Literally dug this one up

F

FLINT77

Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
838
Just for fun

dug this axe head out of the ground in the woods in a very rural area in central VA. Not far from what looked link some stones from an old foundation. So I imagine that it might be fairly old.

pitted pretty bad, the other side is much worse. The only stamp visible is this very large number 5. The weight of the head is 3 lbs, 8oz as is, so I really doubt that it ever weighted 5 lbs, so the 5 must stand for something else. If you turn the head around, it kind of looks like an S also.

It has phantom bevels, but doesn't really look like a Kelly to me ( I have a couple of those), and also haven't seen a kelly with a big number stamp in that location.

The pattern isn't quite a Jersey either I don't think, more like a Kentucky.

Anyone ever seen a similar axe head?

 
Agree with Junkenstien. With what is missing it was likely at least 4-1/2 at one time. And axe weights were not very precise 100 years ago.
 
oh nice flint, i didnt know you were a virginian too! yeah from my point of view that's definitelly a kelly bevel, might be a blacksmith's home version though
 
Thanks guys, I guess its possible that its lost a pound of steel to the earth. the other side is pitted quite deeply. I think it was probably pitched when the toe broke off. You can tell that it was never sharpened back after it was damaged, its real blunt and jagged at the toe, but the rest of the bit is still pretty sharp.

and yup, been in VA since 1981
 
I have seen Plumbs with large number stamps similar to that that were not weights and the rounded ears are a Plumb thing. But I dunno..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top