New to old axes.. Help with ID/ places to start

[olybears57]

Hey guys.. I'm a 19 year old trail worker who recently has been getting really interested in Vintage axes and crosscut saws. I need some resources to start myself on this adventure! You all are a great wealth of knowledge, and I really appreciate all that you share! But I hate to pester you all every time I have a question, or need to ID an axe or saw. What should I be reading? I'm already started on An axe to grind, and saws that sing... What else can I read? Are there any other websites or forums that I need to check out?
Also, What can you guys tell me about this hatchet head? I got it for free garage saling. I think that "Flint Edge" was a Kelly trademark, not a True Temper? Did True Temper buy out Kelly at some point? If so, does that mean this hatchet isn't that old? Thanks all.

 

[jpeeler]

What do you want to know about? It sounds like you have a good start.

I would also look at Handtools for Trail Work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sZBhN4Y2kI

And These Old Cabin Logs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWDTq7AuCWc

 

[300Six]

At least you've become appreciative of the 'golden oldies'. Authenticity stamps attesting to the quality of the head are on this piece, it's not all worn out, and now you get to make/fit a new handle specifically to suit you. This is/can be the mark of becoming a conscientious and lifelong custodian of the trades.

 

[lmalterna]

www.yesteryearstools.com
is a great source of information on who made what when. Operator has numerous excellent threads here on history of different companies.

My favorites are old Collins- stamped with Hartford or Collinsville, R King, Sager and Warren. I yet to find a bad quality old Plumb.

Bill

 

[Double Ott]

True Temper acquired Kelly in late 1949 / early 1950. You'll see the TT name on all Kelly manufactured after 1950.

Tom

 

[Square_peg]

Hey guys.. I'm a 19 year old trail worker who recently has been getting really interested in Vintage axes and crosscut saws. I need some resources to start myself on this adventure! You all are a great wealth of knowledge, and I really appreciate all that you share! But I hate to pester you all every time I have a question, or need to ID an axe or saw. What should I be reading? I'm already started on An axe to grind, and saws that sing... What else can I read?


Also, What can you guys tell me about this hatchet head?

No apologies necessary! You're exactly the kind of fella we want to help out in these endeavors.

Your hatchet is called a half hatchet. It was a common tool for carpenters 50-60 years ago. Vaughan still makes and sells these (US made).

As far as reading goes, here's a few good reads.

Axe makers of North America - Allan Klenman

The Ax Book - D. Cook (lot's of good stuff but a few glaring errors as well)

http://blueandwhitecrew.org/resources/tips/sharpeningaxes.php
The whole Blue & White Crew website will be of interest to you.

The Axe Manual of Peter McLaren

An article about tie hacks - the men who used the broad to make railroad ties.
http://www.foresthistory.org/publications/FHT/FHT1997/Barnickol.pdf

Woodsmanship by Bernard Mason

Being from Olympia you'll like this:
Deadfall - by James Lemond Generations of Logging in the Pacific Northwest

Museum of Early American Tools - by Eric Sloan

And if you still get bored after those then read "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" by Alexander Weygers. It should be the bible for anyone interested in the making and repairing of old tools.

 

[Square_peg]

Oh, and as a 19 year old boy you'll probably like this..............

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[Steve Tall]

True Temper acquired Kelly in late 1949 / early 1950. You'll see the TT name on all Kelly manufactured after 1950.

Tom

Some clarifications, and it's complicated.

True Temper Kelly Perfect Axes were being advertised in 1938, as far as I know:
http://books.google.com/books?id=JQNEAAAAIAAJ&q=%22true+temper%22+axe&dq=%22true+temper%22+axe&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rAtrU42OC8n4oAS4_oH4Ag&ved=0CG4Q6AEwCQ
So, if an axe says "True Temper" it could be from as early as 1938 (or perhaps earlier?)

Here are some details of the True Temper puzzle:

Based on info from yesteryearstools.com,
If it says "Kelly Works" it's from 1930 or later.

Acquisition of Kelly Axe Mfg. Co. and Operation as Kelly Works 1930-1949+
Corporation Name Changed to True Temper 1949-1987+
from http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/American%20Fork%20%26%20Hoe%20Co..html[/QUOTE]

1949 is the year that American Fork and Hoe (owner of Kelly Axe since 1930) changed the A.F.&H. name to True Temper, BUT there were some True Temper axes out there before 1949.
Here's an ad from 1941 for True Temper axes:
http://books.google.com/books?id=iycDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA221&dq=%22true%20temper%22%20axe&pg=PA221#v=onepage&q=%22true%20temper%22%20axe&f=false

A reference to "Kelly True Temper axes" from 1939:
http://books.google.com/books?ei=6X-wU5zJPIzfoASX2oLQBA&id=z9NFAAAAYAAJ&dq=true+temper+kelly+perfect+axe&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=true+temper

American Fork & Hoe was using the True Temper brand as early as 1907:

http://books.google.com/books?id=oUDnAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22true%20temper%22%20axe&pg=PA52#v=onepage&q=%22true%20temper%22%20axe&f=false(scroll down)

 

[rjdankert]

For trail work and crosscut saws try this site:

http://www.crosscutsawyer.com/

 

[olybears57]

Thanks all. You guys are such a help. I really appreciate it!

 

[olybears57]

Hey guys.. Just started my first axe reshape/thinning. Previously I had been sharpening my axes solely with a flat ground bevel. This is my first time reprofiling an axe, and doing a convex edge. Hopefully it turns out ok. I started out with a double cut file, then went to sandpaper to "meld" the grind lines from the file.

 

[olybears57]

 

[Square_peg]

That's a good start. Do you have a means to secure your axe to a work surface or vise?

 

[olybears57]

Yes, I've been using multiple clamps to a work bench. Just took it off for a few quick pictures.

 

[olybears57]

Picked up a double bit today for free.. It's in VERY rough shape unfortunately. I think it's beyond the brink of restoring... for my skill set at least. Stamped Sager Chemical Axe 1941

 

[cmshoot]

That double bit looks like a great candidate to be ground down into a light axe or big hatchet.

 

[Square_peg]

That one's done.

Both toes are gone. It would take a ton of grinding to get them into shape assuming there's enough steel left (and it looks like there is). But the bigger problem is that the eye has been crushed closed. You'll need a blacksmith to open it up and re-heat treat that axe before it could be hung. That will cost you more than the value of the axe unless you can do that work yourself.

 

[olybears57]

Peg, That's what I was thinking... the eye on this poor double bit is toast.. Makes me wonder what the hell the previous owner did to it!?

 

[Square_peg]

People are creative when it comes to thinking up news ways to abuse an old axe. But you have to put it in perspective. It was old and probably missing its handle, essentially valueless. A problem needed solving and this old axe was the solution. It might have moved along some important piece of work.

 

[halfaxe]

Peg, That's what I was thinking... the eye on this poor double bit is toast.. Makes me wonder what the hell the previous owner did to it!?

It looks like someone used the sides of the axe as a hammer. That shortens the life of an axe considerably.