It followed me home (Part 2)

I spent the New Year on the coast with the folks and had to stop at a couple of hidden honey holes. The Oldtimer and his wife that own one of the place are great folks and I end up buying something from them just even for a good conversation.

He had some axes laying about per usual and I brought up a Wards Master Quality Vandium half hatchet to purchase. He asked me if I know anything about axes. He went on to explain that every couple of months he had a guy come through and tell him what he has pattern or maker-wise. He would write down the information. He went on for a few and then mentioned the guy has Finnish axes... I pulled out my phone and showed him a picture and then he looked at me and said, “Oh, it’s you” kind of embarrassed lol. I figure we all just keep important info in active memory but his wife just laughed at him and asked about my parents- this is all just anecdotal but part of the fun I guess.

He brought some axes from the back that he wanted info on and I told him what I knew about them.

Anyway, no ultra rare tools but I scored that hatchet, mid-sized Keen Kutter, and a Kelly Perfect double bit through the encounter.
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66353-C82-1420-443-C-93-EC-E46706719693.jpg


A830-E56-C-1-DCE-4489-87-D4-F25-C63-AF51-EF.jpg


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Not sure whether I needed them but I’ve collected the Keen Kutters like that for my brother and he has quite a bit of advertising memorabilia from them (some of it not racially sensitive to today’s standards).

Sorry about the pictures but I ran out of light last night.
 
Agent_H said:
I spent the New Year on the coast with the folks and had to stop at a couple of hidden honey holes. The Oldtimer and his wife that own one of the place are great folks and I end up buying something from them just even for a good conversation.

He had some axes laying about per usual and I brought up a Wards Master Quality Vandium half hatchet to purchase. He asked me if I know anything about axes. He went on to explain that every couple of months he had a guy come through and tell him what he has pattern or maker-wise. He would write down the information. He went on for a few and then mentioned the guy has Finnish axes... I pulled out my phone and showed him a picture and then he looked at me and said, “Oh, it’s you” kind of embarrassed lol. I figure we all just keep important info in active memory but his wife just laughed at him and asked about my parents- this is all just anecdotal but part of the fun I guess.

He brought some axes from the back that he wanted info on and I told him what I knew about them.

Anyway, no ultra rare tools but I scored that hatchet, mid-sized Keen Kutter, and a Kelly Perfect double bit through the encounter.
C8545640-332-F-4844-BD27-8-C2462-DB55-FF.jpg


66353-C82-1420-443-C-93-EC-E46706719693.jpg


A830-E56-C-1-DCE-4489-87-D4-F25-C63-AF51-EF.jpg


DDF18237-BF4-A-4-C73-9-B8-E-7-C29-FFB95-A87.png


C5644676-BE95-4-A7-D-953-A-4-CB1822-F9784.jpg


Not sure whether I needed them but I’ve collected the Keen Kutters like that for my brother and he has quite a bit of advertising memorabilia from them (some of it not racially sensitive to today’s standards).

Sorry about the pictures but I ran out of light last night.
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Those are great scores still and they will not forget you again :D
I love the people and making connections, their stories, their knowledge.
I like your style AgentH:cool::thumbsup:
 




Here are a couple tools from this week. I found this Plumb hatchet with the BSA logo on it and this nice true temper with one of these rigger handles. This is the second half hatchet with this type of handle I have found. I guess they were big in my area. Then there is this Blacksmith’s hammer. It has no markings on it other than four dots made with a pinch I’m guessing in between the main body and the head making impact. Is this a hand forged hammer? It has marks in the eye that make me think it was made by a hot cut. Thanks for looking!
 
I'll have to get pictures later or tomorrow, but a brush axe with a real nice slim ( but sadly bowed ) old haft and a beat up broken handle old dayton are currently following me home from my uncle's wood shed.
Same place that the Michigan chemicalaxe came from back in the summer, and I've now learned that most of this stuff came from my grandfather.
I always told myself I wish my grandfather had an axe I could have ended up with, and now I've got two of them plus a brush axe and my uncle has a double bit of my grandfather's he's going to give me when he has the chance.
On top of that I've got a homestead Michigan ( late Collins pre Mann ) from my mom's grandfather.

Steaming the haft on this brush axe should be a fun learning experience.

I don't know what make they are, but I can tell just by looking at them they ain't from China or Mexico that's for sure.
 
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Here's the brush axe, which is unmarked.

