It followed me home (Part 2)

Agent_H said:
Found interesting things today:
Piece of Ash 2”x6”x10’

Ash2”x6”x10’ by Agent Hierarchy, on Flickr

Stopped to chat and ended up with things following me home:
Sager Chemical 1929 with an interesting handle swell, 10” L. & I.J. White cleaver, an unabused 3 1/2lb Made in W. Germany double bit head, and a nice 13” Hewing/Broad axe 8lb 12oz. The broad axe is marked, looks like something rounding the upper part of a circle with “Rochester” going along the bottom. It has a lot of bit.

Broad&White by Agent Hierarchy


Broad&White by Agent Hierarchy


Sagatron1929 by Agent Hierarchy


Sagatron1929 by Agent Hierarchy


Sagatron1929 by Agent Hierarchy


Broad&White by Agent Hierarchy


Broad&White by Agent Hierarchy,
Click to expand...
Nice haul. Is DR Barton's eye tapered? I remember Square_peg's removable wedging system.
Is possible to flip the head on all American hewing axes or just some?
 
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Almost all American pattern broad axes and hatchets are reversible for right or left hand hewing. Some early American (most I have found in PA) hand forged goosewing pattern are dedicated right or left by design.

Yankee Josh-- you may have passed up a good broad axe for the wrong reason. You want it to curve (and all the better makers did this) poll to bit and toe to heel. It is a lot easier to hew that way then with a perfectly flat back. Since you broad axe hew across the grain the axe acts like a very large, shallow gouge. I have never found a American pattern broad hatchet with a curve from toe to heel. Some have a very slight curve from poll to bit, but most are completely flat. This works because the broad hatchet is mostly used with the grain.
 
Yankee Josh said:
I've got a question for you guys. I'm trying to decide which haft to hang the Norlud on. It came on the original so i have that, a nice curved ash and a short stocky hickory one. I just wanted to ask what you guys think. View attachment 1075029 View attachment 1075030 View attachment 1075031
View attachment 1075047 I've never asked for opinions on a haft before so I'm curious, which one do you all like?
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The one that was on it to start with is the original. I am pretty sure at least. I would leave it on the. Especially with the prices some of these go for. (Some of them I see sell I’m am amazed by the prices lol)
 
Yankee Josh said:
I've got a question for you guys. I'm trying to decide which haft to hang the Norlud on. It came on the original so i have that, a nice curved ash and a short stocky hickory one. I just wanted to ask what you guys think. View attachment 1075029 View attachment 1075030 View attachment 1075031
View attachment 1075047 I've never asked for opinions on a haft before so I'm curious, which one do you all like?
Click to expand...
I would stick with the original, if you ever decide to sell it’s always nice to be able to say “all original”. Is the head 2 pounds?
 
Thanks for all the replies! I've been busy while you guys were responding... you're gonna cringe i think! I saw that you were all recommending that i hang it on the original haft. 20190218_151513.jpg That haft was so FAT! So i octagonalized it... oops. Haha. I probably shouldn't have done that but it's too late now. 20190218_163624.jpgIt took the blo really well and turned a really nice color though. I got a super deal. I paid $20 for the Norlund. Why are they so expensive(usually)? Trendy? 20190218_165624.jpgI hung another axe today too but I'l post em both in the correct thread.
And old axeman i didn't pass it up, it's the one i own and hung. It has both curves. I have practically no experience with hewing and when i tried it was pretty difficult. I was thinking I'd like to get a flat one to try. But your explanation makes a lot of sense. So unless i see one that can't be passed up I'l just hold off and practice more.
 
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20190218_165624-jpg.1076072

That is an improvement in my opinion - nice work :thumbsup:
Heartwood or it just took to being re-hydrated?
 
Old Axeman said:
Almost all American pattern broad axes and hatchets are reversible for right or left hand hewing. Some early American (most I have found in PA) hand forged goosewing pattern are dedicated right or left by design.

Yankee Josh-- you may have passed up a good broad axe for the wrong reason. You want it to curve (and all the better makers did this) poll to bit and toe to heel. It is a lot easier to hew that way then with a perfectly flat back. Since you broad axe hew across the grain the axe acts like a very large, shallow gouge. I have never found a American pattern broad hatchet with a curve from toe to heel. Some have a very slight curve from poll to bit, but most are completely flat. This works because the broad hatchet is mostly used with the grain.
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Old Axeman, is this the type of curve you describe in your post? This one is European but similar idea?
30457159577_8579467649_h.jpg
 
Fmont said:
I can't believe what people will pay for Norlunds.
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I'm with you. Marketing has a strange effect on people. A Norlund is essentially a Mann-era Collins. Maybe equivalent to Kelly Woodslasher but without the convex cheeks.

I've always sold them right away because I would never use one. And I've made decent money on them. But there are a few I wish I had saved for today's market. Who knew.
 
AGENT_H--- Yes, that is exactly what I was talking about. Does it also have the curve from pole to bit? The only reason I keep repeating "American pattern" is because European patterns are all over the map with how they were/are made. And, there are people on here who like nothing better than to show me wrong, even if they find a example of opposite of what I said, and it's one in a million that contradicts me. Welcome to the internet I guess.
 
Yankee Josh said:
Thanks for all the replies! I've been busy while you guys were responding... you're gonna cringe i think! I saw that you were all recommending that i hang it on the original haft. View attachment 1076070 That haft was so FAT! So i octagonalized it... oops. Haha. I probably shouldn't have done that but it's too late now. View attachment 1076071It took the blo really well and turned a really nice color though. I got a super deal. I paid $20 for the Norlund. Why are they so expensive(usually)? Trendy? View attachment 1076072I hung another axe today too but I'l post em both in the correct thread.
And old axeman i didn't pass it up, it's the one i own and hung. It has both curves. I have practically no experience with hewing and when i tried it was pretty difficult. I was thinking I'd like to get a flat one to try. But your explanation makes a lot of sense. So unless i see one that can't be passed up I'l just hold off and practice more.
Click to expand...

That's a big improvement as far as using it goes. Since it's all set up to do it right, how about you pound some wedges with that thing!
 
Agent_H said:
I think at a certain point they just started marking their common line with the Norlund stamp:
f2K9KcU.jpg

This one for all intents and purposes looks reminiscent of a paper label Mann era Collins (to me at least).
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Look at the blue paint in those bevels, this thing looks just like a late production Collins Commander.

It's so funny how quick people are to believe that BS story about the founder of Norlund going to Sweden to " learn how to make axes ".
As far as I know back then the swedish axes were inexpensive imports not the expensive botique GB's of today , I think if you wanted to make the best axes possible which you'd be selling to the American market you'd study old axes from the heyday of American axe production / logging industry.
 
Here is a Canadian Pattern that you and Square_peg were willing to give me feedback on previously that might also illustrate what you are describing for us, Old Axeman.
gqVLLp6.jpg


ykEqa73.jpg


Toe
834my79.jpg


Heel
IlSdUY9.jpg



Old Axeman said:
AGENT_H--- Yes, that is exactly what I was talking about. Does it also have the curve from pole to bit? The only reason I keep repeating "American pattern" is because European patterns are all over the map with how they were/are made. And, there are people on here who like nothing better than to show me wrong, even if they find a example of opposite of what I said, and it's one in a million that contradicts me. Welcome to the internet I guess.
Click to expand...

I was going for supporting material :thumbsup:
 
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