Question about True Temper Kelly Perfects

mrgreen

mrgreen

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Dec 26, 2009
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I'm interested in vintage Kelly Perfects, specifically the double bits. What sizes were made? Anything lighter then the 3.5 lb I see so often? I'm hoping to find a lighter one and hang it on a short handle.
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
 
Hi Steve, I've been collecting Kellys for awhile and I think I have around ten Kelly Prefects. 3 or 4 of them are double bits. The most common weight you will find is a 3.5 Lb. head. It will be stamped with a 3 followed by a smaller 2. There are also a few 3 pound heads, but they are few and far between. They are stamped with only a 3 on them. I have never seen one with a 4 stamp.

Hope this helps you out.

Tom
 
Thanks for the quick response Tom.
So, 3 lbs will work for the project I'm thinking about. How short would you go on the handle. I want it to be practical, but I'm leaning more to the portable. It's not going to get heavy use, but if it's unwieldy it'll be left behind.
 
If I were you, I'd just get a 36" handle, fit it to the eye of your axe head, then cut off the handle until it feels right. Then thin it down and finish the handle.

Make sure if you buy a handle already short that it will fit the eye of your axe. 'Cruiser' axes for example have smaller eyes, and so will their handles.

Shortest full sized double bit I have is a 3.5 lb Sager on a 25" specialty haft. Use it for joggling.
 
To fit the eye of a 3.5 head, you should start with a 36" handle. As Jpeeler said, you can shorten and finish it as you want.

Tom
 
That's what I would do. Your head weight is gonna be a good bit lower, but that might be what you're really looking for. Cruisers are the axes that timber cruisers would use out in the forest to mark trees for future felling. Think a boy's axe, but double bit.
 
mrgreen said:
What is the weight on a 'Cruiser' double bit head? Is it the same weight, just a smaller eye?
Click to expand...

A Cruiser double bit weighs 2.5 Lbs on average. You will find them with 2 followed by a smaller 2 stamped on the head. A Cruiser head will be, on average 8 to 8.5 inches long. It will have an eye size of 2.25" X 5/8". Most Cruisers are a Michigan pattern. Most common handle length is 28".

A full size (Faller) Michigan pattern double bit will weigh 3.5 Lbs. and be 10"+ long. The eye will be 3" X 3/4" on average. Most common handle length is 36".

Tom
 
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