Why must they do this...

[Yankee Josh]

Kelly axe and tool co. Rockaway pattern.

Made a thread for this one as I'm hoping that even though it's been beat pretty hard I can restore it so that it looks surprisingly good. And I just wanted to bitch about people smashing on the top of the eye to seat an axe. And then smashing everywhere else on it too!
Check this out...

Besides documenting (hopefully) the triumphant restoration of this axe I thought it might be a thread where you guys can post up the ones that really break your heart they were abused so badly.
And even better if you've been able, or are planning to, salvage a badly damaged axe or tool. Or if you just need to let off some steam about it!
I can't jump right in on this one due to my hand but I will definitely post up the progress here as soon as I'm able to.
Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

 

[npace]

I think a lot of it falls back to when more people were using axes they were just a tool that a lot of people didn’t think much of. They needed the tool to get the job done. These old timers probably never dreamed us youngsters would be borderline crazy about restoring and cherishing them like we do. I have a kelly perfect db that was my grandfathers that has been waiting to be hung for a while now. I haven’t been in a big hurry to finish it up as I haven’t fully decided how I want to proceed. Back when I first got interested in axes I took this head and did a vinegar bath and almost instantly regretted it. I washed away all of the patina he put on that axe. That leads to my next hang up. On the bottom side under the heel it has bang marks probably from beating it off broken handles. Normal practice would say get rid of them and blend it in. But then there would be no memories of his use upon it. I’ve thought about just putting it on a house handle but I have been leaning more toward holding out for finding a used handle fore it. I don’t know why but this axe is special to me and you can’t put that patina back on once it’s gone. So really I guess one could say patina is what you want it to be. Its crazy that I think about this axe everyday since I made that mistake. But then again I think about him everyday since he passed in 08 also. I think like I said back then they had more of a get it done attitude even if it wasn’t always the right way. An axe was an axe was an axe if you asked him. Kind of like your beater chisel. My .02

 

[phantomknives]

i'm not proud to admit i caused that on one of my heads using a cross peen trying to get it off the handle.

 

[Dusty One]

Keep us posted during your restoration !

 

[FLINT77]

I think a lot of it falls back to when more people were using axes they were just a tool that a lot of people didn’t think much of. They needed the tool to get the job done. These old timers probably never dreamed us youngsters would be borderline crazy about restoring and cherishing them like we do. I think like I said back then they had more of a get it done attitude even if it wasn’t always the right way. An axe was an axe was an axe if you asked him. Kind of like your beater chisel. My .02

yup, exactly what I was going to say. PLUS, I think a lot of people who had a ranch or farm or who cut firewood occasionally didn't / don't know the best methods for hanging an axe, and just need to get back to work asap. I can remember pounding on axes and mauls 30 years ago when a handle breaks in the middle of the one day you had to get the work done. run to the hardware store, buy a horrible handle that was way too fat everywhere and trying to get the head off the old handle and on to the new handle as quickly as possible.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Kelly axe and tool works. Rockaway pattern.

Made a thread for this one as I'm hoping that even though it's been beat pretty hard I can restore it so that it looks surprisingly good. And I just wanted to bitch about people smashing on the top of the eye to seat an axe. And then smashing everywhere else on it too!
Check this out...

Besides documenting (hopefully) the triumphant restoration of this axe I thought it might be a thread where you guys can post up the ones that really break your heart they were abused so badly.
And even better if you've been able, or are planning to, salvage a badly damaged axe or tool. Or if you just need to let off some steam about it!
I can't jump right in on this one due to my hand but I will definitely post up the progress here as soon as I'm able to.
Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

#1
I posted this McKinnon last year.

#2
This one is not mine. I believe this kind of damage occurred in the process of removing old haft.

Hammer deformation marks

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/embossed-antique-kelly-black-raven-2020903302

 

[Yankee Josh]

"why must they do this" was more of a rhetorical question. More like "ugh, why do they have to ruin axes "!!!
Expediency kills more tools than anything I feel. Just gotta get it done!

i'm not proud to admit i caused that on one of my heads using a cross peen trying to get it off the handle.

What happened? Was it early in your tool collecting? Do you have pictures?

#1
I posted this McKinnon last year.

#2
This one is not mine. I believe this kind of damage occurred in the process of removing old haft.

Hammer deformation marks

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/embossed-antique-kelly-black-raven-2020903302

That is damn sad about that McKinnon! What a shame... I can't get the photos of the raven to open for me. Can you post the photos themselves for me? I'd like to see!
So that McKinnon is yours? Were you able to save it? Sucks the stamp was ruined...
And thanks to everyone else for responding too! I've got several others that really bother me. I'll post another one up here at some point. It's an old Snow and Neally stamped clearly "our best" and it's a beautiful Dayton pattern. And someone just beat the ever lovin daylights out of it. The weld sprang apart, poll mushroomed... Horrible!

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

"why must they do this" was more of a rhetorical question. More like "ugh, why do they have to ruin axes "!!!
Expediency kills more tools than anything I feel. Just gotta get it done!

What happened? Was it early in your tool collecting? Do you have pictures?


That is damn sad about that McKinnon! What a shame... I can't get the photos of the raven to open for me. Can you post the photos themselves for me? I'd like to see!
So that McKinnon is yours? Were you able to save it? Sucks the stamp was ruined...

