in that picture.
ic9mJav.png


Without reversing the bit (wear on that bit is still on the right but upper now), I flipped it over and the narrowing also is impressed bottom front. There is a little more metal there than the rest of the head but no sign of damage/weld inside the eye that looks like repair.

lRqADYB.jpg


There is no sign of outside damage to the eye – unless that extra metal means something that I am not aware of. Might be from wear or a sticker was attached that protected that portion from the elements more than the rest of it.

Measuring the same but having a taper in the eye on opposite ends…

Has anyone seen this deliberately done to a double bit eye before? I don’t know much about "California Reversible" patterns or reversible patterns in general. Other maybe than they are designed to be hung either way. Never really thought about if the "design" of reversibles were just straight eyes or if there is something to them that allows some manner of purchase on the handle.

It does seem like a partial solve for a perfectly straight eye, one impression on opposite ends but not the same sides, maybe enough of a difference in shape to allow some swell to fit with the wedge? If so then it is pretty slight.

Might just be another unmarked double bit as well. Or I'm seeing things - which is totally possible too. I just happen on these quite a bit in different stages of decay and can always figure out which way to hang them regardless of their condition.

It came pounded on with a mediocre 36” handle – new/lacquer still on the tongue so no real fitting. Handle is good for something on its own though.

"Axe Worries" - First world problem I know but I'm still curious.
 
Last edited:
Lieblad said:
Alot of eyes are a slight hourglass profile.
Its a bit of extra work with the forging, but a better secured haft result.
Sort of a requirement too if its a reversable head.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that Liebald, thank you. That is what I am seeing now that you call it an hourglass shape. Kind of like a ball pein/sledge hammer eye but very slight.
 
Agent_H said:
That's a cool score on the Kelly, JB.

This one followed me home a couple of days ago.







It's marked 3-2 and weighs 3#s 7oz so I think most of it is still there. Not sure about the "A" stamped on it.
Click to expand...

Nice Keen Kutter, i like the "st louis USA" at the bottom, Most have "cutlery - tools" or "USA" at the bottom of the diamond.
 
Yeah, that handle looks octagonalized -that's pretty neat.

What kind of wood did you find there JB?

Axes, ice cream, pizza, Mystery Oil? Sounds like a party to me.
 
Agent_H said:
Yeah, that handle looks octagonalized -that's pretty neat.

What kind of wood did you find there JB?

Axes, ice cream, pizza, Mystery Oil? Sounds like a party to me.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's a standard Plumb Permabond boy's axe. Great shape, not octagonal just a trick of the light.

The wood is (I believe) walnut, cherry and poplar. Wedge material! Hint- at yard and estate sales, wood like that is almost free. I always grab useful oils and solvents at sales because they are also almost free. The vise was tagged $40 and I ended up paying $50 for everything. The vise I love. I clean and restore those too and would love to show them off, but while I get away with hammers I don't think that I could legitimately sneak a vise in on the axe forum. Unless it just happened to be in the picture with restored axes...:D
 
I don’t know JB, being as vises are essential tools that we all use for making/fixing knives, axes, and other tools and their handles; it doesn’t seem too out of place.

Here is a thread on vises from a while ago. Several members in here have shared their vises. Rjdankert has a Little Giant on there.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1315295-Vises-quot-a-leg-to-stand-on-quot


So far they are mostly upright/leg/post vises but there isn’t any reason not to “re-purpose” it to all vises – I, for one and probably other members, would really enjoy seeing the ones you come across. And you do come across some beauties.
 
Nice! Is there a model number on that big Wilton?

I had one (bullet swivel, 4") I bought from a neighbor when his father died and mounted in my shop at a previous home. The couple that bought the house wanted some things - the husband wanted the vise left and the wife was more concerned with finding a fridge to fit the custom cabinets and the washer and drier with the shelves I fitted around them.

Miss the vise, the fridge not so much lol.

You come across nice vises regularly. They seem like something that would be more cost prohibitive to ship than other things.
 
Agent_H said:
Nice! Is there a model number on that big Wilton?

I had one (bullet swivel, 4") I bought from a neighbor when his father died and mounted in my shop at a previous home. The couple that bought the house wanted some things - the husband wanted the vise left and the wife was more concerned with finding a fridge to fit the custom cabinets and the washer and drier with the shelves I fitted around them.

Miss the vise, the fridge not so much lol.

You come across nice vises regularly. They seem like something that would be more cost prohibitive to ship than other things.
Click to expand...

It's a 5" bullet. model 9500. Many normal sized ones fit carefully packed in flat rate boxes. Big ones are not too bad using UPS Ground if the weight is under 70-75lbs including packaging. I try not to ship those much though because packaging is a PITA. Even bigger ones I just do local only. I have a friend that does amazing vise restorations, we already have an agreement on that Wilton. I'm making good profit on it, and he will double his money with a restore.

But hey, how about that Woodslasher! :D It's actually very nice, all original tight handle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top