Newbie with a lotta heads (axe and hatchet, that is)

SC T100 said:
Yep! The higher quality handles are worth it...they're only a few bucks more. And if you choose hand-picked, no lacquer they're even better (saves you sanding time), and possibly octagon, you can have a nice, raw wood handle thinned nicely to start for only a few extra dollars more per handle.
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How does one tell House to do such a thing, specifically the hand picked, no lacquer? And how much is added to the cost?
 
Either by phone, or the way I do it, online. In the comments box you can specify these types of things, and it's listed on one of the checkout pages:

Hand Picked Premium Handles $2.00
No Lacquer $.50
Octagon $1.50

I hate lacquer and extra sanding, so that $0.50 is well worth the charge, and if you want thinner handles, definitely go the octagon route...you can always sand the ridges down and end up with a vintage-style thin handle. Hand picked increase the grain pattern, etc.

I have even specified all heartwood, as I prefer the color. Great handles every time I order.
 
SC T100 said:
Either by phone, or the way I do it, online. In the comments box you can specify these types of things, and it's listed on one of the checkout pages:

Hand Picked Premium Handles $2.00
No Lacquer $.50
Octagon $1.50

I hate lacquer and extra sanding, so that $0.50 is well worth the charge, and if you want thinner handles, definitely go the octagon route...you can always sand the ridges down and end up with a vintage-style thin handle. Hand picked increase the grain pattern, etc.

I have even specified all heartwood, as I prefer the color. Great handles every time I order.
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Exactly. My experience with them has been positive as well. I'm under the impression that when you ask for no lacquer they run the handles through a machine of sorts that not only removes the lacquer but as SCT100 said, inherently makes them thinner. I placed an order with all 3 options above and the handles that came to me were great. The only thing I have noticed is that they are thinner than the octagonalized HH handles I've seen posted here.

*speculation: 1. All their handles are initially made with lacquer., 2. No lacquer option makes them a bit thinner., 3. Removing lacquer and octagonalization requires running on two different machine thus making them that much thinner.

I think my next order will include three of the same size/style of hand picked handle - 1 just hand picked, 1 no lacquer, and 1 octagonalized just to compare to the couple I still have here that were ordered with all 3 options included.

Oh, red hickory as an option- that would be heartwood, right?

They included 3 heartwood with my order that seem really quite nice after sanding and oil. Definitely not trying to open up the sapwood vs heartwood issue- they are just nice, straight grained "dark meat".
 
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I briefly mentioned another Plumb ax I found in the shed and here it is. Just used it to get rid of some long dead sassafras trees on my property and realized it needs a new handle and some spiffing up. If anyone knows the design style (I'm guessing Rockaway) please let me know. In case you can't see it, above the Plumb logo is a "3" with a superscript "2" next to it, like this: 3[SUP]2[/SUP] Maybe that will help date/identify it?

This or the Kelly Perfect will likely become my "daily driver" and the other one will be sold (to buy more heads and handles, of course).
 
Good axe, and I don;t think you can go wrong with either. I have the exact same head I believe, and it was referred to as a Rockaway, so that's what i call it. It's got great steel.
 
the 3,2 = 3-1/2lbs. Is the handle beat up badly? What little of it we can see in the pic looks salvageable. You're off to a great start so far!

I'm not a pattern expert and at one point there were so many, with such subtle features that I would never be able to tell one from the next, BUT there does seem to be this persisting "Rockaway" issue. There are/were a number of Jersey patterns, Rockaway being one of them but the rounded ears aren't the deciding feature. Plumb simply used them on their Jersey patterns. Each company called their heads X pattern, and it seems that some of them were more approximate than anything else, so that causes further confusion. But when it comes to Rockaways, it's actually really easy to tell them from your typical Jersey, and when you see one, it's obvious.

Here is a good thread. Note that a couple of them even have pointy ears.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1067877-Rockaways?highlight=rockaway+axe
 
Good post COTS...I guess those Plumbs are Jerseys after all. Just a different variation.
 
Reading this thread makes me want to find some old axes and refurb them. Great work!
 
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SC T100 said:
Good post COTS...I guess those Plumbs are Jerseys after all. Just a different variation.
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Not a big deal I guess, in fact, not something that would bother me, but it seems there is sort of a selling point to the term, and they are often sold as Rockaways, whether the seller just doesn't know or whatever. But that thread should put any doubt to rest since there are pictures of two Rockaway New Jersey made heads in it. It can't get any more definitive than that.
 
