Maine Axes -post 'em up

[BeardedSteve]

I wish he was still alive so I could ask him more...what I know is that a friend of his worked at S&N and told him to get them at the time....that they would be closing super soon. They were not going to stamp the heads but Gramps asked them too anyway. My father has a smaller cruiser style axe that Gramps got with these 3.

 

[Operator1975]

One I got from Tom Lammond.

 

[cooperhill]

Some recents.

Spiller jersey.

Peavey axe with original handle (Oakland, ME).

E&S CT

Three diamonds brand double

 

[Operator1975]

Now those are some fine lookin axes!!

 

[Operator1975]

Some Maine axes I have. Have some others that are New England states but not Maine.

Top is Witherell, then E&S db, then E&S broad, not sure who made the Beaver Axe, and then the old Spiller nos I've had for awhile.

 

[cooperhill]

That wedge double is amazing.

I'd probably count Rixford as Maine axes.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

That wedge double is amazing.

I'd probably count Rixford as Maine axes.

...But Rixford wasn't a Maine company...

 

[Crazyotter]

Cooper, your axes are amazing. Just the fact you find users in that shape boggles me. Other than Snow and Nealleys, I just dont find much up here. My little Victory was probably my best score.

Edit: Since when was Peavey an Oakland company? Sweet!

 

[DarthTaco123]

If I remember right Peavey went to Oakland after they were in Brewer.

 

[grafton]

Cooper, your axes are amazing. Just the fact you find users in that shape boggles me. Other than Snow and Nealleys, I just dont find much up here. My little Victory was probably my best score.

Edit: Since when was Peavey an Oakland company? Sweet!

1927 to 1965

 

[cooperhill]

...But Rixford wasn't a Maine company...

Just similar in style to what was coming out of Maine. Is all I meant.

 

[graydad]

Hello , I'm new to this Forum . I'm still trying to figure things out . I wanted to post in this thread because this small LL Bean camp axe is what got me starting my small axe collection . It's from my Wife's Grandmother's Estate . They camped a lot from the 1940's through the 1960's . I believe it's from the 1950's . The original haft was broken beyond repair . This Snow & Nealley haft was my third and final hang .....

 

[grafton]

That LL Bean head is a little bit later model I think. As far as my research can tell and from the examples I have collected, the 50's and earlier heads were a different shape. I would guess 60's through 80's for that head but I am not exactly certain when they (S&N) changed the shape. There are at least 4 variations of the LL Bean Hudson Bay head, all with different shapes. The original handle would have been about 23 inches unless it was the shorter Penobscot kindling hatchet version.

 

[graydad]

Thanks grafton .

 

[Alnamvet68]

They look nice. Has S&N divulged what type of steel these new axes are made from?

1080 steel

 

[Square_peg]

1080 steel

They're crazy not to advertise that. That's better than anything else on the market. What's the source of that info?

 

[Alnamvet68]

They're crazy not to advertise that. That's better than anything else on the market. What's the source of that info?

The source is Snow & Nealley themselves, specifically, Chris, one of the son's. It was also confirmed by the midwest provider of the forgings, who's name I am not at liberty to divulge. That said, the current pamphlet/catalog should contain that info once every Snow & Nealley model offered is USA made. Currently, the Pulaski, the Splitting Maul, and the mini-maul use the forgings from China. While they haven't purchased any forgings from China in over a year, they are using up the left over stock, and are taking great pains to polish and profile these forgings in a manner that says quality (unlike the previous owners who were notorious for putting on the market finished heads that were substandard at best). In the meantime, the molds/dies for the remaining 3 models should be in service sometime this Spring.

 

[Operator1975]

Interesting indeed on SN. I have never been a fan of theirs overall, but I guess now, with more knowledge of the company thanks to the forum, that I was exposed to inferior products as they were going thru ownership changes, importing, etc etc. If they are in fact going back to all USA made from start to finish, and using 1080(I am no metal head in this regard, but looks like this is exciting) this is going to be very interesting indeed. I wish them well. I have a new HB on order, will give it a review when I get it.

 

[joshiecole]

The source is Snow & Nealley themselves, specifically, Chris, one of the son's. It was also confirmed by the midwest provider of the forgings, who's name I am not at liberty to divulge. That said, the current pamphlet/catalog should contain that info once every Snow & Nealley model offered is USA made. Currently, the Pulaski, the Splitting Maul, and the mini-maul use the forgings from China. While they haven't purchased any forgings from China in over a year, they are using up the left over stock, and are taking great pains to polish and profile these forgings in a manner that says quality (unlike the previous owners who were notorious for putting on the market finished heads that were substandard at best). In the meantime, the molds/dies for the remaining 3 models should be in service sometime this Spring.

Thanks for sharing this information. This is exactly the kind of information that I, and I'm sure many others, have been trying to find.

 

[Sweet water]

New here but been an axe junkie for awhile, I scored a nice haul a couple weeks ago, I'll post them up tonite when I get home. bunch of Maine axes and a couple that could be but they are not marked except under the heal with a weight.