Kelly Axe Mfg Co/Tool Co/Tool Works/True Temper

Steve Tall said:
... and Ames still sells axes with the True Temper name, although I suspect that most (if not all) are now imported.
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Oh, how much has changed. My brother somehow ended up with one of these True Tempers:

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The humanity!!! Words fail me on describing this piece of...

Cryin shame.
 
Great pics and info! Thanks for sharing!

I have had little luck finding anything even close to nice on my outings. The ones I find people have already messed with them, ground on them (poorly), re-hafted them (also poorly) and usually have painted them red for some reason, which hides any markings. Then they want $20-$50 for them so I keep walking.
 
Re-read this thread in looking for some other info, and remembered something else I had in the basement. Yes, Operator, they had a UK branch too.
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Here are a few hatchets from the True Temper "Dynamic" line. One "Tomahawk" and two nearly identical "Dynamic Hatchets". One hatchet is marked DH and the other DHF. The DH must be short for Dynamic Hatchet and maybe the F designates a later generation.
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I dug up some old ads from the early forties.
http://books.google.com/books?id=gC...onepage&q=dynamic hatchet true temper&f=false

It looks like the "Dynamic" product line consisted of the Dynamic hatchet, the Tomahawk, the Tommy axe, and the Super Dynamic hammer.
 
Steve Tall said:
Interesting to see in the ad how they made the distinction between "Hatchet", "Heavy Hatchet", and "Belt Axe".
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That is interesting since they must all be pretty close in weight. I'm trying to acquire the "Tommy axe" so when I do I'll be able to weigh all three. I imagine those distinctions are driven by marketing more than anything else. A man needs not only a hatchet but also a heavy hatchet and a belt axe.
 
Here's one stamped True Temper - PERFECT - Kelly Works. The bevel seems pretty steep, I'm not sure if it was designed this way or just ended up this way after years of being sharpened back. Anyone have any ideas on the bevel? I'm wondering if I need to do some file work to make this really usable again.
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Steve Tall said:
... and Ames still sells axes with the True Temper name, although I suspect that most (if not all) are now imported.
Click to expand...

Saw an Ames True Temper hatchet at a store today, it was stamped "US11", so they must still be making some of them in the USA (presumably at the former Woodings-Verona axe factory in Falls City, NE).
 
True Temper. i've run across a few of these old girls.pretty beat up most of them. used a lot for everything around the farms here in Mudzoory.
cutting ice in a pond for the cows in winter, cows like ice water??? lol

grubbing out stumps, this is always good on an axe edge. several of the bits i have have significant chunks missing from their edges.

i really appreciate the photos presented here in this thread. i did not know there were or are so many axe guys out there

thanks for posting

Collins and Plumb along with Keen Kutter are two other brands familiar in this area of the Mid-West. St. Louis and St. Joe were big hubs for the hardware trade in the old days of axe selling and outfitting
lots of Keen Kutter collectors around here.

buzz
 
True Temper Flint Edge. Connecticut pattern I think.

pre-vinegar bath and sharpening:



Cleaned up and part way thru sharpening:

 
trailmaker said:
Here's one stamped True Temper - PERFECT - Kelly Works. The bevel seems pretty steep, I'm not sure if it was designed this way or just ended up this way after years of being sharpened back. Anyone have any ideas on the bevel? I'm wondering if I need to do some file work to make this really usable again.
IMG_1940.jpg

IMG_1942.jpg

IMG_1941.jpg
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looks real good to me.
i have worked on lots worse. as long as you can chop with it, go with it.

thanks for posting

buzz
 
i guess i'll have to try some vinegar sometime.

used it to force a patina but never to clean off rust.
i have a wire wheel on the bench grinder so i use the wheel to remove surface rust.

buz
 
Thanks Buzz, that's a sensible suggestion. I'll just get this hafted and see how it performs. I'll throw some pics up when she's ready.
 
My second TT Kelly Perfect Jersey hang. Still had trouble with the lugs. Didn't carve/rasp out far enough down the handle. Tested it out a bit and seems solid. Added a few metal wedges (tsk tsk I know) for security.

original (as purchased)


cleaned up and hung.




far from perfect but that's part of learning.
 
I have a very nice Canadian pattern Kelly Mfg Co. broadaxe. It has an old handle, but I can't say it's original. It does have the correct offset though. Kelly must have been very popular around here since they are probably the most commonly found old axes here in western UP Michigan. I have no idea how many I've got.
Jim
 
Hey cooper, I have around 30 axes and not one is perfect. As long as the hang is close to parralel and the head is tight, its good enough in my book. Main thing is if you like it. I have cut plenty of handles off that just didn't feel right. I have a bucket that must have close to 25 reject handles. The old saying "its the indian not the arrow" comes to mind too, its what you can do with the axe that counts.
 
Picked up this one for under $30 on the bay. It's smallish 6 3/4" long with a 5 1/4" bit and 3.5#.







 
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