What did you rehang today?

phantomknives said:
h7YMRw6.jpg

this could take a while.
i was rasping, shaving and chopping for about 2 hours today and it's almost ready to shape. i'm gonna octagonalise it.

tennessee hickory, please make them a bit thinner, i used a hatchet on this
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This turns out nice :thumbsup:
h7YMRw6.jpg
 
It's been a little bit since I refinished an axe. This was a NOS hardware store handle with an old yellowed lacquer finish. Scraped and oiled, and the head is hand sharpened with files and two Baryonyx stones (the Mutt and Arctic Fox). I love the shape of the head.
The axe is 32" long and weighs a total of 4.5lb.

IMG_20180807_080923 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081026 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081032 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081040 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081049 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081121 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081156 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081003 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
 
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jblyttle said:
It's been a little bit since I refinished an axe. This was a NOS hardware store handle with an old yellowed lacquer finish. Scraped and oiled, and the head is hand sharpened with files and two Baryonyx stones (the Mutt and Arctic Fox). I love the shape of the head.
The axe is 32" long and weighs a total of 4.5lb.

IMG_20180807_080923 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081026 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081032 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081040 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081049 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081121 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081156 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20180807_081003 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
Click to expand...
Day-uhm
 

Little half hatchet, loose handle with no wedge that I just popped right out. Refinished this for my uncle, used to belong to my grandfather.


There was some damage to the hammer portion, filed/ground most of it out.






I measured the bit before sharpening, found the angle to be 48 degrees. I assume it was because when I did the vinegar, there was no hardened steel shown. Nevertheless I brought it down to 34 degrees and it pops kindling apart with little effort.


Top of my no name michigan axe.


I tried this method without using glue for the wedge, just wet the wedge with BLO and sank it under, then soaked the head for 2 days. Saw someone mention it a few months ago, please let me know how it looks.


R.I.P. my first rehung axe. You survived so long in my grandpa's garage, to be refinished by me and given to my brother. Then, because he is dumb, he took it outside and swung it into the ground a dozen times, finally hitting a rock and taking a chunk out of the bit. I should have kept you, maybe I can get you back and fix the damage.
 
Old Axeman said:
Jasper33-great job! You mentioned your draw knife and spoke shave work. When you have to change direction with the spoke shave because of tear out you might look for a old Stanley No. 62 reversible spoke shave. As Stanley said in their 1892 catalog "This spoke shave can be worked to and from the person using it, without changing position" The No. 62 is hard to find, but worth the search. My 62 was my Grandfather's, and it and my Stearns No 13 Universal spoke shave ( it has a flexible spring bottom that allows it to cut flat, concave, or convex surfaces) are my hands down favorites of all my spoke shaves that I use.
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I’ve never seen a spoke shave like that before, interesting idea having the 2 cutting faces 90 degrees apart. I will keep my eyes open for one, thanks!
 
Steve Tall said:
There was a period of time (1985-1990) when USM /Emhart Group owned True Temper, and perhaps they contracted with Mann (owner of Collins at the time) to make axes (some of which were relabeled by Mann and shipped as Collins)? This was not long after the Kelly Works axe factory closed.

from an earlier thread, TRUE TEMPER timeline:

1982 True Temper's Kelly Works (Charleston WV) factory closed May 28
1985 Emhart Group buys True Temper from Allegheny-Ludlum
1985 USM (which was part of Emhart since 1976) is assigned True Temper trademarks including some Kelly axe brands that were later assigned to Barco (in 1987)
1987 Ownership name for True Temper trademarks changed from USM to Emhart
1987 Kelly Axe trademarks assigned to Barco Industries from Emhart
1989 Black & Decker acquires Emhart (including True Temper)
1990 USM changes name to Emhart Enterprises
1990 Huffy buys True Temper (hardware) from Black & Decker
1999 Huffy sells True Temper (hardware) to U.S. Industries (owner of Ames)

