Vintage Plumb

[Esq1997]

Good evening-

Yesterday I picked up a 3.5 pound Plumb single bit at an antiques store for $10.00. Had a lot of rust so I soaked it in a vinegar bath for 20 hours. The rust is mostly gone and it still retains some patina. Was wondering if anyone could provide any thoughts on its age and pattern. It looks like a Michigan pattern, but I’m not sure.

This is my first full restoration attempt so any comments on the axe head’s condition would also be appreciated. Should I hit it again with a wire brush, more time in the vinegar bath? I don’t have a wire wheel or bench grinder, so this will be hand tools. Any thoughts would help.

John

 

[Esq1997]

I’m having trouble uploading pics.

 

[rwdenney]

Use an image hosting service to park the pictures, and post links to the image here.

Was the head unmounted?

Michigan patterns have a rounded poll, no lugs, a bit of sweep down from the handle to the heel, sweeps up from the handle to the toe, and both the toe and the heel are rounded. Here is a Michigan-pattern Plumb of about that size:

Here's an old catalog page from about 1970. The top head is a Dayton (squared poll, straight across the top, sharp toe and heel), and the bottom is a Jersey (really a Kentucky or some such, with lugs), and the middle one is a Michigan.

Rick "is it stamped?" Denney