New Estate Sale and Antique Store Finds!

billoo13 · May 14, 2012

I managed to find these 2 axes for 10 bucks a piece and the hatchet was 4 bucks.

Can anyone tell me the age of the axes and any info about the hatchet would be greatly appreciated.
also if they are good axes or junk.

Here is a group photo and sorry but all the photos were from my cellphone in a basement.

This first craftsman is a little blurry sorry.

This second craftsman was from the antique store and the guy said he thinks it's from the 60's.

He is a better pic of the blade, I think it might be a hoosier style head but not sure, the top of the blade curves higher than the other Craftsman.

Here is the 4 dollar True Temper half-hatchet.

SamuraiDave · May 14, 2012

Yep, those are good ones. Older axes especially those made in the USA around the 60's and 70's are very good. They should clean up real nice.

I have a craftsman hatchet that keeps a very nice edge and is about perfect as a hatchet can get.

Square_peg · May 14, 2012

The blue/green Craftsman is probably the older and better of the two. That color was popular in the 1960's - maybe into the 70's. One thing to check is the shape of the cheeks of the axe. Your old axe has convex cheeks. That's good. I can't tell for sure but it looks like your newer one has flat cheeks. Flat cheeks are more likely to bind in the wood. Put a straight edge across the cheeks, parallel to the bit and about 2 back from the edge. Are the cheeks flat or convex? My newer Craftsman is flat.

billoo13 · May 16, 2012

Square_peg said:
The blue/green Craftsman is probably the older and better of the two. That color was popular in the 1960's - maybe into the 70's. One thing to check is the shape of the cheeks of the axe. Your old axe has convex cheeks. That's good. I can't tell for sure but it looks like your newer one has flat cheeks. Flat cheeks are more likely to bind in the wood. Put a straight edge across the cheeks, parallel to the bit and about 2 back from the edge. Are the cheeks flat or convex? My newer Craftsman is flat.

sorry but I barely know any axe terminology and have no clue what you mean by flat or convex, also no clue what you mean by parallel to the bit and about 2 back from the edge.

again I am sorry about being a noob, I will try to get better pics tomorrow.

Square_peg · May 16, 2012

billoo13 said:
....no clue what you mean by flat or convex, also no clue what you mean by parallel to the bit and about 2 back from the edge.

Sorry. This will make it more clear.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/850453-Ax-Head-Geometry?p=9628759#post9628759

Some people find that an axe with convex cheeks is less apt to stick in the wood than a flat-cheeked axe is.

billoo13 · May 17, 2012

Thanks for the link, I am going to read through it and check the axes.

scruffuk · May 17, 2012

Great head hunting!

Mistwalker · May 17, 2012

Square_peg said:
The blue/green Craftsman is probably the older and better of the two. That color was popular in the 1960's - maybe into the 70's.

My grandfather had a lawnmower that color that we were still using in the late 90s, and he'd had as long as I can remember (I was born in 65). I'd say he got his money's worth out of it after mowing 3 acres with it, plus other family yards, for thirty some odd years. My grandfather passed over a decade ago, but we still have it now and it would probably still run if cleaned up and tuned up still...but we don't use it anymore.

billoo13 · May 20, 2012

Sorry I have been a bit busy but I looked at them today and the older one appears to have a convex blade and the newer one is a flat blade.

Square_peg · May 20, 2012

Give 'em both a try and tell us what your think.

billoo13 · May 21, 2012

just curious but what do you mean by give them a try?

Square_peg · May 21, 2012

Go shop some wood. Do some bucking, splitting and/or felling. Tell us which one works best and why.

billoo13 · May 22, 2012

I have never used an axe before and there are no trees nearby that I can chop down so I can't really test them out sorry.