When did Collins Change its Logo?

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1215

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Sep 25, 2015
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Yesterday I was at an uncle's house and noticed he has several 2-4# Collins Legitimus axes in amazing shape. When did Collins change their logo from the old style crown with arm/hammer to the skinny rectangle logo? His are all the newer style logo.
 
ask him if you can have one of his axes, sounds like he has plenty
all good
buzz
 
'Legitimus' was Collin's top shelf axe. Their regular line just has 'Collins' in a rectangle. I'm not sure if the Legitimus line was continued once Collins was bought out by Mann Edge Tool in 1966 but I don't think it was. Any with the Legitimus stamp will be a fine axe. Any rectangle stamps that have a high centerline are probably OK, too. The late model flat-cheeked axes aren't so good even though many of those were U.S. made by Mann (lots of 'Homestead' axes fall in this category). Current Collins stuff - since about 2000 or 2004? - are made in Mexico and aren't worth a darn.
 
I meant the difference between my 5# with the etched crown & arm with hammer and the rectangle logo/stamp. I would assume sometime back in the 1960's it changed possibly?? All of these tools are 50+ years old (I'm assuming).
Thanks
 
According to YesteryearsTools, the Legitimus brand (crown with arm and hammer) was used from 1875 to 1966. Collins was bought by Mann in 1966, and my guess is that the simple rectangle "Collins" stamp was put into use at this point. [Edited to add: my guess was incorrect, according to a couple comments below.] Collins axes were made by Mann (in Lewistown, PA) after the takeover, between 1966 - 2003. (Truper then bought the rights to the Collins name and began making Collins axes in Mexico.)
 
Last edited:
Steve Tall said:
According to YesteryearsTools, the Legitimus brand (crown with arm and hammer) was used from 1875 to 1966. Collins was bought by Mann in 1966, and my guess is that the simple rectangle "Collins" stamp was put into use at this point. Collins axes were made by Mann (in Lewistown, PA) after the takeover, between 1966 - 2003. (Truper then bought the rights to the Collins name and began making Collins axes in Mexico.)
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Thanks! So are there any major differences in steel or quality between a Lewistown, PA Legitimus and a Canton/Collinsville, CT Legitimus?
 
1215 said:
Thanks! So are there any major differences in steel or quality between a Lewistown, PA Legitimus and a Canton/Collinsville, CT Legitimus?
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Based on the information from YesteryearsTools, it looks like the Legitimus axes were never made in Lewistown, PA. About the steel and quality differences, I'm inclined to believe that the quality was better pre-1966 because of the overall trends toward cutting corners in the manufacturing processes, but I don't have any solid evidence.
 
The Collins logo within the square was used pre 1966. Legitimus ceased when bought out by Mann in 1966. The Collins in the square logo - you have to look at your axe and you can tell if it is pre Mann or post Mann pretty easily, as there is virtually no taper to the bit, and on single bit axes the poll will appear to have the marks of where it was cut out of the form at the factory on the post Mann variety.
 
What, Operator said. The old Collins with the rectangle have a high centerline, the Mann era axes have flat bits with no taper. The old Collins had better craftsmanship too, in my opinion. On both single, and double bits, the Mann made axes look like they were sawn from the mold with virtually no attempt made to clean the heads up. The steel seems good on the newer axes, though..
 
So if it is rectangle and says Collins and Legitimus then it is still pre 1966?
 
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