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

Throw an old dirty take-off handle on it and hang it up on the wall...still looks cool to me!
 
Got 4 new potential projects... Warren 4lb double bit in reasonable shape, two Collins single bits, and one very distinct patterned single bit marked with an M and the weight. Pics up in the morning
 
Is it a Jersey pattern? I have a Collins single bit with the m and weight stamp that's a jersey pattern, and from what I've heard the M means it was made by Mann edge company after they bought Collins.
 
Here you guys go. The left two are collins (though the second, larger head's stamp is much harder to read) the 3rd from the left is the one marked "M" and the 4th from the left is a Warren Old Faithful which appears to be in pretty good shape.










 
Warren is top notch stuff. That will be a fine axe once you get it tuned up and hung. I'm intrigued by the axe next to it. Looks to have a good size and weight for general axe duties. Plus it appears to have a little more convexed cheeks than the two Collins axes.
 
Peg, The warren is coming along nicely! I hauled it up trail on spike this last week to work on it. The other axe you mentioned, marked with an M, has a MUCH thicker profile and edge. It also has some pretty deep tooling marks above and below the eye. (Top and bottom faces of the axe) Also, after the vinegar bath, it was the only one of the three which didn't show its temper lines, which has me thinking it might be a newer, lesser quality axe? Any thoughts?
 
olybears57 said:
......it was the only one of the three which didn't show its temper lines, which has me thinking it might be a newer, lesser quality axe? Any thoughts?
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That's odd. There are several possible explanations.
1 - it didn't get heat treated.
2 - the whole axe head got heat treated.
3 - it's made out of some air hardening steel which doesn't require heat treating.

Take a file to it. Get under the oxidation layer and see how hard it is. Test both the bit and the poll. Then compare it to the bit of your Warren (also under the oxidation layer). If the bit is hard then don't worry about it. Oh, and the only way to do a proper file test is to have the axe head clamped firmly so you can really bear down on the file. Any axe will feel impossibly hard to file if you're trying to hold in your hand or lap.
 
It looks an awful lot like a Collins Cedar Pattern, here's an image of a Collins Legitimus Cedar pattern I found on the good ol' interwebs.
tumblr_mnft04E7lK1qfrl14o1_1280.jpg
 
olybears57 said:
Thanks, would that axe pattern be a cedar axe?
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Yes. it's a cedar axe. Does it have ribs in the eye? If it does could you post a picture of them? It does remind me of a later production Collins. It also appears to have a temper line. Just not as defined as the others.
I like the rafting pattern Collins, just a handy pattern to have.
The Warren I think is a peeling pattern. With the rounded heels and toes not much out there to damage. It's in great condition. It would be my pick of the litter by a wide margin.
 
I agree. I'm real excited about the warren. Going to use it for limping and bucking on trail (I work on a trail crew) trying to decide what length of handle I want to use. Any suggestions? As for my cedar axe, the eye is smooth.
 
Presently, no. I'll do some research. A closeup of the stamp would help too, as well as any other markings. It ALMOST looks like a Rafting axe.
 
Thanks Darth. I really appreciate it. It came from my old boss' 100 year old ranch in Olympia, WA.. Lots of logging around the area and rafts in the port, so it's definitely a possibility! The only stamp I can see is a very faded Collins stamp I believe.











 
I thought it went with out saying it was a rafting axe. Geometry will very a little from one manufacturer to another and through the years also it seems.
 
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