Thanks for the intel, COTS and SC. I had figured that, while there is a Rockaway in New Jersey, there is also one in Queens (made famous by the Ramone's "Rockaway Beach"). I agree with COTS that this is likely more a selling point with a hardcore collector than the casual buyer who wants a nice vintage ax. Since there really is no difference in quality, I'll keep the beater (likely the heavily pitted Kelly) and sell the looker (the Plumb).

Now I'll be humming the Ramones for the rest of the day while cleaning up that head (...rock, rock, Rockaway Beach, we can hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach...)
 
cityofthesouth said:
the 3,2 = 3-1/2lbs. Is the handle beat up badly? What little of it we can see in the pic looks salvageable. You're off to a great start so far!
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The handle wasn't too terrible, but I was constantly jamming the head back on while I was chopping down the sassafras. Maybe with more knowledge and experience I could have saved the handle, but I sawed it off and managed to find a reasonably clean True Temper handle in Home Depot that I can hang it on.

Cooler still, the last two independent hardware stores near me both stock Link handles! I almost bought a couple handles just in case a new head came along...
 
MrWunderful said:
Reading this thread makes me want to find some old axes and refurb them. Great work!
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Simply put: DO IT. Between the swell of pride you get turning a rusty lump of metal into a beautiful tool (all shiny and chrome... sorry, been watching the new Mad Max movie a little too much) and the skills you learn while doing so make it worth the effort. Plus, I get to hang out with all you fine folks!
 
ZombieDadNJ said:
The handle wasn't too terrible, but I was constantly jamming the head back on while I was chopping down the sassafras.

Cooler still, the last two independent hardware stores near me both stock Link handles! I almost bought a couple handles just in case a new head came along...
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Usually if the head is simply loose, you can re-seat the head and re-wedge it, as the wood has simply dried and shrunk. But if it was a replacement handle or badly damaged it's no biggie anyway.

Take care to inspect the Link handles, as there are differing grades, and are highly variable in quality. If they have any non-lacquered handles (usually a wax finish), those tend to be better but still need a good inspection.
 
ZombieDadNJ said:
Thanks for the intel, COTS and SC. I had figured that, while there is a Rockaway in New Jersey, there is also one in Queens (made famous by the Ramone's "Rockaway Beach"). I agree with COTS that this is likely more a selling point with a hardcore collector than the casual buyer who wants a nice vintage ax. Since there really is no difference in quality, I'll keep the beater (likely the heavily pitted Kelly) and sell the looker (the Plumb).

Now I'll be humming the Ramones for the rest of the day while cleaning up that head (...rock, rock, Rockaway Beach, we can hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach...)
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Haha, well it could very well be a beach clearing pattern. :) But the patterns were regional so a Rockaway made in Rockaway New Jersey is sort of like a pure breed and since the pattern originated there, it follows that it is a Jersey variant.
 
I too have a Plumb that is marked 3 2. I was of the presumption that this meant 3 lb 2 oz. I guess this means we'll all have to get out and weigh them!
 
SC T100 said:
Usually if the head is simply loose, you can re-seat the head and re-wedge it, as the wood has simply dried and shrunk. But if it was a replacement handle or badly damaged it's no biggie anyway.

Take care to inspect the Link handles, as there are differing grades, and are highly variable in quality. If they have any non-lacquered handles (usually a wax finish), those tend to be better but still need a good inspection.
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Any videos/tips/tricks for re-seating and re-wedging? The handle was undamaged save for the owner's initials carved into the side. Might save me some coin in the long run if I learn how to do this.
 
ZombieDadNJ said:
Any videos/tips/tricks for re-seating and re-wedging? The handle was undamaged save for the owner's initials carved into the side. Might save me some coin in the long run if I learn how to do this.
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Yep...it's really the same a hanging a new head and usually easier as all the main fitting work is done. I usually just pull the head, and then sand away any "ledge" the head may have been sitting on to create a smooth transition to the lower area of the handle shoulder. Then push the head down a bit more, flip it over, and strike the swell a few hard times with a wooden mallet. That usually seats the head well, and I'll trim any peened wood from under the head. I'll repeat this about three times until the head won't seat anymore, and drive the wedge with a little BLO. Trim it up and you should be good to go.
 
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