New Guy With Old Axe

R

RCF

Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Messages
7
New here but an old axe collector and restorer. I like to hang old double bit axes I find at junk stores and garage sales. Well a friend came to the farm yesterday with a broad axe his grandfather found out in the bush in Alaska. It first thought I thought I would start making a new handle but when cleaning it up I found USFS and CCC stamper or cut into the handle and CCC and FS stamped into both side of the axe head. A wire cup brush cleaned off the rust and there is a faint marking on the blade. I have tried making a rubbing but cannot make out the words under the line that looks like the top half of an oval. Google showed several CCC broad axes but none with an original handle. I am thinking I should just leave it as it is. What say you all?









 
A true candidate for conservation. That means stopping any deterioration and protecting it in its current state, minimal cleaning, and as much as I am against it in principle, hang this one up in the workshop. It was likely used by crews doing work on the Alaskan Highway in the depression - not this one, the last one - when the U.S. Government gave people work on infrastructure projects.
Difficult to say but I imagine it's a big one.

E.DB.
 
I am thinking a little light sanding on the handle and then some linseed oil to preserve then hand it next to the old two man crosscut saw in my workshop. I would never sell it but I wonder what it is worth.
 
If oiled I think it would turn very dark. Take a handful of shavings from the plane and give it a good rub - rub it until you generate some heat - first and see how that looks to you.
 
Hm. that's a tough one. It _looks_ like Buffalo, NY. I went through my axe book and found reference to the Francis Axe Company of said locale, circa 1900. They became part of the American Axe and Tool company but it's unclear whether they came out of it afterwards. If you can find a copy of axe makers of north america look on page 25 for the axe from them. They use an oval logo too. Can't say for sure, but it might be something.
Oh yeah: nice axe :-)
 
Thank you for your efforts, they are greatly appreciated. As I said, hanging axes has been an old hobby and something I teach to those who come stay on our farm. When you teach young people to use and axe and to split wood you get a lot of "axe murderers", folks who can take the head off an axe in no time at all. They get to learn the skill for repair. :) From there I have been gathering and restoring old axes. Found this place and it seems like a wealth of nice folks and good information. Think I will stick around.
 
That is it! Thanks. It looks like the CCC worked in Alaska until 1939 so this axe must be at least that old.
 
Operator1975 said:
L J White from NY
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. L. & I. J. White, Buffalo, NY. I recognized the stamp from a lamb splitter I recently purchased.

Cleaver3.jpg



Here's one of their catalogs.
http://www.toolemera.com/catpdf/lijwhite1905Cat.pdf
 
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