Photos Looking for opinions on age of this hatchet

D

DougSkinner

Joined
Jun 26, 2019
Messages
7
New here, so please excuse me if there are protocols I haven’t figured out yet.

I’m looking for opinions on what I have here, in terms of how old this might be, and how it was made.
 
I hope you don't mind but i just moved your pictures from imgur to here. You almost had it yourself!
q0YYKXa.jpg
ve5uxW4.jpg
7DVCOhQ.jpg
9KwjYQt.jpg
EY6bsd8.jpg
h2oX96x.jpg

It's definitely an older forge welded hatchet. Looks to have an inlaid bit to me. Have you tested the steel yet? I bet you'll find it's quality. Nice piece! You going to clean it up?
 
I haven’t had anything tested. I’m just getting started figuring it out.

I’m actually considering selling it. But before I decided, or did anything with it, I wanted to know what I was dealing with. The hatchet head was found under an old farm building, and nothing else was know about it, other than it was old.
 
Last edited:
It looks like a four piece construction doesn't it? a look we get thanks to Josh's reposting so thanks for that, the eye asymmetrically wrapped, the bit with its edge steel scarf welded and welded to the blade like that and finally the poll added on also like that. An incongruous construction in that it seems intended to be used as a side axe mounted on its nicely modified hickory handle in this instance for left handed users but with the blade centered on the eye. The beauty of this particular axe in terms of using it comes from the thinness of the blade, not like these bulky buggers we see coming out of factories with the attempt to minimize the big appearance through grinding heavy bevels all the time.
 
Last edited:
It's probably about as old as the farm is, I would imagine. Probably it was used in the shaping of the structure itself, being found under it and whatnot.
 
This is wonderful information. Thank you all for everything so far. I could see a little bit of this, some I can see now that you mention it, and some, I just have to take your word for it. The handle was my father’s addition many years ago. (the left-handed part was just by accident, not knowing how these we’re used) This thing has just been sitting around the shop, seeing light use as a hatchet/hammer for quite some time.

Historically speaking, can anyone tell me rough time ranges when this type of construction was seen?
 
Could be from early 1800's to early 1900's. I know some companies still used inlaid bits into the early twentieth century. The 4 piece construction tends to make me think latter 1800's. Like 1880. Just a guess though. How old is the barn do you know? That was a very good point.
 
The particular barn where this was found dates to late 18 - early 1900s. However there is only one building on the site (still remaining, that is) which shows any hewn timbers. (assuming what this would have been used for) That is the farmhouse, which officially dates to 1860, but was built in at least 4 phases. The earliest phase has hewn beams and floor joists, and best info puts that part back as early as the mid 1700s. I didn’t assume this was that old.
 
Inserted or overlaid bit would be the question I would ask for a better date. I suspect a overlaid bit. Lots of hewing axes were steeled on the flat side but since the bit is centered on that one I think it is different. Perhaps it was purchased and sharpened by the owner as he saw fit.
 
Yankee Josh said:
Could be from early 1800's to early 1900's. I know some companies still used inlaid bits into the early twentieth century. The 4 piece construction tends to make me think latter 1800's. Like 1880. Just a guess though. How old is the barn do you know? That was a very good point.
Click to expand...

That's just what I was thinking. Latter half of the 19th century.

Eta: And lines up with at least part of the construction era.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top