Two Old Axes, Please Tell me about the differences

[Pondoro2310]

The one with a new handle was found in an old house my dad bought from a widow. No markings, my scale puts it at about 4.5 to 5.0 pounds (without the handle).

The one with the old handle says "Collins 3-1/2", is longer but not as deep from top to bottom.

Please educate me about what the different shapes and weights imply for different uses of the two axes. What styles are they?

Also I put a 36" handle on the heavier one. Would the lighter Collins axe do well with a shorter handle?

Don't ask me, "What do you intend to do with them?" The answer is, "Chop stuff." I've got some woods with dead trees and also some stumps in the garden and I've gotten interested in chopping some wood. I'll burn the results.

Seriously, if one is better for cutting trees down and one is better for splitting I will use them that way. Just tell me what they are for. I don't intend to make my living with them, just have some fun and not cut off any toes.

Thanks

 

[300Six]

I can tell you neither is them is too beat-up or worn out! And they (especially the top one) aren't European. Lots of blade left on both of them and no irreparable wear at the toe or heel. One is a chopper and the other is more for limbing and general duty (going by the size and shape of the head). So where do you find these prizes?
Not that I need another axe.

 

[Liberatus1]

I think what you have is an American felling and Hudson Bay pattern axe. That top one, the American Felling, is a big one! I would suspect it's a pretty nice axe too, the Collins you know is for sure, because I don't think they made shitty 5# axes, I'm new to this though so don't trust me quite yet. It looks like some cool axes you've come across.

 

[Pondoro2310]

The unmarked 5-pound head was found in Minnesota, could date as far back as the 30's or before, it was in an old house. The Collins 3-1/2 was bought in a junk/antique store, still has some paint so it was not left outside or used too heavily.

 

[Twoinch]

the top head is a michigan pattern ax. which is a great general purpose ax for felling, chopping, and splitting if its profiled right. yours has not been sharpened much, its mostly intact. does not look like a 5lb ax to me, seems much more like a standard 3.5 to 4lber. unless its super thick.

the second ax is a later(more recent) collins, from the period when they were taken over by some other company. it will be of lesser quality softer steel, and the profile is probably very flat and thin. it is also NOT a traditional pattern, but a more modern hardware store "utility ax".. it would be very well suited for chopping out roots in your garden if thats all you have, i would consider it an abusable, get it done, type ax on all counts.

edit - also, as you can see with the collins, when you hang an ax, you generally will seat the head all the way down to the "shoulder" of the handle. if the collins was knocked down that 1/4", it would be a good example of this. you must use a rasp to shape the handle to fit the head, so the head can be set further down, and shoulder it up. if oyu look at other pictures on this forum, you will see examples of what i mean. if you end up using this ax, the handle will get tore up pretty quick so you will have the chance to rehang it and spend a little more time fitting the head to the handle.

 

[flexo]

a top view would be usefull too,please.