Records about the Mann company during its later years are hard to find, and the details are murky. YesteryearsTools says that "The time frame and diversity has yet to be defined but reliable information reveals that sometime in the 1970s and/or 1980s some Plumb axes were being manufactured by the Mann Edge Tool Co. of Lewistown, PA." Perhaps Mann was also making axes for other companies such as USM/ True Temper during the 1980s and 1990s?
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Thanks for the information Steve!
The axe marked USM I got from a local yard sale, and I also have a splitting maul I bought new at a local hardware store here in Ontario about 15 years ago which is marked USM 8. I cant recall how it was branded at the store when I bought it, but it would have been produced by Mann? And what does USM actually stand for? Thanks again
 
Jasper33 said:
Thanks for the information Steve!
The axe marked USM I got from a local yard sale, and I also have a splitting maul I bought new at a local hardware store here in Ontario about 15 years ago which is marked USM 8. I cant recall how it was branded at the store when I bought it, but it would have been produced by Mann? And what does USM actually stand for? Thanks again
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USM was definitely connected to the True Temper axe brands, but the connection between Mann and USM is mostly hypothetical, in my view, until more evidence is found.

USM was "the United Shoe Machinery Company, founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1899."
https://archives.lib.uconn.edu/islandora/object/20002:860139936
 
Steve Tall said:
USM was definitely connected to the True Temper axe brands, but the connection between Mann and USM is mostly hypothetical, in my view, until more evidence is found.

USM was "the United Shoe Machinery Company, founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1899."
https://archives.lib.uconn.edu/islandora/object/20002:860139936
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Thanks for taking the time to look this stuff up Steve, the detailed information you post has helped me in my researches more than once! I appreciate it!
 
Hiya folks,
Have any of you ever seen a True Temper axe without a reference to Kelly Works?... incidentally, there's no other markings you might expect to find on a TT axe (model name, country of origin, etc). However, a right above the "True Temper" logo, there's a letter number combination stamped in the head- A17. Has anyone encountered this bastard axe before? Was it a true temper design before the acquisition of Kelly?or, is there some kind of maniacal axe-forging bootlegger out there whose trying to mess with my emotions?
 
yomami said:
Hiya folks,
Have any of you ever seen a True Temper axe without a reference to Kelly Works?... incidentally, there's no other markings you might expect to find on a TT axe (model name, country of origin, etc). However, a right above the "True Temper" logo, there's a letter number combination stamped in the head- A17. Has anyone encountered this bastard axe before? Was it a true temper design before the acquisition of Kelly?or, is there some kind of maniacal axe-forging bootlegger out there whose trying to mess with my emotions?
Click to expand...
Few pictures would make it much easier. Does it have ridges inside the eye? Without a picture first thing that comes to mind is Woodslasher just before TT went paper label only route.
 
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I have one without True Temper markings. It was my first axe, hence I used it as my name.:D Post pics please, I want to see another A17 head. Oh by the way, does the stamping look kinda like these?
DSC_0136.jpg

s-l1600.jpg
 
True Temper bought the Kelly Works and made many axes with various stamps. Just because it doesn't sat 'Kelly Works' doesn't mean it wasn't made there (or it could have been made later in China). But the A17 is a production stamp of the type often seen on True Temper axes during the Kelly Works era. I'd bet it was made at Kelly Works.
 
A17 said:
I have one without True Temper markings. It was my first axe, hence I used it as my name.:D Post pics please, I want to see another A17 head. Oh by the way, does the stamping look kinda like these?
DSC_0136.jpg

s-l1600.jpg
Click to expand...
Hey, I know you! You're the guy who has sabotaged all my search engine enquiries for "True Temper A17"...I made an oath of vengence that if I ever meet you, I'll kick you square in the nuts!...huh, small world?...I kid,I kid...its nice to meet you... yes, my "A17" stamp looks similar, but it is located just above a "True Temper" logo. I'll try to upload a pic, but I'm kinda technologically challenged.... But, if you wanna message me your address I can stop by and kic...I mean I can email you a pic?
 
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crbnSteeladdict said:
Few pictures would make it much easier. Does it have ridges inside the eye? Without a picture first thing that comes to mind is Woodslasher just before TT went paper label only route.
Click to expand...
Thank you...do you mean r pointy nubs? 2 per side?...offset from each other? Yes
 
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