Raised Cutting Edge Hatchet? Help Identify Please

W

wrenchboy

Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
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First time poster, long time enthusiast. Came across a hatchet head at a yard sale this summer which followed me home as most do, and have been trying to ID it ever since. I have searched forums such as this one and sites such as Ebay and Craigslist. Found one post that seemed to suggest that the raised lip around cutting edge indicated this was made of cast iron. Nail pulling groove was also suggestive but not conclusive to a maker. Makers marks appear to be 2 asterisks or X X on right side at hammer side, with a 3 underneath, then a backwards capital B with an underline. Weight is 1 pound 3 oz. Any info would be appreciated. Trying to figure out image posting, will post if I can. Thanks.
 
wrenchboy said:
First time poster, long time enthusiast. Came across a hatchet head at a yard sale this summer which followed me home as most do, and have been trying to ID it ever since. I have searched forums such as this one and sites such as Ebay and Craigslist. Found one post that seemed to suggest that the raised lip around cutting edge indicated this was made of cast iron. Nail pulling groove was also suggestive but not conclusive to a maker. Makers marks appear to be 2 asterisks or X X on right side at hammer side, with a 3 underneath, then a backwards capital B with an underline. Weight is 1 pound 3 oz. Any info would be appreciated. Trying to figure out image posting, will post if I can. Thanks.
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Can you post a picture ? ( upload to photobucket ...ect first )
I'm pretty sure i found a hatchet just like it at a yardsale about a month and a half ago for 1$ but didn't buy it because it appeared to be some modern piece of crap. Maybe it wasn't what I thought, was copying what you have, or yours is the exact same thing and is also junk.
Will need a picture to he sure though.
You said this thing has a hammer on it ?
 
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Tried this from photobucket,
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Here I am again looking at crap pictures on a superphone.
Anyway, it appears cast vs forged.
Its overall texture, What appears a remains of a riser in its top, (what would be odd location for evidence of drop forging)
What appears a chip off its poll, (chip of its self, is not so odd, just cant see clearly texture of the chip surface)
Then that raised edge... All adds up to cheap casting.
I wonder how a file or spark test would look like...


As a real axe, its definitely odd.
 
wrenchboy said:
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and this one

P1120603_zpsslllh40x.jpg
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That's exactly what I thought it was,and it's identical to the one I passed up with the exception of the condition ( this particular one looked pretty ). For a dollar I probably should've picked it up though as it still had it's handle and would've probably made a decent kindling splitter for my brother.
I suspect it and yours to be no older than the 80's and the quality of the Steel to be mediocre at best. If you can file test it compared to another axe of known maker / quality you may deem it worth modification and at the least spending money on a handle.
 
I've seen those before as well. No idea. Looks like it was made to get stuck, but no worries as that edge is so obtuse that it will never penetrate in the first place. ;)
 
I appreciate everybody's help, I can't argue the cheap casting and lack of finish detailing suggesting low quality. It does trouble me that they bothered to stamp it though. Most super cheap throwaways don't bother.
 
My father in law has one hanging in his garage. He bought it new about 20 years ago and it still has the labels on it. Can't remember what they say right now. Will look next time I am out there. As soon as I saw it I knew it wouldn't cut anything, not even a ripe pumpkin. He remarked that he never had any luck cutting with it. Wanna know what I think? Too bad, gonna tell you any way, I think it is a "safety" hatchet for beginners. I know the old adage that a sharp tool is a safe tool, but most suburban families haven't heard that.
 
Peck Price said:
My father in law has one hanging in his garage. He bought it new about 20 years ago and it still has the labels on it. Can't remember what they say right now. Will look next time I am out there. As soon as I saw it I knew it wouldn't cut anything, not even a ripe pumpkin. He remarked that he never had any luck cutting with it. Wanna know what I think? Too bad, gonna tell you any way, I think it is a "safety" hatchet for beginners. I know the old adage that a sharp tool is a safe tool, but most suburban families haven't heard that.
Click to expand...

Looking forward to hearing what those labels say.
 
If it is a barco industries, then maybe the steel is not totally garbage. I wonder what led the seller to believe it's a batch though ?
The one I saw at the yardsale was newer looking as it had a clear coat on the head, I also don't remember what marks it may have had.
 
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