It followed me home (Part 2)

Steve Tall said:
Today I learned that this type of natural pitchfork (with three tines) is still made commercially in the village Sauve in France. In the 1800s, the annual production was around 10,000 but now it's down to 300.

Made from European hackberry elm.
Requires eight years of growth, with intensive pruning.

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"Once the fork is ready and cut from the bush, it is transferred to a 100 C oven, where as the sap sweats out, the branch warms and becomes flexible. The bark is then easily stripped, and after adroit adjustments (all this using the original, highly specialized tools), the branch is returned to a warmer oven in which it is hermetically sealed and smoke-cured for a day, resulting in its light brown hue. The distinctive striping is a Sauve identifying mark made by tying a narrow strip of bark to the branch before it goes in the kiln. After the second bake, the fork is further adjusted. It then spends a year air-curing before being ready for sale."

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quotes and photos from http://laviecevenole.blogspot.com/2009/06/sauve-and-pitchfork.html
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Steve,
Thanks. Those are the sager chemical of wooden hayforks :)! I will get to the woods and see what I've got available. Worst case, 8 years...

Garry, I couldn't find a bodgers thread on wood hayforks, but that is a cool site!
 
Garry, thank you for the link to the bodgers site. There is some really interesting stuff going on there and now I have another possible interest to eat at what little idle time I have.

BG_Farmer, I think trying something along those lines would be fun. This one is almost 6' long so if an oven is needed to make it pliable then my standard kitchen oven would limit the project size. My 5' long crab cooker would be closer but pretty narrow but I need to ask myself how bad I need a 4 and a half foot back scratcher... Of course there is the drying time of a year or so.

The couple that sold it to me said they don't remember where they got it but they have had it since just after getting married. They looked early 70's. They did however advise me not to leave it wet.

Steve, appreciate you taking the time to find that. And the time it took to compile the pictures, and cite it, and post the pertinent info for us just because someone expressed interest. I think sometimes people post here asking questions without looking for themselves and expect someone to work for them in a sense. You have it down really well but it still takes time.
 
Agent_H said:
...Steve, appreciate you taking the time to find that...
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What happens is that I get curious about something that's brought up, and look for more information for my own understanding, then post it as a way to increase the collective knowledge (and it can then be easily found later with a forum search).

S.T.
"Providing quality content since 2010." :D
 
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Steve Tall said:
What happens is that I get curious about something that's brought up, and look for more information for my own understanding, then post it as a way to increase the collective knowledge (and it can then be easily found later with a forum search).

S.T.
"Providing quality content since 2010." :D
Click to expand...

I find myself doing that on hundreds of topics just for personal knowledge. I wish I was as good as you about sharing it in so concise of manner. The internet is wonderful.
 
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Found these two by accident. The big one is marked "Solanus 3 1/2." Never heard of Solanus. Anyone have any info?

The little hatchet head has a unique edge. Never seen one like it either.

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Yeah, I saw that. Wish there was more info though. Surprisingly little info on a simple Google search....
 
This is a 2 1/2 lb HB cruiser from Klammer here on the forums. My small kitchen scale says 2lbs 14 & 7/8oz. I have some older HB hatchet and boy’s axe heads but hadn’t come across a cruiser.
It’s a cute little thing.

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(It’s straight, my table is not…)
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Yea, that's nice. I can't recall seeing many swede cruisers at all for that matter, 2 that come to mind (both Sater Bankos).
 
Met an old man at an outdoor flea market today. Asked if he had any axes and he didn't have any at his booth but said He did at home. So I drove him home and picked up this along with several other pieces. He found this double laying in the attic of an abandoned house. It always helps to ask for axes.
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rockman0 said:
Met an old man at an outdoor flea market today. Asked if he had any axes and he didn't have any at his booth but said He did at home. So I drove him home and picked up this along with several other pieces. He found this double laying in the attic of an abandoned house. It always helps to ask for axes.
vb2bEO6.jpg

jttIgy2.jpg

cSSAHHf.jpg
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That's a beauty, rockman! Looks brand new with full bits.
 
rockman0 said:
I may be wrong but I don't think it's ever been hafted.
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There's a lot of good axes around from some great makers, near and far. I love them all! But, if I could only pick one axe to do all and get me through the rest of my life, that's the one I would pick. Nothing as sweet as a Kelly Perfect double bit with phantom bevels! Yes, I'm biased, just had too much experience with them.:)
 
Rockman, that was worth the drive. Great looking finds.

"Old man's stash" - Said that aloud a couple of times and liked it:thumbup:
 
quinton said:
There's a lot of good axes around from some great makers, near and far. I love them all! But, if I could only pick one axe to do all and get me through the rest of my life, that's the one I would pick. Nothing as sweet as a Kelly Perfect double bit with phantom bevels! Yes, I'm biased, just had too much experience with them.:)
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Interesting choice, A thread for "if I only could have one" would be fun, we may have one already, too tired to do a search.
 
Agent_H said:
Rockman, that was worth the drive. Great looking finds.

"Old man's stash" - Said that aloud a couple of times and liked it:thumbup:
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Haha! Well worth the drive, he only lived a mile away and found out we were both born and raised in the same state and have the same first name. Enjoyed visiting with that old timer and will go back soon just to talk.
 
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