No Temper Line

You generally won't see one unless the head has been recently etched using something like vinegar. Even then in some cases you just won't be able to make one out IME. I only have one axe that is too soft to hold an edge worth a darn and its certainly not a Kelly ;-)
 
You usually see axe bits turning dark black from the patina, but my Collins homestead didn't turn dark, just revealed a temper line. So don't worry if it doesn't turn black if you soak it ( my harbor freight hatchet showed a faint temper line without soaking, but that's not to be expected ) your axe doesn't seem to have excessive sharpening so I wouldn't worry.
 
I have noticed that some of these axes have pointed lugs and some rounded. Does anybody know if there is a date that delineates the two?
 
vcbvcbvcb said:
I have noticed that some of these axes have pointed lugs and some rounded. Does anybody know if there is a date that delineates the two?
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They are different axe patterns. Some patterns like the Rockaway have rounded lugs and others like your Jersey have pointed lugs.
 
It looks like you filed or sharpened it already, so did it work like hard steel? Or was it soft as butter? If it was hard to file, you aughtta be fine. If the entire head was made from one piece of steel and it had been through a fire, that could ruin the heat treat, and would erase any temper line. If the bit was hi carbon forge welded onto a softer body, etching would bring out a line demarking the boundary between the two kinds of metal regardless of heat treatment.
 
Round lugs have been around for a long time on American axes. Think pre civil war. Like COTS said you see them on a lot of plumbs and most true Rockaway patterns but also iron axes some with laid on steel bits from a time when steel was an expensive material. The pointed lugs I think are just a more modern look.
 
Pointed lugs have been around for a long time also. I have a american sb poll axe with pointed lugs that I know dates to 1760. How I know the date is that I was doing a restoration job on a 1760 colonial house and inside an original, undisturbed wall was this never hung axe head. I thought a lot about how it was left there. Maybe a worker was mad at the forman who brought a new axe head to the job to hang. Maybe when the forman was not looking it somehow ended up hidden in the wall for 220 year until I found it. Who knows.
 
Old Axeman said:
Pointed lugs have been around for a long time also. I have a american sb poll axe with pointed lugs that I know dates to 1760. How I know the date is that I was doing a restoration job on a 1760 colonial house and inside an original, undisturbed wall was this never hung axe head. I thought a lot about how it was left there. Maybe a worker was mad at the forman who brought a new axe head to the job to hang. Maybe when the forman was not looking it somehow ended up hidden in the wall for 220 year until I found it. Who knows.
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If you still have it I'd love to see it !!!!!!!
 
I still have it and another similar one that was in rough shape because it was in the crawl space under another colonial period house. I have hung and fixed both for users. Now, the problem of showing them to you. You might have heard, I have VERY limited computer skills. I am still a 35mm camera guy, although my wife is learning how to use a digital camera that was given to her. Frankly, I dont have a clue how to get this done.
 
Old Axeman said:
I still have it and another similar one that was in rough shape because it was in the crawl space under another colonial period house. I have hung and fixed both for users. Now, the problem of showing them to you. You might have heard, I have VERY limited computer skills. I am still a 35mm camera guy, although my wife is learning how to use a digital camera that was given to her. Frankly, I dont have a clue how to get this done.
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I might know a thing or two about using computers and the internet. And I would be highly interested in seeing these early axes as well. If you would like I have no problem helping you out with getting some images posted on here somewhere else on the forum.
 
OK, lets have a go at this. I will let you know when I have some digital photos. I would suggest a thread like this : 1750--1850 axes, hatchets and adzes, post them up". What do you think?
 
Old Axeman said:
OK, lets have a go at this. I will let you know when I have some digital photos. I would suggest a thread like this : 1750--1850 axes, hatchets and adzes, post them up". What do you think?
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I'm glad you're willing to learn this computer stuff, Bernie. I can't wait to see that axe and other treasures that only you could share!
 
Old Axeman said:
OK, lets have a go at this. I will let you know when I have some digital photos. I would suggest a thread like this : 1750--1850 axes, hatchets and adzes, post them up". What do you think?
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Perfect, I'm interested to see if anyone else has anything from that time frame either. Let me know when you have a chance to get some digital pictures and I'll try to walk you through the process one step at a time.
 
vcbvcbvcb said:
I haven't bought it yet. Does anybody see any problems?





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The poll was mashed a bit and then cleaned up but everything else looks good. The poll cleanup won't affect usefulness at all, but it can help you get a better deal than if it were perfect. So, it can help you get a great axe head at a better price. Unless that has been in a fire I can promise you that this axe head will have a great hard edge, so as long as you don't have to overpay for it then it will make a wonderful tool. Nice bit, nice eye, no chips or pits. I would try to pay $20 and maybe pay up to $30 if you really like it and pickings are slim in your area. Don't pay more than that as you can find similar on the "Bay" without having to go higher.

EDIT- taking a second look it is obvious that someone put some effort into rehabbing that head without going overboard. They did a nice job of it. They may want to make that effort worthwhile so don't be offended if the asking price is a bit higher than I mentioned.
 
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