New axe addict

[sywagon]

Thanks everyone - I've been down this kind of road enough to take my time and savor the hunt. I spend much more time looking than buying (excepting that welded Plumb) and try to compare the bit length of several examples and look for stuff with interesting history etc. that is slipping through the cracks. It is good to get some confirmation I'm not just flailing about.

Here is the one that is in the mail - the pics I have are good enough I'll go ahead and share them instead of waiting.

"JP Kelly Patented" - I posted the line drawing and 1898 patent info above but I'll move it here. I assume this would be well before True Temper and likely before American Fork & Hoe Co (1930)? The move to Charleston was in 1904 so it is after that. If anyone has any additional info on the possible age I'd be very interested. I'm leaning toward a century give or take on it.

3#14oz from the source. $20.55

 

[Square_peg]

What showed up today - Hultafors small felling axe I grabbed for $61 new, small "SWEDEN" hatchet ($20), Plumb raft hybrid "32" "patent applied for" ($20).

Great bunch of axes there.

I like 'em all.

That Swedish hatchet looks like it could do with a longer haft. Looks to have a similar weight as the Hultafors. The Plumb is awesome. I bet it becomes one of your favorites.

 

[sywagon]

Great bunch of axes there.

I like 'em all.

That Swedish hatchet looks like it could do with a longer haft. Looks to have a similar weight as the Hultafors. The Plumb is awesome. I bet it becomes one of your favorites.

I do really like that Plumb, but am somewhat more infatuated with the Kelly for some reason even though I haven't seen it.

Handles - I'm going to have a lot to do there! I was thinking the same thing on that hatchet - I'll save the handle for a hammer or something. Maybe 22"? I want several mostly in the 28-32" (32" octagon for the Plumb rafter?) range for other things. I want to make some too sooner than later. I have some locust on the property I'm planning to cut anyway, but being I'm in the Appalachians I think I'll make the effort to find some Hickory or Ash locally. I wish there was some way to dry it quickly and I'd just do it now.

Stopped by Lowe's today on the hope they had some decent AMES handles after reading you could get lucky there. All they had was 36" but after sorting through a dozen I decided to take one home. It has a "Verified Sustainable Appalachian Hardwood" seal.

 

[Bridger]

Try Ace Hardware for handles. It's a crapshoot on what kind of selection or quality they carry, but the ones in my area have house handle co. handles in stock. I've picked up a few nice ones. I was amazed to find an octagonal hammer handle for my rock hammer there. You could get lucky.

 

[Square_peg]

Handles - I'm going to have a lot to do there! I was thinking the same thing on that hatchet - I'll save the handle for a hammer or something. Maybe 22"?

Yeah, that'd be good. Maybe even 24". Make a nifty little axe.

 

[sywagon]

No luck in the hardware store, or at the old stuff store.

I have to say I'm really psyched up on these - Keen Kutter on a 35" handle. Only $10 but I should have just had him cut off the handle because it was twice that again for the shipping and it is too long and has a fine crack (not through). It was advertised as a "large axe nice" with two crappy pictures but I couldn't pass it up for the price. It appears to still be fairly long in the bit and actually seems to have relatively little abuse. There is some orange film on it like shellac or something which will have to come off (unless someone thinks that is original?). Neat profile with the high centerline and two shallows on the outsides behind the bit. I was most pleasantly surprised to find out it isn't that huge and it only comes in at ~4# with the handle.

Old square logo Plumb hewing hatchet - I looked at a lot of these and this one seemed to have the most original length and a thin bit still. A little surface rust but only a couple spots that are actually not going to clean up. The handle is loose and I'm thinking to get an offset one as I wan't to use this soon to do a fair bit of hewing.

 

[garry3]

Great, thanks!

BTW, a number of your posts were quite helpful in inspiring this addiction and very informative indeed.

Would you by chance know if that little Plumb broad hatchet is hardened (top of my second post in this thread)? It seems to have been beat on a bit but there are only a few little divots in it (I forgot to take a pic.). I was thinking, why would there be a nail puller without a hammer...? That would be pretty cool if it was.

I have a little Plumb like that, the poll is not hardened. Yours seems to have had very little use:thumbup:.
Cheers!
I don't know how that thumb down ended up up there. Didn't mean to do it and ain't smart enough to remove it.

 

[sywagon]

I have a little Plumb like that, the poll is not hardened. Yours seems to have had very little use:thumbup:.
Cheers!
I don't know how that thumb down ended up up there. Didn't mean to do it and ain't smart enough to remove it.

Ah, good to know. Thanks!

BTW it looks like a thumb up to me from here.

 

[Square_peg]

Old square logo Plumb hewing hatchet - I looked at a lot of these and this one seemed to have the most original length and a thin bit still.

That's the thing to look for - most of the original steel still there. A little rust or minor pitting don't mean squat.

 

[halfaxe]

Thanks everyone - I've been down this kind of road enough to take my time and savor the hunt. I spend much more time looking than buying (excepting that welded Plumb) and try to compare the bit length of several examples and look for stuff with interesting history etc. that is slipping through the cracks. It is good to get some confirmation I'm not just flailing about.

Here is the one that is in the mail - the pics I have are good enough I'll go ahead and share them instead of waiting.

"JP Kelly Patented" - I posted the line drawing and 1898 patent info above but I'll move it here. I assume this would be well before True Temper and likely before American Fork & Hoe Co (1930)? The move to Charleston was in 1904 so it is after that. If anyone has any additional info on the possible age I'd be very interested. I'm leaning toward a century give or take on it.

3#14oz from the source. $20.55

Good score there. I've never seen that design before. That looks like a rare one.

 

[CedarEater]

Welcome. Nice axes all around.

I have a Plumb hewing hatchet with the original straight haft. I was already making a skewed haft for another hewing hatchet when I acquired the Plumb. I like the straight haft for carving or hewing smaller material and the skewed haft for hewing bigger stuff.

That JP Kelly intrigues me. I have a no name axe with a similar, yet more subtle, bit shape. Yours has a much more distinct line where the step is. I have wondered what purpose the step serves.

Looking forward to seeing more from you.

 

[sywagon]

Good score there. I've never seen that design before. That looks like a rare one.

Thanks. I think it may be the most interesting of the lot even if it isn't the coolest one.

Welcome. Nice axes all around.

I have a Plumb hewing hatchet with the original straight haft. I was already making a skewed haft for another hewing hatchet when I acquired the Plumb. I like the straight haft for carving or hewing smaller material and the skewed haft for hewing bigger stuff.

That JP Kelly intrigues me. I have a no name axe with a similar, yet more subtle, bit shape. Yours has a much more distinct line where the step is. I have wondered what purpose the step serves.

Looking forward to seeing more from you.

Thanks, that is quite helpful. I think based on this I may do a straight handle for the little tomahawk shaped one and a skewed handle on the bigger one.

I suppose the relief is there to help make it easier to rock the axe out, like is stated for the more familiar Kelly Perfect design.

 

[sywagon]

Another one in the mail - $20

WC Kelly Charleston perfect style boy's axe - looks like the bit is pretty much all there still. 2#6oz.