Online purchase warning

Woodcraft

Woodcraft

Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
796
For anyone buying ax heads online I have noticed an uptick in heads for sale with defects. As the "yard sale" season swings into full gear lots of heads are becoming available. I have noticed sellers who have the skill and sell axes hung are also selling damaged heads not hung. I have also noticed a lot of the unhung heads are damaged in the eye or in other important areas. These experienced sellers are not making note of this and is trying to pass them off without mentioning the damage. I recommend new buyers or those with minimal experience ask someone they trust before they purchase. I would also be willing to give it a look if you know no one. This is just slimy bs. The people I am noticing doing this know exactly what they are doing.
 
That seems like a generous offer.

I haven't been burned in a while but there might be some who have - Meaning I don't see too many regular posters/members showing up consistently with axes that start me thinking I hope that was free for them or that they think they have some crazy example of one based on a marking with little to no usable "axe" left in it.

The relative price of old tools, personal preference, intended use, style, historical significance, and type of axe really is subjective. What one guy sees as unfixable, another will see as opportunity. Not everyone gets mint heads/"valuable" patterns where they live.

Things like if the head is photographed to deliberately omit/hide defects either from use, misuse, or original manufacture faults? The description says stuff like, "LQQK at this!"? Misidentified patterns/lineage/or misleading descriptions written to dupe a buyer - like not all double bits are "Cruisers" and not all ridged things are "Perfect"?

Maybe overall condition, salvageability, relative worth to price? Price is a can of worms.

Personally, I don't care how much I like an axe/tool, if the seller won't respond to questions then I wouldn't buy it. They either don't want to or don't care - both of those kind of say, "You see it, buy it or not".

Maybe you can give us an example of what you mean?

*Is the first session free? :)
 
I see this too although I have not noticed a seasonal increase. The good news is that any serious flaws are usually quite obvious. As for myself, I sell heads and rehangs. I have/find far too many heads to rehang them all so I tend to stick with the top quality heads. Everything else that is still perfectly good for rehanging I'll sell as just the head. On occasion I will sell a flawed head if it is something that the right person can deal with and I specifically note the flaw as well as picture it. I also price it accordingly.

As an aside, I think that I will be hanging fewer heads as it seems like nobody wants to pay much extra for the new handle and hand sharpening. In most cases, I can barely get the cost of the handle covered let alone my time and effort, so I'll just sell the head unless I really take a liking to the project. I have a really nice Connie that I refinished and sharpened and I have relisted it twice even though I regularly sell good Connie heads in the same price range.
 
It doesn't pay to hang axes for sale on ebay. First it increases shipping costs. And everyone figures, "what the hell, I can hang an axe", even though most ebay buyers won't do nearly the job of the more experieced hangers here on Bladeforums.

And sharpening doesn't pay either.
 
rjdankert said:
"Good used condition and offered with no reserve !!"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-SPI...375647?hash=item3ae7b3121f:g:nHoAAOSwgv5ZRCAd




Bob
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Oh my... That one does look to have been "Spilled"

I have a bathroom door that won't stay open due to settling...

*I'm secretly watching it to make sure I don't get outbid...

uUNR0Rp.gif


C'mon, that's nothing a little file work and elbow grease can't....... make worse lol.
 
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Square_peg said:
It doesn't pay to hang axes for sale on ebay. First it increases shipping costs. And everyone figures, "what the hell, I can hang an axe", even though most ebay buyers won't do nearly the job of the more experienced hangers here on Bladeforums.

And sharpening doesn't pay either.
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I haven't sold an axe online bigger than a hatchet (and that is here on the forums) but I am beginning to believe Square_peg's statement is true. (how to package a full-size axe and the anticipated cost might be a good thread). For me, trades and real cost value sales with forum members happen off-site for the most part.

The time I personally spend on something is only valued by someone who has done it - and that means they can do it if they chose to. With the same result? Maybe.

Local sales for fully set up stuff - and even then most guys want a Bi-Mart (insert box store) boy's axe in the end... or else to buy a really nice vintage axe at that same price.

There was a good "Axe Stories" thread that might be a better venue for some of what I might have to recount in that area.

Interesting to think about at least.

If you want opinions on things, this does seem to be the place. :thumbsup:
 
Agent_H said:
(how to package a full-size axe and the anticipated cost might be a good thread)
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I have that down to a science and it's not hard. Cardboard and duct tape. Maybe one day I'll post pics on my method. Anyway, I ship USPS Priority, and cost for the average axe runs $10-25 depending on where you are. Average seems to be about $15. Most heads fit in a $7.15 flat rate box.
 
jblyttle said:
I have that down to a science and it's not hard. Cardboard and duct tape. Maybe one day I'll post pics on my method. Anyway, I ship USPS Priority, and cost for the average axe runs $10-25 depending on where you are. Average seems to be about $15. Most heads fit in a $7.15 flat rate box.
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Exactly. First I cover the bit with blue painters tape and then a layer of duct tape. The blue tape just keeps the residue from the duct tape off the axe. Then fold it in cardboard and wrap it with heavy duty duct tape. I've never had a complaint. Only good hangs of quality axes make sense to ship.
 
I have sold a few that had hafts so nice I just couldn't bring myself to split them, but I have little doubt I would have done better just sawing them off.
 
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