• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Question about a hatchets construction

upnorth

upnorth

Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
7,038
As the rust is coming off my buried then found, angled hewing hatchet, details are being revealed. First, this thing is starting to show remnants of what was a very sharp edge at one time. It kind of surprised me to feel the still semi sharp edge. Second, I see that this piece was made from two slabs put together, a top and bottom you could say, which I find interesting. Does the two piece construction mean anything ?, does it give a rough date estimate ? Is this typical construction for an old hewing hatchet ? Did factories put them together like this, or does it strike you as a blacksmith creation ? I do not believe that it was a one piece bar that was folded back towards itself, you can see the back joining at the poll\butt.
 
Last edited:
You will often see a line down the center of the poll when the head is cast.
 
upnorth said:
As the rust is coming off my buried then found, angled hewing hatchet, details are being revealed. First, this thing is starting to show remnants of what was a very sharp edge at one time. It kind of surprised me to feel the still semi sharp edge. Second, I see that this piece was made from two slabs put together, a top and bottom you could say, which I find interesting. Does the two piece construction mean anything ?, does it give a rough date estimate ? Is this typical construction for an old hewing hatchet ? Did factories put them together like this, or does it strike you as a blacksmith creation ? I do not believe that it was a one piece bar that was folded back towards itself, you can see the back joining at the poll\butt.
Click to expand...

Please take note of the line running from the eye to the blade, top and bottom pics.




 
Last edited:
It is hard for me to see the weld line along the poll. It is possible that a smith welded 2 billets together to make a billet large enough for the head. I have never read about anyone doing it as a rule. Another possibility is that the poll cracked and was forge welded as a repair. Age??? We still have custom makers who wrap and weld. A lot of hewing axes were used in North America but solid steel heads came into vogue at the beginning of the 20th century.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top