It followed me home (Part 2)

Agent_H, oh boy, I'm sorry I don't have much in the way of computer skills, not so much to show off my interesting rust hunt finds, a show and tell thing, rather to illustrate a question about axe profiles.

Like the diagram , the DB has sweeps front and back, with inside one being deeper. They are not subtle. But unlike the Gransfor Bruk swamper, they are both different. The head is overall shorter. The outside sweep is enough that I will have to be a little careful rehanging. As I said the bit has a deep curve. As I think about it, my typing skills involve a search for keys giving me time to think, the Canadian pattern single bit has a outside sweeps as well as the inside.
 
Downwindtracker2 said:
Who is A.A.T. co ? I usually pass on tools that say Craftsman, except maybe older sockets. I find them to be very DIY , but this one had what looked to me, what do I know?, as having a good profile with a cheek swell. It also had a half a Craftsman sticker. The haft had the remains of a Canadian Tire Mastercraft sticker. They can't be too old. The head obligingly fell off.

I have a question about the Young pattern, where is it from?. The axe is 9 1/2" long and a 4 1/2" bit with a 3/4" curve.
Click to expand...
I have several dozen db axes. Some real nice ones too but my favorite, believe it or not, is a craftsman. Favorite as in the one I'd grab if I could only take one db. It has the most aggressively tapered eye I've ever seen and the rest of it's geometry is spot on as well. It's a narrow Michigan pattern which aren't all that common. I can easily see this axe out performing many so called "better ones" both in hardness of steel and bond to the haft. It still surprises me. A craftsman!??
 
Yeah, Craftsman !?? I compared the head with my Wetterling made Sandvik. The Craftsman has taller poll and a thinner shorter face . I would think it would balance better. The steel is harder than the Swedish made one, too. The Sandvik rides around almost all the time on the quad, it's just so handy opening trail.
 
Square_peg said:
Damn. Beat me to it. That's one sexy handle. Is it still good?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what you mean by "is it still good?
I haven't heard back yet but I'm sure hoping he'll sell it. I'm definitely still after it if that's what you mean! Haha. This damn hobby constantly has me rubbing my last two pennies together... Thankfully this is a penny rich time of year.
 
Constant vigilance I think is the secret. That and lots of "feelers".
I do carpentry for the owners of two local antique dealers. One of them has a vendor coming in soon with a "bucket full of axe heads". There goes the rest of those pennies I was talking about! Hahaha. It's nice because they hold them for me till I have a look.
I got this craftsman from him yesterday. 20190405_143644.jpg
20190405_163047.jpg 20190405_143705.jpg
Definitely was the original hang too. 20190404_202612.jpg
I've spent the last hour filing it. Not quite halfway and my back is killing me! I'll hopefully have it ready this evening.
 
What did I find? Good or bad?
It feels great and what appears to be the original haft is really nice.
01H4c27.jpg

ai1NJE5.jpg
 
Have you put a file to it yet? I'm curious as to its hardness. Even though I've been searching I have yet to find one in the wild...
 
No file but I just put it to my stones real quick. It's pretty danged hard and seems to take a really fine edge.
I'm seriously shocked. Where I bought it they usually price things at pretty high prices. This was a bit rusty so they must have not looked as closely as I did. A bit of oil and steel wool and a blo bath turned it into a really nice find.
 
Last edited:
Fmont said:
JB, your hauls most times are better than I'll see in a year. I wish I knew all your secrets.
Click to expand...
It takes a combination of a good hunting nose, asking questions, networking and taking care of the guys that find stuff for me. Be friendly, don't screw anybody, and it take time to build up a good network. I find a bunch on my own once flea market and yardsale season opens up, but the cleanout guys find as much or more. I just have to keep them happy, which is usually buying a bunch from them regularly, being willing to pay a bit more here and there and not being a jerk. The public at large looks at flea market sellers as scavengers. They are mostly good friendly people and I treat them as such. That, and the time that it takes to build relationships, is the formula. Anybody can do what I do if they put the work in and live in an area rich is rusty gold. Just not overnight.
 
I just had to go back, when else would I have this chance. Do you know that feeling ? Well I bought something like this https://getagripandmore.com/products/simmons-broad-axe?variant=12315366785110 The one I bought is just 10" long . And of course, there is no maker's stamp .The poll had been used as a hammer, it had been mushroomed. But the old fellow, he had passed, that's why it was in the antique store, had done the shaping. It needs a haft as does the throw in 2 1/2 # Canadian pattern. No nicks or mushrooming. The 24" haft is covered with deluxe black duct tape. The 2 1/2 # had come from the factory painted red and has the weight stamped on the back of the poll. Walter ??? I won't say what I had paid, but it's the same antique store that I had earlier this week bought a DB, a Craftsman boys axe and a Stanley mitre box. The mitre box is mostly rusted solid, a good test for skunk p***. :D

My fleamarket trips are social , but I almost always find something for little more than pocket change.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top