The haft is bowed and has a crack :(

I really hope repairing it isn't beyond my skillset, I mean just look at this fawns foot :eek:

It'll be a real shame if I can't save it, but even this haft alone would be display worthy as an example of when handle manufacturers cared.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I'll have to get pictures later or tomorrow, but a brush axe with a real nice slim ( but sadly bowed ) old haft and a beat up broken handle old dayton are currently following me home from my uncle's wood shed.
Same place that the Michigan chemicalaxe came from back in the summer, and I've now learned that most of this stuff came from my grandfather.
I always told myself I wish my grandfather had an axe I could have ended up with, and now I've got two of them plus a brush axe and my uncle has a double bit of my grandfather's he's going to give me when he has the chance.
On top of that I've got a homestead Michigan ( late Collins pre Mann ) from my mom's grandfather.

Steaming the haft on this brush axe should be a fun learning experience.

I don't know what make they are, but I can tell just by looking at them they ain't from China or Mexico that's for sure.
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Man that's wonderful that you got those items that were his. I am jealous! Envious is a better word. I've mentioned it before but my grandfather(born in 1890) was a blacksmith. Also a wheel wright but he did a bit of everything. Fathered 19! My dad and my uncle Norm remember being in the shop with him and turning the blower handle while he made stuff. Interestingly he used to make peep sights for people. With elevation adjustment on the rear sight. I have a set! On one of his old rifles! A model 94 made in '03. I know he used to make axes and i hope beyond hope that someday i can find one somehow. Wow that was a rant!
 
Yankee Josh said:
Man that's wonderful that you got those items that were his. I am jealous! Envious is a better word. I've mentioned it before but my grandfather(born in 1890) was a blacksmith. Also a wheel wright but he did a bit of everything. Fathered 19! My dad and my uncle Norm remember being in the shop with him and turning the blower handle while he made stuff. Interestingly he used to make peep sights for people. With elevation adjustment on the rear sight. I have a set! On one of his old rifles! A model 94 made in '03. I know he used to make axes and i hope beyond hope that someday i can find one somehow. Wow that was a rant!
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Pretty cool.
My grandfather ( 1 of eleven from a poor Missouri farmer ) drove a tank across France during WW2 with the US ARMY 4th armoured division.
I've got a decent amount of stuff from him that I treasure especially tools, but my dad's thief of an ex older brother took anything of monitary value he could get his hands on.

Oh btw, my uncle is trying to score this house / property out in the country about 10 min from their current house, and he says the barn is full of old rusty tools he will send my way if things pan out.
There's a real nice hoist the sellers plan to keep which he isn't happy about but he said if they get the place the tools are all mine.
 
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Hickory n steel said:
Here's the beat to hell Dayton.



I'm assuming this used to be a #4 because it tips the scale at 3lb-11oz.


I have no clue on the make, but I can make out M something something AXE, this thing is so beat though that I may never know.
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I don't think that dayton is in bad shape at all. it just got beat up on the side some. the bit isn't worn down hardly at all - and the poll isn't nearly as mushroomed over as many old heads. I bet someone can figure out the maker. I think the last three letters are AME
Also, being that its not that worn down, I bet that axe originally was 3 3/4 and not 4.

Yankee Josh - I'm going to try to send you a message.
 
FLINT77 said:
I don't think that dayton is in bad shape at all. it just got beat up on the side some. the bit isn't worn down hardly at all - and the poll isn't nearly as mushroomed over as many old heads. I bet someone can figure out the maker. I think the last three letters are AME
Also, being that its not that worn down, I bet that axe originally was 3 3/4 and not 4.

Yankee Josh - I'm going to try to send you a message.
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Seems better in this picture than it really is, but it is definitely still a serviceable head for sure.
It's a bit beat in on top or bottom of the eye, but the eye is not distorted in any way.
The poll is not severely mushroomed over, but it is definitely flared out and pretty wonky .
And lastly it's got the typical toe wear, but the whole bit ended up rounded up some so it doesn't jump out at you.

Overall, I'd say it's what Billy Ray would call a " Barbaric ", used and abused but definitely not gone.

You're probably right about the 3-3/4.

I'll have to try for some better pictures when I'm off work to see if I can get this identified.
Getting it identified today is a long shot, but would be a great birthday miracle ;)
 
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Finally found some axes at the flea market today! Got the big brother to my fireman’s truck axe. Also a decent Woodslasher with an amazing handle. Also found a Stanley 152 spokeshave and a nice chisel. I was on a little dry spell with full size axes. The large fire ax is not marked but it has nice convex cheeks and looks more like a Connie with a pick than the more common Dayton with a pick. Idk, it’s up in the air on who made it.
 
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