Newest Aquisitions (updated Pics post 4)

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rwn2000

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Jan 6, 2003
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Picked 2 of these up at a flea market, one off eBay and the one on the right is a Cold Steel Trail Boss. The trail boss has been my beater camp axe for a few years and was in need of some TLC and a new haft.
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The left one is unmarked and feels too heavy for that short of a handle.
The second one is very small (1 pound ??) and stamped "BG". Is this a "sounding hatchet"? It is very hard; it chipped while chopping a fatwood knot off a tree in my yard.
The third one is stamped "US03" and seems to be in pretty good shape. Woodings-Verona maybe?
Another good thing about the flea market i went to is that there is an old guy there selling handles for $4.00. Doesn't matter if it is for an axe, hatchet, shovel, mattock, whatever, the price is $4.00. You have to pick through 5 or 6 to get a straight one with good grain but that's not a problem.

I saw Baileys was having a sale on Council Tools so I picked up a Hudson Bay 18" and a 2 1/2 lb boys axe from them. Grain on both hafts is very good, almost perfectly straight. They'll get the paint stripped and edges worked on this weekend (provided I get time before the temp in the shop reaches 95+ again)
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Let me know what you think.

randy
 
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Those are some nice finds.

I'm not sure anybody made hatchets just for sounding. People have always liked to see how little weight they can get away with, and Vaughan still makes an 8-ounce sportsman's axe (though they do recommend it for sounding).

How do you like that trail boss? I don't hear much about it, maybe because its something between an axe, a hatchet, and a tomahawk.

I'd let the paint wear off of those Councils myself; in the meantime there's areas that won't rust. But I'm lazy.

I'm not familiar with the BG and US03 stamps, but someone here is likely to know them.
 
scrteened porch said:
Those are some nice finds.

How do you like that trail boss? I don't hear much about it, maybe because its something between an axe, a hatchet, and a tomahawk.

I'd let the paint wear off of those Councils myself; in the meantime there's areas that won't rust. But I'm lazy.

I'm not familiar with the BG and US03 stamps, but someone here is likely to know them.
Click to expand...

The Trail Boss has been a good axe for me. I didn't take any comparison pics but the head has about the same dimensions as the Council HB. It has been my "beater" camp axe for a few years. I think the heat treat can be hit-or-miss; i've seen a few reports of broken heads. However, I have beat the snot out of this one with no major issues; it has also survived my 17 yr old son doing who knows what with it. :) Had i known that the Council HB was about teh same price, I would have opted for it since it is made in teh USA, but i dont regret buying teh Trail Boss. For $24, (gun show price), it's hard to beat.

If my wife sees that shiny red and black paint, she'll know they're new and i'll hear "did you buy another axe??!!??". if they're sanded and patina'd, then they look "old". :)
 
I got some time to work on the Council Tool Hudson Bay over the weekend. Stripped the paint, sanded the head with 180gr and 320 grit on the Bader with 8 in wheel, then hand sanded with 400 grit. I then sanded teh haft with 150 and 220, applied a little stain. How all it needs is a few coats of Danish oil and a final edge put on.
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comments are welcome

randy
 
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