The Ax Poll

[FortyTwoBlades]

There's an old truism to consider: "perfect is the enemy of good". This is the case with hardened polls. They are a preferred feature, for certain, but they add extra steps to the manufacturing process, even now that axes are made with whole steel construction. This necessarily increases the cost, and the unhardened poll of most axes is still hard enough to hammer the sorts of things they're likely to encounter (usually wood, plastic, or non-ferrous metals) and will survive a decent amount of work striking steel, as long as you're mindful about how the blows land, the force used, and make sure you file off any deformation that occurs. So the only axes that really need it are ones that are going to be doing frequent hammering of ferrous metals. On all others it's an upgrade, but one that's just nice to have, not by any means necessary.

 

[A17]

What are you hitting it with, how hard and how frequently? I think that most will survive light use with maybe some nicks. The really beat up ones were mostly abused by people getting them stuck while splitting and then smashing them as hard as they can with a hammer to drive them through. Over and over and over again...

Or just using them as a wedge period. I got a hatchet and a 4.5lb axe from a frind in Idaho that looked like they had been used as wedges for quite a while. The axe even had the mushrooming ground off a LONG time ago probably so it wouldn't stick in the round. Also, here's what happens when a hardened poll is used to pound rocks (though not by me). Could you imagine the liability lawsuits from the chips from the poll flying every which way? And a pic of a hard-polled GBA next to an unhardened? US dayton pattern axe that have probably done the same amount of hammering. Using a different exposure, you can see the hard polled axe is built for hitting and has thicker eye walls and a different shape so's to have a larger poll. PS. Is the other one a council? I ask that cause they're the one maker I can think of that uses a aluminum wedge and paints the head red.

 

[Square_peg]

I was under the impression that only some early large Nationals had hardened polls and that the majority of them weren't.

Plumb used the 'Dreadnaught' designation to indicate a hardened poll. Paper or foil label often lost.

 

[David Martin]

I use it to start the wedge. Then switch to the splitting maul to drive it home. Not very hard to stand the wedge up. I don't use a wedge on every round, so maybe one in five. The red one is the Council. DM

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

I use it to start the wedge. Then switch to the splitting maul to drive it home. Not very hard to stand the wedge up. I don't use a wedge on every round, so maybe one in five. The red one is the Council. DM

I know you do not want to carry a lot of tools into the woods. I do not remember if your wedges are sharpened. Maybe you can slightly grind down/flatten maul's striking surface so you can start the wedge with it.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I'm curious...why not just start the wedge with the maul, too? I've never had trouble doing so.

 

[David Martin]

My wedge is sharpened. Ok, I will use the maul to start the wedge, so I won't damage my soft axe poll. DM

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I mean, if that's what you're using to finish the job anyhow, you might as well. Less tool-changing.

 

[Square_peg]

My wedge is sharpened. Ok, I will use the maul to start the wedge, so I won't damage my soft axe poll. DM

Do whatever you like. It's your axe. And using it as you describe it will outlast you. So what's the big deal? Mushroom the poll a little over the years. File it sometimes. Whatever.
A single jack starts wedges pretty nice. And a concave bevel on a wedge makes them bite into the wood really well. Very easy to set.

 

[FLINT77]

I agree, I think you would have to beat on it pretty hard to do any real damage. that axe has lots of steel in the poll and eye.

 

[David Martin]

I have a double jack but another item to carry along. But I don't have 3 wedges. DM

 

[garry3]

Plumb used the 'Dreadnaught' designation to indicate a hardened poll. Paper or foil label often lost.

Hardened poll or just their spring temper?
30-2

 

[Slim278]

https://bladeforums.com/threads/axes-with-hardened-poll.1450405/#post-16693607

 

[Square_peg]

 

[garry3]

Well ya. We know rafting axes have hardened polls. What about the rest of the dreadnaught line?

 

[Miller '72]

I think dreadnaught was the designation of a hardened pole, the entire dreadnaught line.

Here is a connie dreadnaught from the site that sold.

 

[Square_peg]

Well ya. We know rafting axes have hardened polls. What about the rest of the dreadnaught line?

In this ad they certainly imply that it is true of the Dreadnaught line and specifically of this single bit which isn't a rafting axe.

"hard rounded poll and extra strength in the eye section..."

And they make no such claims for the All American pattern below.

I have a Dreadnaught house axe out in the garage but it's in nice shape and I don't wish to file the poll as a test. I'll have another look at it and see if there's a spot I can sacrifice for science.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

It's worth noting that they very well may have a hardened poll, but one that a file will bite into more readily than it will the bit. I seem to recall seeing a Plumb ad for hardened polls that noted that they tempered the poll back a little more so that it would resist deformation but also be less prone to chipping. Though I wouldn't put it past having been a Vaughan ad, now that I think about it. I still think it was Plumb, though.

 

[Square_peg]

And Plumb talks about 'strengthening' the eye as well so for comparison you might have to compare file tests of the Dreadnaught eye to something like an All American eye.

 

[David Martin]

Thanks Square I'll test it with a file.
Here is a photo of the poll on my splitting maul after 7 years use. So, what went awry here hard pounding on hard wood? DM