Northern Tool Miner's Axe - "Made in US" ?

[D2FB]

i was in a Northern Tool store today and saw a Roughneck Miner's Axe. Following is a web photo.

[/IMG]

It is a 3.5lb head on a 20 inch handle. On the axe label, it said US assembled of US and imported materials. The head included a "stamp" in the metal on one side that appeared to say "US13," similarly stamped as the "USA" on a council tool axe head. A Roughneck Camp Axe in the store had a stamp "US14."

Anyone know anything about the exact origin of materials on these? Are the heads made in the US?i would be surprised if so but not sure what the stamp means if anything.

 

[Steve Tall]

The "US14" stamp is consistent with axes made by the former Woodings-Verona plant in Falls City, Nebraska, which is now owned by Ames True Temper. The number, 14 in this case, refers to the year of manufacture. I have a Woodings-Verona axe (evidently made in 1995) that's stamped "US95". Ames True Temper purchased Woodings-Verona in 1997.

My guess is that specific Roughneck axe was made by Ames True Temper in Nebraska, but the label keeps their options open for importing the heads.

A previous thread about the True Temper axes currently made in the USA:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1023505-True-Temper-True-American

 

[D2FB]

The "US14" stamp is consistent with axes made by the former Woodings-Verona plant in Falls City, Nebraska, which is now owned by Ames True Temper. The number, 14 in this case, refers to the year of manufacture. I have a Woodings-Verona axe (evidently made in 1995) that's stamped "US95". [/URL]

Thanks for reply. Makes sense now that you mention. Thinking the mark looked familiar (and suffering from a severe case of wishful thinking), I had at first looked at some of the Council Tool axes that I have. Those, of course, are marked "USA." I did not think to look at the first axe that I ever bought (new)- a Woodings-Verona yellow fiberglass handled axe marked "US94."

 

[SC T100]

I know their hatchet looks almost identical to the Ames True Temper hatchet (different colors), and the head stamps were the same when I compared them. I agree with Steve...the heads are possibly made in the US, but their wording does make you wonder.