Maine Axes -post 'em up

Yeah nothing like "improving" a striking tool by adding moving parts! :D
 
Hi 42, Yea, I thought the same thing. While I didn't know exactly what kind of Axe it was, it just looked.....too.....problematic. Tis the reason I walked away.

Regards,
HARDBALL
 
So, I recently bought an axe (my first antique axe at that!) from a local antique dealer (Bangor area) for a whopping $8.50. I don't think the handle is it's original handle, as it doesn't extend to the top of the eye, but it works. It has a 3 lb head (marked on the left side) and what looks to be three diamonds with initials of the maker stamped on the left side as well. I'm fairly new to collecting, so have a tad bit of patience with me, but I'd really like to get a bit more info on this thing.
 
killa_concept said:
Sounds like one of those splitter axes. Neat concept but never personally used one so I can't speak to its effectiveness. The idea was that as it drove into the round, the hinges would counter-act the force and throw the wood apart. Did it look something like this? Personally, if I needed a dedicated wood splitting tool, I'd prefer a maul and some wedges - if it's anything less heavy, I'd opt for a standard axe with the last-second tilt technique and have a more functional, less gimicky tool.

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I have talked to people that loved them. Last guy was elderly and he said he could split wood with it but a maul was to heavy. Most of them I see are missing parts.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
So, I recently bought an axe (my first antique axe at that!) from a local antique dealer (Bangor area) for a whopping $8.50. I don't think the handle is it's original handle, as it doesn't extend to the top of the eye, but it works. It has a 3 lb head (marked on the left side) and what looks to be three diamonds with initials of the maker stamped on the left side as well. I'm fairly new to collecting, so have a tad bit of patience with me, but I'd really like to get a bit more info on this thing.
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TBA triple diamond. If the letters in the diamonds are "TBA", thats what you've got. Good axes, hard to find.
 
Awesome! Thanks for the speedy answers! The letters are a tad hard to see, but they are TBA. I don't have intentions of selling it...at all, but what would you say the usual prices are? Like I said, I'll get some pictures up today. It's far from pretty, and I might try to re-finish it.

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Going bear hunting in Maine in a couple of weeks. If I get a chance I will look around for a S&N axe - an old one..we will be in the wilderness so not much opportunity but if the chance presents itself I will try.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
Awesome! Thanks for the speedy answers! The letters are a tad hard to see, but they are TBA. I don't have intentions of selling it...at all, but what would you say the usual prices are? Like I said, I'll get some pictures up today. It's far from pretty, and I might try to re-finish it.
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I bought mine for 15 bucks on ebay. They aren't "worth" much-- they are worth a lot to someone who values a good geometrically sound axe. but that's not monetary worth usually.

Yours is hung on a double bit handle. I'd be inclined to re hang it on something around 30" and "straight" suited for a single bit (not a symmetrical double bit handle). 3 pounds is probably my favorite weight for an axe. I would do a thing to the head except file the bit up to snuff. Put the work into a good handle.
 
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The top axe and the middle axe have handles that I would consider "ideal" but an axe like yours, taco. The heavy poll and short bit does not really warrant any offset-- sometimes the offset can even throw the balance the opposite way and make the axe poll heavy.
 
Yeah, I'm not exactly a master carpenter, the most I've done is make handles for my 'hawks out of alders, and those have been spur of the moment things that have lasted a few days at most. If you wouldn't mind, could you tell me a bit more about the maker? I've tried googling TBA Triple Diamond to no avail. As I said, I'm fairly new, and barely 17, but I'm trying to pick up a hobby or two before I enlist into the Army.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
Yeah, I'm not exactly a master carpenter, the most I've done is make handles for my 'hawks out of alders, and those have been spur of the moment things that have lasted a few days at most. If you wouldn't mind, could you tell me a bit more about the maker? I've tried googling TBA Triple Diamond to no avail. As I said, I'm fairly new, and barely 17, but I'm trying to pick up a hobby or two before I enlist into the Army.
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There is hardly anything out there about them. I have a scythe blade made by them, an axe, and fixed up another. I *think* that they were made for a hardware company in Oakland Maine. That makes it an Oakie, and more or less one of the finest axes ever made in my opinion.
 
Awesome! I love it when things have a history, but you don't know EVERYTHING about the item, it leaves kind of a mystery around it. Thanks for all the help! I think I might leave it on it's original handle right now, and just refinish it. I'll probably go buy a hickory plank at Home Depot or Lowes sometime and get working on a handle. Hopefully it turns out better than the last bow I tried to make. Oh, one last question, is there any idea on how long the hardware company was open so I could have a rough date on the axe?
 
DarthTaco123 said:
Awesome! I love it when things have a history, but you don't know EVERYTHING about the item, it leaves kind of a mystery around it. Thanks for all the help! I think I might leave it on it's original handle right now, and just refinish it. I'll probably go buy a hickory plank at Home Depot or Lowes sometime and get working on a handle. Hopefully it turns out better than the last bow I tried to make. Oh, one last question, is there any idea on how long the hardware company was open so I could have a rough date on the axe?
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That I do not know. Most Oakies were 1920 to 1950. Is there a two digit number stamped on the bottom of the poll? that'd probably be the year it was made if it's there.
 
Nice, I just checked. Has a (what appears to be a) 30, or a 60. It's kind of faded. That was my last question, I swear haha. I'll leave you guys alone until I get another axe.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
Nice, I just checked. Has a (what appears to be a) 30, or a 60. It's kind of faded. That was my last question, I swear haha. I'll leave you guys alone until I get another axe.
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Probably 30-- 1960 would be pretty late I think. Don't worry about the questions. Nice axe.
 
Just because I love beating dead horses. A Hubbard and Blake Maine Pattern. For 10 bucks I couldn't be more pleased with the pick up. Still undecided as to what to do with the handle though, It has plenty of room to be moved down and rewedged. From what bit of research I've done, this appears to be pre-1889 when they joined American Axe and Tool Co.
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Heres whats around the house at the moment. All of the Hudson bays are snow & nealleys all 1 3/4#. The conneticut up top is an emerson and stevens made in 1936. And the small lugged head is a king axe and tool. I only own one of the Hudson bays and the emerson and stevens in this photo. The rest belong to my ole man. The katco belonged to his grandfather.

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electricfax said:
Heres whats around the house at the moment. All of the Hudson bays are snow & nealleys all 1 3/4#. The conneticut up top is an emerson and stevens made in 1936. And the small lugged head is a king axe and tool. I only own one of the Hudson bays and the emerson and stevens in this photo. The rest belong to my ole man. The katco belonged to his grandfather.

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I like the forth handle from L to R there. Good shape.
 
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