New Member, New Hobby

BaseCamp · Nov 3, 2015

Hello all, discovered this site the other week restoring an old "Lakeside" axe I found in the woods.

I had so much fun doing it i picked up a few more at a local antique store. Wanted the hatchet but there was a deal to be made so I grabbed all three of these for 20$.

Not in the best shape but they were cheap and I just really wanted some practice and to have some fun. Who knows maybe they will come out ok and I could give a few away for Christmas presents.

Don't have a picture of the hatchet right now. It actually appears to be a WW1 hatchet with some other unidentifiable markings. (I will post pictures later) Other two after soaking for a day: pardon the dirty tailgate...

And the other...

I know these don't have any markings or stamps so they will be impossible to ID but anyone have a clue about the first one. It has a "D" shaped hole at the edge of the bit.

I don't know much about axe restoration but I figured that was the point of sites like this. To learn, share and have fun!

SC T100 · Nov 3, 2015

I have one very, very similar to the bottom one. I've been told it's likely an Oakland Maine axe, so my guess is yours is, too. Check the temper line for a v-shape in the top and bottom...I'd bet a dollar or two that's a forge-welded bit. But I've been wrong before.

cityofthesouth · Nov 3, 2015

Yeah, that Jersey looks old to me. I've never seen that raised bit thing before on the other one, so I would think that could be used to ID it. I mean we see bevels all the time, and that is similar, but it's new to me ... and you'll get better knowledge from some of the other guys when it comes to IDing stuff. And whether it is something special or not, I can say with confidence that most of that axe is still there. Yeah, it's been abused and the bit is going to take some work, and you'll loose a little material in the process, but it's intact and that's always nice to see. Aaaaand I wouldn't be surprised if both are marked and the markings have been obscured in rust. You might be surprised how hard you have to look for something that seems like it should be really obvious, particularly with axes that have spent some time battling the elements.

BaseCamp · Nov 3, 2015

Thanks guys. I'm gonna soak them a bit longer and I'll take a closer look.

Here is the hatchet:

Check out the dots. Anchor? Pretty wild.

markv · Nov 3, 2015

you have some nice bits to work on.
lots of ways to get rid of crud and rust. molasses bath works good.
thanks for the photos
buzz

BaseCamp · Nov 4, 2015

Post vinegar bath and wire brush. Still no visible markings for ID on either of the axes. Maybe a "J" or "0" on the bottom of the pole of the one with the raised bit. Could be nothing. Very hard to tell. I will probably rehaft the hatchet for now, and move on to the next project.

olybears57 · Nov 4, 2015

A guess, but often axes stamped US as such were issued during WWII.. Perhaps, with the hand stamped anchor, it was a sailor's axe at some point?

BaseCamp · Nov 4, 2015

Just from some preliminary research, (and I am very very new to this type of stuff, so I could be wrong), the WW2 hatchets typically have "U.S." Followed by a date and/or manufacturer. i.e. "U.S. Plumb 1945". Where as WW1 era only had the "U.S." stamp. Mine looks identical to a couple pictures of the M1910 I have seen. Regardless I'm pretty excited about it. I wish the other two would have given me some clues.

Operator1975 · Nov 5, 2015

Nice finds. Old for sure. The US hatchet is probably from WW1, as you stated, as they usually just had the US marking on them. They were typically smaller than the WW2 hatchets as well.

Those should clean up fairly well. I know a couple guys, when they have heavily pitted axes like that, once all sharpened up, will sand the entire axe head, which creates a shiny surface, but then you get a black contrast in the pits, which can give a unique look to an old time axe like that. Not saying to do that, just what I have seen.

Hope the eyes are in good enough shape to haft, if you so choose. Good finds!

garry3 · Nov 6, 2015

It might be an 0 on the bottom of the poll to designate 1900 as a date. Just a guess and no way to know for sure but that axe may easily be that old. I have seen raised bits before but I can't remember who the manufacturer was, they where not of that vintage judging by the construction of yours.

halfaxe · Nov 6, 2015

I'm not sure if the bits were made raised like that or the weaker steel in the body of the axe corroded away faster. American Ax Co. made some raised bit axes. Anyway good save, a lot of life left in those.

BaseCamp · Nov 17, 2015

So I put a bunch of absentee bids on some old axes at a nearby auction. Only got to see what they looked like in a online video. They looked to be in really good shape so I'm interested to see what I got.

On another note, I picked up a 4x36 belt sander for pretty cheap. I thought it would come in handy for shaping up hafts and sharpening bits.

After some quick research I'm wondering if I should return it. I have a few heads that I can hone my skills on in the meantime but now I'm second guessing the purchase.

BaseCamp · Nov 17, 2015

I think my first to do is rehang the lakeside though. I didn't know what I was going at the time and after some use I want to thin out the haft and bring the head down to the shoulder.

cityofthesouth · Nov 17, 2015

BaseCamp said:
So I put a bunch of absentee bids on some old axes at a nearby auction. Only got to see what they looked like in a online video. They looked to be in really good shape so I'm interested to see what I got.

On another note, I picked up a 4x36 belt sander for pretty cheap. I thought it would come in handy for shaping up hafts and sharpening bits.

After some quick research I'm wondering if I should return it. I have a few heads that I can hone my skills on in the meantime but now I'm second guessing the purchase.

If the brand or design somehow isn't what people suggest or it gets bad reviews or whatever, maybe. But I find a belt sander infinitely useful, and not just for axes. I use mine all the time. But I use it for shaping handles and cleaning up bits plenty and wouldn't give it up for anything. Mine is a 2x42 and I frequently think a 4" belt would have been more useful - doesn't mean it really would be, but I think it sometimes.