MANN TRUE AMERICAN double bit axe found

[randucci]

I found this MANN TRUE AMERICAN double bit axe today at the local metal scrap yard. It looks like maybe someone sand blasted it. Is there any special information to tell on these? As you can see in the edge close up pictures, the edge seems to have short cracks in it, which looks like they could be ground out. I have a couple questions:
1) Is the darker section on each end indicate where the heat treat line is?

2) I want to put a shorter handle than what I would guess it came with, something around 20-24”, anyone have suggestions on the proper style?

Thanks for any input/info.

 

[CedarEater]

Nice Mann! Looks to me like it was soaked in a rust remover. It has the look of the axe heads that I have soaked in distilled white vinegar for rust removal. Yes, the dark line is the heat treatment line.

House Handle Company has a 30" for a full size double bit eye. Maybe cut one down if you want to go shorter or shape one custom yourself?

That head should make for a very nice axe once the bit is reprofiled, sharpened and hung on whatever you land on. Enjoy it!

 

[CedarEater]

Looks like Beaver Tooth Handle Company has 20" and 24" full size double bit eye handles in stock. I don't know anything about them other than I found them with a quick search. It's a lead for you anyway. GL

 

[randucci]

Looks like Beaver Tooth Handle Company has 20" and 24" full size double bit eye handles in stock. I don't know anything about them other than I found them with a quick search. It's a lead for you anyway. GL

Thanks for looking, but I had looked at them and they are to small, the eye on the MANN is 2.85” x .670” and they are too small. The 30” one from House Handle Company would work, but if I wanted it shorter and cut it down, I would loose the flair at the end which I would like to have.

 

[rjdankert]

1949 catalog snips:

Bob

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

1949 catalog snips:

Bob

Looks like George Santos' grandfather run METCo's marketing department

 

[randucci]

What would cause the cracks in the edges like that?

 

[Square_peg]

What would cause the cracks in the edges like that?

Bad heat treat is about the only thing. It might get better as you file it back.

 

[Square_peg]

2) I want to put a shorter handle than what I would guess it came with, something around 20-24”, anyone have suggestions on the proper style?

Is this a full size or cruiser axe?

I think you'd be nuts to put a full size double bit on a 20" handle. Putting a cruiser on a 24" handle is only partly nuts.

 

[garry3]

What would cause the cracks in the edges like that?

Looks like it was sharpened on a bench grinder so probably a hollow ground rather than a convex edge. Hard to say what the bench grinder did to the heat treat and the edge was considerably weakened by rust also.

If you can get under the rust pits to good steel and file to a nice convex edge the problem will probably go away. In my experience with True Americans they tended to be heat treated pretty hard, so a good file might be required. YMMV

 

[randucci]

Is this a full size or cruiser axe?

I think you'd be nuts to put a full size double bit on a 20" handle. Putting a cruiser on a 24" handle is only partly nuts.

I'm pretty sure it is a full size (I am not that knowledgeable about axes) as it is 9 1/2" edge to edge and has a 2 7/8" x 3/4" eye. I want a shorter axe to put in my SxS as a 30"+ handle won't fit. It was hard to find a 24" handle to fit the 2 7/8" x 3/4" eye, but I have one on order that will arrive tomorrow. I'll temporarily fit is and see how it feels, if it doesn't feel right, I'll just sell it as I don't want a long handle double bit axe.

.

 

[randucci]

Looks like it was sharpened on a bench grinder so probably a hollow ground rather than a convex edge. Hard to say what the bench grinder did to the heat treat and the edge was considerably weakened by rust also.

If you can get under the rust pits to good steel and file to a nice convex edge the problem will probably go away. In my experience with True Americans they tended to be heat treated pretty hard, so a good file might be required. YMMV

I have a 2" x 72" knife maker belt grinder, so I used it to clean it up and put a convex edge on it. It looks good and is sharp again.

 

[FLINT77]

Nice find!! crazy someone went to the trouble of cleaning it up only to throw it away?

I've shortened a couple handles without losing the flair. You can just cut a segment out of the handle and then pin the flared piece back on. I thought I had a pic of it but can't find it. I cut a 36" handle down to about 26-27". Glued and pinned it back together and am confident that it will never come apart. Shouldn't be much stress on the last couple inches of the handle.

 

[CedarEater]

Looking good randucci.

I like that Idea FLINT77. Sounds like that would make for a fun project if I ever felt like doing such a thing for some reason.

 

[junkenstien]

Need to find a hatchet for the dune buggy and a 32 inch handle for that true american if your not familiar swinging axes just take something 20 inches long and hold it down against your leg when your standing up and you will see why 36 inch handles are the norm,

 

[FLINT77]

This is a 3.5 lb head on a 26" handle. That is about as short as I like to go. Not due to any perceived danger, but less than about 25/26" it becomes too short to use effectively - too short to get a full proper swing going. My preferred axe handle lengths are generally 28-32" with about 30" being my sweet spot.

Also in the pics above you can see how I shortened the handle from 36" to 26". You have to get the cut pretty straight if you want it to go back together well. I drilled out the center of each side of the cut and glued a fluted dowel in there then glued each end and tapped it together. let it dry, then sanded, etc. I'm sure it will never have a problem. Unless I use it as a pry bar or something.