It followed me home
- Thread starter Square_peg
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- May 3, 2013
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I hope no body is offended by it....
At first I was thinking "offended by a metal wedge?! well i guess that wood is the preferred method for a lot of folks, but whatever...." and then i looked a little bit closer at the advert. yikes! pretty damn historical, thats for sure!
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That's cool. Is there a brand name on that axe, Half?
No name, Just a number 3, I believe the small two is worn off. It's tight to a good handle so I'm just going to clean it up some.
One of my older pulp axes (pre-1960) has a metal wedge, with a mushroom head on it, identical to the one pictured above. Incidentally, a month ago I found these same wedges for sale at a Home Hardware store in Cambridge, Ontario. For sure they aren't elegant-looking but I'm guessing they are relatively easy to remove should a handle come loose or need to be replaced. For all the axes and sledges that I have come across with dozens of ad-lib nails/screws and what-have-you desperately smacked into the ends I'm thinking this is a better solution.
You might also think a thick-headed steel wedge could be used to add more weight to an undersized head.
You might also think a thick-headed steel wedge could be used to add more weight to an undersized head.
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Sometime over the summer I was down at a local metal recycling center. I asked if they had any rusty old axes and tools and stuff laying around. They showed me an area that they put that kind of stuff but there was nothing of interest that day. I have been back 3 or four times to poke around in there junk and come up with nothing. Well, nothing until today. Amongst the flat profiled rusty cheap crap I found these four heads with nice profiles and full of promise. I paid ten bucks for the lot.
At this point the one that I am most intrigued by is the one that appears to be a rafting axe with a crack running the full length of the eye. I think it might be a Collins but we will find out more after its cleaned up and bathed in vinegar.
I will be talking to my metal sculpture artist friend and see what he can do with it to repair that crack.
At this point the others will get their eyes cleaned out, treatment with the cup brush and then I will start the haft making process once again.
Persistence at the metal recycling center finally paid off. I am so happy I have me some new projects once again!
At this point the one that I am most intrigued by is the one that appears to be a rafting axe with a crack running the full length of the eye. I think it might be a Collins but we will find out more after its cleaned up and bathed in vinegar.
I will be talking to my metal sculpture artist friend and see what he can do with it to repair that crack.
At this point the others will get their eyes cleaned out, treatment with the cup brush and then I will start the haft making process once again.
Persistence at the metal recycling center finally paid off. I am so happy I have me some new projects once again!
screened porch
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I'll have to try that at my local recyclers.
Looks like those will keep you busy for a while.
Looks like those will keep you busy for a while.
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I believe that's actually a Connecticut - Daytons tend to have a longer, less wide profile. And yeah - the handle on that is definitely a goner. I'd be glad to take the head off your hands though
been meaning to add a conneticut to the collection- Joined
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Yep, the Legitimus is a Connecticut. Great find. The Norlund is a Hudson Bay style. Those are super popular now on the auction site. I'd clean it up and sell it if it were mine.
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Hell I'll buy that Connecticut legitimus.
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@Square_peg @Operator1975 -- I'm torn on both of them. I've seen the values the Tomahawk bring on eBay, but at the same time my investment is pretty small and I'd love to get her fixed up and try it out. Same with the Legitimus, though it might be heavier than I'm tempted to keep (I'm guessing it's somewhere in the mid-4s if not heavier.) I gotta admit, I love finding these things at the flea. I'm more annoyed that I can't find a vise though! Three times in a row and a bust!
sashae,
Nice Connie. Those things are hard to come by. I'd be interested in what you paid for it. That's a keeper and it looks to be pretty well cared for. The poll mushrooming should clean up easily, just don't mess with the roll stamp.
Great find!
Nice Connie. Those things are hard to come by. I'd be interested in what you paid for it. That's a keeper and it looks to be pretty well cared for. The poll mushrooming should clean up easily, just don't mess with the roll stamp.
Great find!
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Found all this at a local honey hole a week or so ago for $45. A nice kelly black raven (not the cleanest stamp, but barely any mushrooming and one of the fullest and freshest bits/blades i've seen), a great condition stanley plane, a klein tool "rope" knife ( it was totally caked it bitumen when i got it) and an amazingly clean kelly TT flint edge (jersey?).
I'll post some more once I clean them all up.
I'll post some more once I clean them all up.
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- Feb 2, 2013
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White vinegar never ceases to amaze me.
I'm planning on wire-wheeling it next to give it a 'satin' shine rather than high polishing. Pretty stoked with how it's coming out though.
Any close up pictures of the Soo Line pickaroon? More especially of the Soo Line stamp?
The Norlund looks as if it was hardly ever used! The dividing line between soft and hard sure is straight and uniform. None of the Walters I've cleaned up over the years are like that. Makes me think Norlund must have been a top flite outfit.
I read the history about these and now it doesn't surprise me I haven't seen one before. I spent an entire summer felling and clearing trees and brush with axes and Pulaskis on behalf of Gov't of Ontario, round about the same time that Norlund first went into business and Walters Axe was being wound down. These are not old implements at all (unless I qualify to be relegated into the same category). Nevertheless, they are pretty and look to be nicely machine-made, and well worth seeking out quality-wise once you realize what lavish Yuppie 'customs' and/or bargain-basement Asian-made equivalents are all about, and cost.
My flea market take today. I would love to say I got it all for 20.00 but truth is I spent 52.00 but I think it was well spent.
Trojan and Yankee racheting/reversible braces with bits, files are all USA Nicholson, Black Diamond and Cleveland File. Four in hand is Kearney & Foot. Genuine Norlund Hudson Bay hatchet head, Plumb brick hammer head and Hartwell Bros. Grey Gorge hung on new locally turned handle. Two of the Bastards and half rounds are like new.
Bill
Trojan and Yankee racheting/reversible braces with bits, files are all USA Nicholson, Black Diamond and Cleveland File. Four in hand is Kearney & Foot. Genuine Norlund Hudson Bay hatchet head, Plumb brick hammer head and Hartwell Bros. Grey Gorge hung on new locally turned handle. Two of the Bastards and half rounds are like new.
Bill
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