It followed me home (Part 2)

This is today's haul, totaling $31.50. The big axe is a Black Widow, never heard of it. I scrutinized it for a China mark but found none. For $5 I figured what the heck. The small one I see Oakland ME but that's all so far. The big block is a huge Arkansas stone. The scissors I paid $1 for all three and all are really great quality pieces made by old US cutlery companies. Like most things, you can't buy better today.

 
jblyttle said:
The scissors I paid $1 for all three and all are really great quality pieces made by old US cutlery companies. Like most things, you can't buy better today.

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For a few years I've been picking up old scissors at estate sales. They're high quality steel and they're screwed together not riveted like new scissors. They are easy to take apart and sharpen. They cut great once resharpened.
 
Today's views of recycling really sucks doesn't it. Remember when the milkman use to actually bring milk yo your house. Recycling was happening even before recycling is what is is today.
 
Square_peg said:
For a few years I've been picking up old scissors at estate sales. They're high quality steel and they're screwed together not riveted like new scissors. They are easy to take apart and sharpen. They cut great once resharpened.
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What inspired me was recently watching a Paul Sellers YouTube video on sharpening old scissors. I had an old pair and followed along and they turned out brilliantly. Then I saw these 3 today in the 25 cent bin. Like our axes, its so nice to take such a high quality thing and make it a nice working tool again.
 
marbat said:
Remember when the milkman use to actually bring milk yo your house.
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Believe it or not milkmen do still exist today. I see one delivering milk across the street from one of my jobsites. Saw him just today in fact. He drives a very nice milkman truck too.
 
Picked up a Fulton "Razor Blade" Michigan and a 3 1/2 lb. jersey that I haven't found any markings on yet. From previous posts of the resident axe scholars here- Fulton was the Sears& Roebuck label before they purchased the "Craftsmen" brand. That dates the axe to pre 1927. Flea market on a poor turn out day - $11 for both, sure beats big box China made.
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Yard sales today, $14 total. An Estwing Fireside friend, an interesting very small hatchet with a blade guard built in. It is frozen but it was $2. I'm going to vinegar the thing and play with putting new scales on it. Could be a Marbles I guess. Also 2 Wagner pans, a 6" and a 10".

 
A Visitor said:
Picked up a Fulton "Razor Blade" Michigan and a 3 1/2 lb. jersey that I haven't found any markings on yet. From previous posts of the resident axe scholars here- Fulton was the Sears& Roebuck label before they purchased the "Craftsmen" brand. That dates the axe to pre 1927.
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Sears continued to use the Fulton name into the 1940's but I never saw the 'Razor Blade' line in any catalog after the Craftsman brand was purchased. So yes, I would date that axe at pre-1927. Great find. FWIW, I think the Razor Blade line was a laminated bit type of axe with a lower carbon steel body and a very high carbon steel bit. It's likely to be of very high quality though I've never taken a file to one personally. Razor Blade was their top line axe back then.

How about some close up pics?
 
The cast iron looks flat and no cracks so it's good. Wagner is up there with Griswold when it comes to cast iron. Not like the crappy Lodge stuff you get these days.
 
As requested. The Fulton weighs 3 1/2 on the nose, doesn't look like it saw much use or was ever sharpened. If not for the ground off mushrooming on the poll and a few dents I would say it was unused. File doesn't scratch it, here it is after wire brushing.
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I grabbed this stuff today for $150, or an average of $5.17 per item. There are two or three nice Maine axes in there, I'm happy.

 
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A Visitor said:
As requested. The Fulton weighs 3 1/2 on the nose, doesn't look like it saw much use or was ever sharpened. If not for the ground off mushrooming on the poll and a few dents I would say it was unused. File doesn't scratch it, here it is after wire brushing.
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Thanks for the pics. Looks like a fine axe. Lot's of bit left. But it's been used well. You can tell by the shape bit that the heel and toe have been sharpened down some.

Hard old axes like that can be filed. Just get it in a sturdy vise. Use a sharp file. You need to get through the very tough oxidation layer. Start in one small patch and work out from there, lifting the oxidation layer from below where the steel isn't quite as hard.
 
Must be hard steel to crack like that, most old heads mushroom over like cheese before any sign of cracking!

I'd send that to a good welder and get the cracks filled, clean up the rust, grind it true and use it properly. It's sure to never have an issue unless you whack on it like an ape. :D
 
Samon said:
Must be hard steel to crack like that, most old heads mushroom over like cheese before any sign of cracking!

I'd send that to a good welder and get the cracks filled, clean up the rust, grind it true and use it properly. It's sure to never have an issue unless you whack on it like an ape. :D
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It would work, but an old embossed Kelly Perfect with a crack is a perfect candidate for nice wall hanger. It really is too bad.

 
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One of my wife’s co-workers had this Woodings-Verona boy’s axe with a failed handle. She passed it on as she lacks the skill/will to fix it. Being US94, I assume that is its production date. Whether it is domestic or foreign production, I don’t know. It has one of the flat sided handles that I usually avoid.

It came from Coast to Coast it appears.

The handle needs some work.

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