Who made Boy Scouts of Canada axes?

C

coyote.40

Joined
Oct 27, 2014
Messages
7
Hello all, I recently restored a bunch of old axe heads my dad gave me that were from my grandfather and my great grandfather. Two Smart axes from Brockville, a Walters, a Hults Bruks,a Lion Brand hatchet and a boys axe that has Boy Scouts of Canada stamped on it. Any idea who made this and when it was made? I have not been able to find info on it.

Thanks,
Jody
 
Obviously we need lots of pictures.
I have proudly used a Brockville Smart cast frypan and one of their Dutch ovens (along with a bunch of Carleton Place Findlay skillets and fry pans) for many years but have never come across a Smart striking tool.
I was in cubs/scouts for quite a few years (all through the 1960s) but never succumbed to buying any of their officially-sanctioned stuff! Morley Walters (Walters Axe Co) was no slouch and since he already supplied the entire of the British Commonwealth (and Scouting founder Baden-Powell was a consummate Brit) with axes it wouldn't surprise me if Canuck BS (Boy Scout!) choppers were made over in Hull Quebec (which is a hop/skip/jump across the river from Ottawa, Ontario).
 
I cannot for the life of me figure out how to post photos or I would. PM me your email and I will happily share them with you.

Thanks,
Jody
 
coyote.40 said:
Nice! Thanks Steve. Where did you find that article?
Click to expand...

Words on the street is that Steve Tall worships the Gods of Axes and he knows them by their first names!
W.W.S.D?

thumbsup300px.jpg
 
JayGoliath said:
Words on the street is that Steve Tall worships the Gods of Axes and he knows them by their first names!
W.W.S.D?

thumbsup300px.jpg
Click to expand...

Gotta agree with you there!
I even have the original Canadian Weekly Aug 1965 article about Walters Axe on hand (yellowed, old and frayed too) and never thought to consult with it regarding Canuck Boy Scout tools.
 
300Six said:
Gotta agree with you there!
I even have the original Canadian Weekly Aug 1965 article about Walters Axe on hand (yellowed, old and frayed too) and never thought to consult with it regarding Canuck Boy Scout tools.
Click to expand...

Can you share that article perhaps? Thanks!
 
JayGoliath said:
Can you share that article perhaps? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Click on the Steve Tall posted link to the Montreal Gazette. Mine is from the Toronto Star August 7 1965 but Canadian Weekly was a nationally (Canada) syndicated weekend feature in many newspapers of the time.
Best shot in it is of a coffee percolator perched and bubbling away on a newly forged (and red hot) axe head just before break time.
 
I can't help you with the manufacturer, but here's a picture of a hatchet that may give someone a clue. Head is 500g (18oz).
 
Last edited:
iSaur said:
I can't help you with the manufacturer, but here's picture of a hatchet that may give someone a clue. Head is 500g (18oz).
Click to expand...

If this is the case then that head you've got is at very least 41 years old! And more likely much older (1950s?) because Baker Brothers Scrap Metal (new owners of Walters Axe in around 1970) probably couldn't have given 'a hoot in a rain barrel' about trying to promote axes once they got their hands on Ed Hamel the Walters tool & die maker and innovative general manager since 1947.
 
All Walters hatchets. It looks like the second hatchet is the same design as the scout hatchet.

DSC00934_zps3f84cf8e.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
300Six, thanks for the information. So this hatchet may have been around when I was a Scout! The provenance is unknown. I got it from a friend who was cleaning out his workshop, and he couldn't remember the source. The poll was badly mushroomed and it looked as if someone had beaten it with a rock on all sides and then tried to chop the rock in half. I've ground off the worst of the damage, and when I get around to it I'll put a handle on it. I'm thinking of a slightly longer than normal straight handle. I have never thought that a curved handle adds much to a hatchet.

Halfaxe, thanks for the picture. I think mine may be more like the hatchet on the left. It's really quite narrow. What's the overall length of the smallest one?

And coyote40, my apologies for the thread hijacking. I hope it's been of interest anyway.
 
The smallest one is stamped midget and is real small. I think the handle is only 11". I'll dig it out of the shop tomorrow and measure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top