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

That Kelly "Perfect" shape- I don't even know how to describe it- a raised edge tapering toward the poll?
Does anyone know how long Kelly used that, or how many copied it how soon?
I have a Collins of unknown but not great age that has that same fluted shape, painted blue like the Kelly.
 
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M3mphis said:
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.
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how could you allow that to happen?

you should be ashamed of yourself memphis... your own brother?

send that one to operator (im sure that he would like to add that one to his collection:D) and then fix your brother up a nice one...;)
 
Operator1975 said:
So I see this and the Mann thread were pretty much a bust.
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Not at all! :D

Just picked this one up off eBay and was cruising BF for more info. Looks like I found it.

Can't wait to get a hold of it. Already have a new handle on the pile.

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Nice score I have a couple of those - and if course the phantom bevels will make your chopping experience a breeze!
 
I just got 2 kelly perfects at an antique shop today, 4 bucks each

there is more info here

I will post pictures of them when I get them cleaned up.....vinegar bath when I get home, then I got to learn how to sharpen them
 
Hi All,

I have read through this thread with great interest; not long ago I purchased a Kelly brush axe. It appears to have been well used, and I cleaned it up & painted it just to preserve it, as I do with all of my working yard tools. It also appears to have been welded at one point to get it back into service. Wondering if anyone has a guess as to the approximate age?

Thanks,
Clay
 
I found a Kelly fire axe from charleston today for 9 bucks and I haven't found any information on it or any old advertisements for it does that mean I scored? ;)
 
All but three are Kellys. One Lippincott, two Flint Edges, three Kelly Perfects, one Dynamic, one Falls City, one Vulcan, one Red Warrior. The other three are a Plumb, a Collins, and a Snow and Neally.
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A few of my Kellys.

Barco Kelly Perfect, new manufacture.



Kelly Connecticuts



Kelly Perfects



Kelly Cruisers



Kelly Perfect & 4 Lb double bits



Kelly Boys axes



Kelly The Worlds Finest



Kelly Puget Sound pattern



Thanks for looking, Tom
 
If you think everybody's favorite auction site is expensive, consider that I recently paid over $80 for a modern Snow & Neally. It's a nice axe but soft. Made in the US, but sent to China to get a handle. Shipped back and sold as Made in the USA. I like the axe but the process of sending it to China kind of bothers me. I guess axe heads make good ballast for ships. Any Kelly you can get for $80 or less is worth more than a modern axe.
 
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I thought the new S&N's were Chinese steel with an American handle? At any rate they're soft like butter - least the ones I've filed.
 
Square_peg said:
I thought the new S&N's were Chinese steel with an American handle? At any rate they're soft like butter - least the ones I've filed.
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Yeah, that's my understanding as well - that they were "assembled in the US."

They went belly up recently. Has anyone heard if the S&N name has been revived?
 
M3mphis said:
...Has anyone heard if the S&N name has been revived?
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Update on S&N from a couple months ago

From the outdoor gear forum, about Snow & Nealley's new owners, supposedly Amish and based in Smyrna, Maine:

htroyer said:
Hi guys!
I have some information for you on the status of Snow and Neilley...
I am the brother in law of one of the new owners, and visited their facility this weekend.
They bought out the previous owners, including a very limited supply of axe heads. They fully intend to have the heads American made, as they believe in the USA. They are in discussions with potential manufacturers. One problem they are running into is that the manufacturers so far are interested in much larger production runs than they can support at this time. Discussions are continuing. In the short term, because their supply was nearly exhausted, they did order one more small run of ax heads from China, and they were sitting there in boxes. They hope to have that be the only order from China.
They do the tempering and annealing in-house, as well as assembly, grinding the heads, painting, and final (lacquer) finish. Laser etching the logo into the handles is done out of state, before the handles arrive at their facility.
Regarding the website, that won't be functional, at least in the short term, and maybe (probably) never. The owners are Amish. They don't even have a fax machine, but will take phone orders.
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from
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/940662-Snow-amp-Nealley-New-Owners!/page2
 
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