PLUMB USA FORESTRY SERVICE AXE-Masnufactured to higher standards than Normal? HELP!

R

Ripshin Lumberjack

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Sep 17, 2014
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I own a PLUMB boys axe that is a U.S.A. Forestry Service axe. Was PLUMB required to manufacture to a higher standard of quality years ago. Today, the standards are higher than the normal axe concerning the quality.

Does anyone know?

Ripshin
 
Believe the FSS axes were made to the Forest Services' specs, not sure if they're higher quality seeings as most vintage axes are of high quality.
 
All FSS (Federal Supply Service) axes were spec'd to a higher standard than was common in the industry. That doesn't necessarily mean that FSS Plumbs were any better than 'run of the mill' Plumbs though, supposing Plumb Manufacturing had high standards anyway.
Square Peg or Steve Tall are more knowledgeable on this than I am and will probably expound on this better.
 
Forest Service spec axes were held to the following standards:

3.2.1.1 Steel composition. The tool head of each type of ax shall be forged from fully killed plain carbon AISI/
SAE steel containing 0.72 to 0.93 percent carbon, 0.30 to 0.90 percent manganese, not more than 0.040
percent phosphorus, and not more than 0.050 percent sulfur. Steel composition of the head shall be deter-
mined as specified in 4.5.1.1.
3.2.1.2 Hardness. The ax bit shall have a hardness of 54 to 58 inclusive on the Rockwell C scale. This
hardness shall extend to a distance of 1-1/4 inches ±1/4 inch back from the cutting edge. Within 1 inch of the
eye of the tool, the steel hardness shall not exceed 45 on the Rockwell C scale. All hardness values shall be
determined as specified in 4.5.1.2. The specified hardness shall extend through the entire thickness of the
tool head steel.

Full document here:
http://cedarriverforge.com/Photo-index/axephotos/Forest Service Axe Specs - 5100_9D.pdf

For comparison, Gransfors Bruk currently makes their axes with 1055-like steel containing only .55% carbon. Council's Velvicut line uses 5160 with .60% carbon. Both good steels and both capable of reaching 54-58 RC.

So you're getting good steel with a Forest Service axe. But I don't know what Plumb's other axes were made from. Plus they had premium lines like most other axe makers.
 
Square_peg said:
Forest Service spec axes were held to the following standards:

3.2.1.1 Steel composition. The tool head of each type of ax shall be forged from fully killed plain carbon AISI/
SAE steel containing 0.72 to 0.93 percent carbon, 0.30 to 0.90 percent manganese, not more than 0.040
percent phosphorus, and not more than 0.050 percent sulfur. Steel composition of the head shall be deter-
mined as specified in 4.5.1.1.
3.2.1.2 Hardness. The ax bit shall have a hardness of 54 to 58 inclusive on the Rockwell C scale. This
hardness shall extend to a distance of 1-1/4 inches ±1/4 inch back from the cutting edge. Within 1 inch of the
eye of the tool, the steel hardness shall not exceed 45 on the Rockwell C scale. All hardness values shall be
determined as specified in 4.5.1.2. The specified hardness shall extend through the entire thickness of the
tool head steel.

Full document here:
http://cedarriverforge.com/Photo-index/axephotos/Forest Service Axe Specs - 5100_9D.pdf

For comparison, Gransfors Bruk currently makes their axes with 1055-like steel containing only .55% carbon. Council's Velvicut line uses 5160 with .60% carbon. Both good steels and both capable of reaching 54-58 RC.

So you're getting good steel with a Forest Service axe. But I don't know what Plumb's other axes were made from. Plus they had premium lines like most other axe makers.
Click to expand...

One thing that is confusing to me is that the council fss boys axe is 4140, I think. While I think that alloy is sufficient to meet fss functional requirements, it is way short in terms of compositional requirements, specifically carbon! Any idea how that got through?
 
I've heard that FSS no longer adheres to that standard. Pity. Save your old FSS axes.
 
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