Lineman's Axe

[daizee]

Figured I was safe from axe-buying if I stayed home from the flea market, but look what followed the better half home:

A Stanley "Bell System" lineman's axe.
15.75" from the peak of the haft to the other end.
4.25" cutting edge.
The head must weight 3lb+.

What on earth do they do with a hatchet this heavy? The haft appears to be original.
Anybody familiar with these things?

-Daizee

 

[roughedges]

I am about as far from an expert as I can be but I assume that the weight is so that a linesman can use it effectively when off the ground by just letting the weight of the hatchet do the work. Also, I am pretty sure that hole is meant for accepting large drivers as a type of makeshift wrench so the steel around it would have to be thicker in order to handle the torque of using it in that way. I suspect it was more commonly used as a hammer than a hatchet. That blade looks like it was designed to be blunt to me.

 

[A Visitor]

There used to be a lot of climbing, rope and pole work back in the days before wireless. First time I ever got to use peaveys , log tongs and other timber tools was in power lineman school at Sheppard AFB. I would suspect the hole was used as a wrench on square nuts or bolt heads used to bolt wood and logs together.

 

[daizee]

Apparently the hole is for a specific common bolt head - that's not surprising.
I suppose when you're up in the air you'd rather let the head do the work than swing wildly, but the bit IS thick. I'd hate to have this hanging off my belt, or have to reach really far to torque that square bolt/nut.

The poll is in surprisingly good shape, and I bet it's hardened - haven't tested it with a file or anything yet.
I love this general shape, but it would be awesome at half the mass as a general use hatchet.
Sharpened and for the right application, this would be a sweet tool. What's the best use?

 

[screened porch]

I saw my first one of those the day before yesterday. It didn't look like it had ever had an edge on it. I couldn't think of a use for it, and if I had it I would worry about sharpening into the wrench area.

 

[stalbot]

hey Daizee! I was looking up something unrelated (my little Stanley Cruiser I acquired) and stumbled across this:

http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Stanley Axes.html

Thought it might help you out. Go almost to the bottom of the page and you'll find your hatchet and the approximate date range it was made.

 

[Liam Ryan]

They use a different tool these days.

 

[A Visitor]

They use a different tool these days.

I bet they still learn the old way also. Cutting a flat on the pole to accept the crossarm , drilling with a brace.
That guy looks like he is using a battery operated driver. Whats really nice are hydraulic drivers/ drills and chain saws in the bucket- never at a loss for power or battery. Coolest thing I never got to use was a pnuematic two man chainsaw with about a five foot bar.

 

[Georg]

Figured I was safe from axe-buying if I stayed home from the flea market, but look what followed the better half home:

A Stanley "Bell System" lineman's axe.
15.75" from the peak of the haft to the other end.
4.25" cutting edge.
The head must weight 3lb+.

What on earth do they do with a hatchet this heavy? The haft appears to be original.
Anybody familiar with these things?

-Daizee

I answered this in the wrong place. My apologies. The square hole fits the heads of large lag bolt type of “ steps or rungs “ that linemen used to climb service poles. To keep kids from climbing, the linemen would use a ladder or spikes strapped to their lower legs and a belt from their waist around the pole and back. About 6-8 feet up they would screw in these bolt/steps using the square hole in the hatchet head. I’m sorry I don’t remember the technical names, I’m old.

 

[rjdankert]

 

[I'mSoSharp]

I answered this in the wrong place. My apologies. The square hole fits the heads of large lag bolt type of “ steps or rungs “ that linemen used to climb service poles. To keep kids from climbing, the linemen would use a ladder or spikes strapped to their lower legs and a belt from their waist around the pole and back. About 6-8 feet up they would screw in these bolt/steps using the square hole in the hatchet head. I’m sorry I don’t remember the technical names, I’m old.

It's an old thread but thank you for posting G Georg and welcome to the forum.

I for one didn't know the correct use for the square hole so thank you for explaining

Were you a Linesman by any chance?

.

 

[garry3]

I have often wondered about them Bell System hatchets. The last time I looked at some old downed lines every nut and screw on them was a square head, braces insulators everything. I didn't have the fore thought to check if they were all the same size though.