Kelly Hand Made Flea Market find

[killa_concept]

Haha me too. What will the vinegar soak do besides expose a temper line if there is one?

From the pictures you've posted, the temper line is already visible. And just based on the wear (mushrooming that has been ground off, marring on the poll, etc) it looks to be a properly tempered, vintage steel head.
Whether its an authentic Kelly production or a counterfeit made by another manufacturer, I'm not knowledgeable enough to say. The former definitely seems more likely though.

Regardless, a great score in my opinion..

 

[Square_peg]

Many modern fakes are made out of cast iron. They aren't hardened and don't show a temper line. The temper line will tell you that you at least have a real axe, whether made my Kelly or not.

 

[WVHILLS]

Here is the axe head after a 24hr soak in vinegar..is this the result I was looking for? I've never done this before







I sanded the haft and got most of the red lettering that said 25.00 off, applying coats of boiled linseed oil as I type this.

 

[WVHILLS]

After one coat of linseed oil

 

[Cajun Kamikaze]

I don't have much experience withcast iron but I can say this has the heft and feel of a real axe if that makes sense. Should I strip all the black paint off? Assuming it is black paint? I have $23 in the axe so it's not a huge loss if it turns out to be a fake, I'll just toss it in the trash. If it's a real Kelly I'm going to rehandle it and hang it in my living room :thumbup: When I worked the edge with the file it acted much like the only other axe I've ever sharpened, which was bought new at ACE hardware by a friend of mine if that helps?

I would do a clean up and then start another patina with some vinegar and lime juice.... Take some of the tool markings out and smooth it out a bit.

 

[Cajun Kamikaze]

I'm going on the record to say that it's real. Just a guess.

Pegs, I think the head was hung upside down, by the way. Which is why it has an "upturned bit". Just a guess, again.

Bingo, you nailed it.

I'd say it's real and you need to flip the head over.

I'll also say if it isn't real, who in the hell would go through the trouble to differential quench junk???? no need to answer ;-)

Edit: I take that back... Imagine it's pretty dern easy to diff quench an axe head without clay...

 

[M3mphis]

There's something weird about that temper line. Is there an inserted bit? If you look at the top or bottom you might see where the two types of steel intersect in a V shape.

That does not look like a Kelly temper line. Again, it could be a perfectly serviceable axe, but I don't think it is a real Kelly Hand Made. Just my opinion.

 

[M3mphis]

Bingo, you nailed it.

I'd say it's real and you need to flip the head over.

I'll also say if it isn't real, who in the hell would go through the trouble to differential quench junk???? no need to answer ;-)

Edit: I take that back... Imagine it's pretty dern easy to diff quench an axe head without clay...

Generally, an axe is only quenched with the bit in the quench. That's where the line comes in, not from a clay method. It would be more accurate to call it a "quench line."

 

[M3mphis]

There's something weird about that temper line. Is there an inserted bit? If you look at the top or bottom you might see where the two types of steel intersect in a V shape.

That does not look like a Kelly temper line. Again, it could be a perfectly serviceable axe, but I don't think it is a real Kelly Hand Made. Just my opinion.

Maybe not, I don't know. It has been a long time since I've used vinegar. It is interesting that after 24 hours in vinegar, there is still a patina left on the mild steel portions.

 

[WVHILLS]

There's something weird about that temper line. Is there an inserted bit? If you look at the top or bottom you might see where the two types of steel intersect in a V shapeat does not look like a Kelly temper line. Again, it could be a perfectly serviceable axe, but I don't think it is a real Kelly Hand Made. Just my opinion.

I can try and take some better pics of the top and bottom once the linseed oil is dry. I can't see anything but that doesn't mean someone elsewho knows what to look for can't. I appreciate you and everyone else taking the time to study these pics and offer your opinion btw.

 

[WVHILLS]

 

[M3mphis]

Welp, it looks like a pretty normal quench line to me now! Interesting!

 

[Twistedpair]

Some of that looks "cut" into the cheek and eye, instead of "hammered" and why would there be that many marks on the beard?
Questions, questions............. I suppose it is real, from my gut, but still have questions as to "why"?

We may never know.

 

[Square_peg]

There's something weird about that temper line. Is there an inserted bit? If you look at the top or bottom you might see where the two types of steel intersect in a V shape.

Good question.

Good answer.

That photo tells us something. Of course there's no inserted bit. It's a cast steel axe. Casting is how those raised letters were produced. Cast steel axes are made from one homogeneous hunk o'metal.
Good cast steel axes were made entirely of high carbon steel. That makes a better axe than one made from low carbon steel with a high carbon bit inserted or overlaid. But a cast steel axe can also be cast of lower carbon steel. The file knows what steel this axe is made of.

But getting back to the casting - why would Kelly cast an axe and then call it 'Hand Made'? 'Hand Made' infers forged, not cast.

 

[Twistedpair]

Early Prototype?
Sure seems to be an awful straight temper line on that one side.
Maybe the real deal, but there are too many questions to be answered before one can reap the benefits.

 

[Twistedpair]

It would take many years for that handle to shrink like that.
Was it common practice to use metal wedges back then, or was it re-hafted at some point?
Alot of that top part looks "cut" then hammered to me, but that is strictly MHO.
I have a few here that have been "hammered" extensively, and they look nothing like those marks.
If it was hammered that much, you would think there would be more "mushroom" on the poll.
Just saying.

 

[Twistedpair]

Even back then, they shaved their beard.
Handle waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off center and not shaved? WTH?:

 

[WVHILLS]

Seems as though this axe has raised more questions than most can answer lol Does anybody want to wager how old it is?? AND if this is indeed a fake, has anybody ever seen one like it? Do I have the only steel cast Kelly Hand Made around?

 

[G-pig]

Some new found sense of tentativity and doubt has come over the forum, WV.

There was clearly a lot of mushrooming that was ground off. Handle could have been installed 5 years ago for all we know-- and you mustn't forget that there were idiots in years past too, who couldn't hang an axe well to save their life.

 

[Square_peg]

Try cleaning up (filing smooth) the top or bottom of the axe head in the area of the temper line. It might still reveal an insert or overlay. A maker could cast the body of an axe and then still overlay a higher carbon bit.