TT vulcan questions

[phantomknives]

so, i received a true temper vulcan today, are they the same as the kelly vulcans?
the kelly's say they're handmade and i'm wondering if the true temps are the same

 

[Steve Tall]

Reading through the True Temper 1938 catalog, it looks like all their axes were drop forged by then (even the "Hand Made" brand).

https://archive.org/stream/TrueTemperToolsCatalog1R1938/True Temper Tools Catalog 1-R 1938#page/n141/mode/1up

 

[phantomknives]

thanks steve

 

[rjdankert]

I thought it was interesting that the 1938 American Fork & Hoe Company catalog cited above includes the "Kelly Hand Made" brand:




Bob

 

[Square_peg]

Interesting that they warn about using cold axe. Last winter I was taken to task by some newbie who questioned if I needed to do that. It only takes a couple chipped axes to convince anyone.

 

[phantomknives]

it only took a rolled edge to put that fear into me, yet i still chop on knots

 

[300Six]

Interesting that they warn about using cold axe. Last winter I was taken to task by some newbie who questioned if I needed to do that. It only takes a couple chipped axes to convince anyone.

It's got to be bitter cold for this advice to warrant attention. Stuffing a -20 C or F head up into your armpit to warm it up is also gonna be a big mistake. Severe frostbite! Out in the air metal cools down pretty quick no matter what you do at such temperatures. If you're so inclined to try to chop or split stuff on really cold days then take it easy on yourself and the axe.

 

[phantomknives]

in terms of steel, how do vulcans stack up in the true temper hierarchy?

 

[Steve Tall]

in terms of steel, how do vulcans stack up in the true temper hierarchy?

The catalog shows the Vulcan (along with Kelly Perfect, Registered, Black Raven, etc.) to be "Forged High Grade Steel". There are some other brands that are instead listed (on page 139) as "Intermediate Grade" (including Woodslasher, Champion, Falls City, Duquesne, Blair's Victor). Yet, at the bottom of that page, it says that the steel used for the "Intermediate Grade" is also "high grade steel". But the handles on some intermediate grade axes are listed as No. 2.

Some of the hatchets are listed with "crucible steel" or "chrome vanadium steel".

The lowest grade seems to be what's called "Special Low Price Axes" (on page 172), which have "reliable steel". These brands include "Union Tool Co.", "Demon", and "Jim Dandy".

 

[Square_peg]

IIRC an earlier price list of Kelly axes had the Vulcan, the Flint Edge and the Black Raven all priced the same. One could extrapolate that they were of the same quality. I don't have experience using a Vulcan or a Black Raven but I know that a Flint Edge is as fine of axe as anyone would ever need.

 

[phantomknives]

thanks for the info guys

 

[garry3]

Interesting that they warn about using cold axe. Last winter I was taken to task by some newbie who questioned if I needed to do that. It only takes a couple chipped axes to convince anyone.

Folks are to quick to pass things off that have been handed down to us as dogma. Its like reinventing the wheel and having to learn everything all over again. I believe in following in the footsteps of those that went before me. When I get off that path it seems to always bite me.

 

[Agent_H]

Interesting that they warn about using cold axe. Last winter I was taken to task by some newbie who questioned if I needed to do that. It only takes a couple chipped axes to convince anyone.

There's always good times to be had around here!