Question on Collins

C

cckw

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May 24, 2008
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What about the quality of Collins axes that are 10-30 years old? I see a few around that are not new but not "vintage" either. Wondering if anyone has tested them for bit hardness.
 
I think if I remember correctly, the closer we get to present day, the better the chance Collins is in fact, foreign in nature. But as fas as steel quality, that I am unsure of.
 
I want to add this foot note. those heads floating around with the only maker mark being the letter M, and commonly has the weight stamped also. I am coming to the conclusion those are Collins. I will present my case with photos on that sometime soon.

If no one knows, I can get a Collins head that is not the nice vintage variety and see if they are heat treated by way of a vinegar soak.
 
Up until the early 2000's they were handled by the Mann Edged Tool Co. of Penn. These guys also made most of the Norlund axes people like and were a big axe maker on their own. They're usually good axes, but need edge work like most axes.
 
This "M" that you refer to, is that what you had mentioned on one of the other threads? Is that all that is on the head, "M" ?
 
Operator1975 said:
This "M" that you refer to, is that what you had mentioned on one of the other threads? Is that all that is on the head, "M" ?
Click to expand...

Yes, what i asked about previously. Typically M with the head weight and that is all. I inquired of Tom at yesteryeartools and he speculated the M to indicate it was made for a distributor or etc. because it is on the wrong side vs normal maker marks.

I have some family stuff today but late afternoon I think I can get the pictures I want to share.
 
OK, so here is my case for the M heads being Collins. These are the only two I had to use in photos today, but there is more to the conclusion then this.

Each of these handles seem pretty clearly original to the heads. And are what I call the board type. meaning they appear to have been cut from a 1x4 and the edged routered. Both have an aluminum (or zinc or whatever) wedge. Both are marked M and the head weight,although not the same size and font. And the Axe has an S also. But both are on the "wrong" side for a maker mark. Both of these have a rib down the pole. But my other examples for this conclusion did not have the rib. I had one head like the large one, but no rib and the stamping matched this hatchet.

I will cut these handles off and put them in vinegar to disclose the heat treat. I had another M marked and the heat treat was only in the first inch or less.



C1.jpg

C2.jpg

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Just another M head photographed previously
ahd1.jpg
 
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I don't know much about the M markings, but I know Collins was owned by Mann Edge Tool Co until 2003. In 2004 they were bought out by Truper Herramientas. Now their axes are of very low quality. You can see a some short notes on the history of Collins here. I would feel fairly comfortable with anything made by Mann Edge. I have a few Collins heads, what I am happy with-I have no idea what year they are (pre 2003). In fact, I feel more comfortable buying a later Collins, as some of the early Collins axes were intended only for export, and were made of intentionally lower quality. If you know a lot about the different models, it is easy to get the good ones, but I certainly do not.

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/
 
When Operator said about Stanley, It rang a bell, so checked the yesteryearstools Collins history and he has this tid-bit "That liquidation, in June of 1966, resulted in the four out-of-country manufactories being purchased by The Stanley Works of New Britain, Connecticut."

On Ross' Woodtrecker history it has several names the later axes were sold under, none of those start with "M". It could be that one of those outside the USA factories purchased by Stanley is the Mexico M maker. So it would appear on Collins, then Stanley, and some of those names on Woodtrekker history, of course depending on when the name was used. What do ya'all think?

I still plan to check the heat treat on those M heads. Not sure how soon, long work hours this week
 
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