Not sure why you cannot see those pics.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EMBOSSED-ANTIQUE-KELLY-BLACK-RAVEN-DOUBLE-BITTED-AXE-TRUE-TEMPER-/312769926016?hash=item48d28a5380:g:7vgAAOSwpzBdfptf&nma=true&si=wTTLdVrmmoXoY4f1IkFVlutOrSg%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/embossed-antique-kelly-black-raven-2020903302

[url=https://postimg.cc/FkQpK6v5][/URL]

No I did not fix it. I actually think, as it is, it helps to tell the story how McKinnon axes were built.

 

[Yankee Josh]

Not sure why you cannot see those pics.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EMBOSSED-ANTIQUE-KELLY-BLACK-RAVEN-DOUBLE-BITTED-AXE-TRUE-TEMPER-/312769926016?hash=item48d28a5380:g:7vgAAOSwpzBdfptf&nma=true&si=wTTLdVrmmoXoY4f1IkFVlutOrSg%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/embossed-antique-kelly-black-raven-2020903302

No I did not fix it. I actually think, as it is, it helps to tell the story how McKinnon axes were built.

I'm not sure either! Usually I click and open in a new tab and they show right up. I'm getting an error message. I always use my android phone so maybe that's why?
That's either noble or amazing, possibly both, that you haven't touched that Rockaway. I don't think I could leave it alone! Ever since I saw ITVD's and flint77's McKinnon's I really want one pretty badly.

 

[jake pogg]

#2
This one is not mine. I believe this kind of damage occurred in the process of removing old haft.

I want to say(with whatever degree of certainty-not sure) that the damage to that Raven was pre-existing...That "spalling" type of fracture is not very typical for steel,it looks like some grain-enlargement issue most probably caused in the manufacturing process....

No I did not fix it. I actually think, as it is, it helps to tell the story how McKinnon axes were built.

Yes,and it's clear that it was a better,"rigth-er" built axe than that raven......
It's too bad that even such excellence in construction was exceeded...But what can one do,everything has it's limits....

 

[npace]

I posted this a while back when I got it. It’s a keen Kutter boys axe. It’s in good shape. But for some reason somebody took some type of tool to it to remove the stamp except for the R. Kind of a shame but it makes you wonder why.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

I want to say(with whatever degree of certainty-not sure) that the damage to that Raven was pre-existing...That "spalling" type of fracture is not very typical for steel,it looks like some grain-enlargement issue most probably caused in the manufacturing process....



Yes,and it's clear that it was a better,"rigth-er" built axe than that raven......
It's too bad that even such excellence in construction was exceeded...But what can one do,everything has it's limits....

A Strike Too Far. The horror story.
Imagine spending $600 for etched head and in the process of fitting new halft part of overlaid bit flakes off. Very expensive way to learn that 85 years before Kelly's employee made manufacturing error.

 

[Yankee Josh]

A Strike too far. The horror story.
Imagine spending $600 for etched head and in the process of fitting new halft part of overlaid bit flakes off. Very expensive way to learn that 85 years before Kelly's employee made manufacturing error.

Oh my God that is a horror story... Nightmare stuff that...

 

[Yankee Josh]

I thought I'd add that this Rockaway is only marked Kelly axe & tool co. which means it's pre-1930.


Pretty cool and definitely worth saving!
I'm really going stir crazy guys... My damn pointer finger is taking forever to heal. Thank goodness I've got this site to occupy some time and mental process!!
I did carefully remove the head from the helve today. Also with a large plastic glove on my left hand sanded it a little at the sink. Took awhile but was fun. The axe rings beautifully and weighs a lot more than I thought it would. I guessed just under 3lb but it weighs in at;

I figure it'll be close to 3-1/2lb by the time I'm done.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Yeah, just like today, most tool users weren't experts in their care and maintenance and considered the tool a consumable means to an end. I can't even begin to tell you of all the nightmares I come across with old scythes.

 

[flexo]

Why must they do this? to help you practice your restoration skills!

 

[FLINT77]

here is what I want to know. I've seen a few old axe heads lately with lots of hammer strikes on the SIDE of the head - around the area of the eye, but on the outside - not the top or bottom, but right on the side. I've seen this on both single and double bit axes. why. I can't think of a situation requiring a strike on the side of an axe head.

oh wait - maybe if they smash the poll so much that the eye bulges - so then smash the outside of the eye to beat it back in shape????

 

[flexo]

double post

 

[Trailsawyer]

I can't think of a situation requiring a strike on the side of an axe head.

Picture some guy trying to drive a steel "T" fence post......

 

[Square_peg]

here is what I want to know. I've seen a few old axe heads lately with lots of hammer strikes on the SIDE of the head - around the area of the eye, but on the outside - not the top or bottom, but right on the side. I've seen this on both single and double bit axes. why. I can't think of a situation requiring a strike on the side of an axe head.

oh wait - maybe if they smash the poll so much that the eye bulges - so then smash the outside of the eye to beat it back in shape????

There is a notion among the general public that all things steel are immutable and indestructible. It doesn't occur to them that steel might be damaged. They can't bend it. They can't scratch it. They can't break it. It is indestructible. They don't understand the damage they are doing by the simple act of using a sharp knife against a ceramic dinner plate. The idea of "harming an axe" is absolutely foreign to them.

Why not use the side of a double bit axe to drive a spike? What could go wrong? And you surely can't drive a spike with the bit of an axe. So the eye it is.