William Mckinnon rockaway & unknown cleanup

A

A Visitor

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Here are a couple heads someone rescued from a scrap pile. A "rockaway" William McKinnon and a feller marked "US 91". The rockaway if pretty rough dont think I will even hang it. I'm interested if anyone can ID the other head.
It is cool to see a head made way back - the rockaway weighs just under four pounds and is 1 1/2" thick at the poll very wedge like.
Thanks for looking
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Steve Tall
There may be something left in the rockaway....picture looks better than real life. It would take trimming at least 3/8ths minimum to clear out the chips that go up further on the other side. Would be cool using a axe over a hundred years old.
 
That rockaway has some history. If you bring that edge back into shape, it will look like a modern Gransfors "American Felling Axe".

The following is from
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/c/k/Janet-B-Mcknew/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0065.html

Notes for William McKinnon:
From "Industries of New Jersey", 1883. Sent by Robert J. Fridlington, Dept. of History,
College of N.J., Union, NJ.

...about his McKinnon Axe Company, Rockaway, NJ....
The business was established in 1845 by Mr. Wm. McKinnon, who conducted it successfully and
won a reputation for his productions placing him in the front rank among the leading makers
of the best axes in the country. In 1868 (?) his sons, William and Walter McKinnon,
succeeded to the business, and have from that time continued it and carefully guarded and
maintained the old standard reputation which made the name of the McKinnon axes famous in
all business centres.

(Quote, Fridlington) - "I also have a McKinnon axe - two of them, as a matter of fact. One
is a felling axe (which the McKinnons called a "chopping axe") of the distinctive Rockaway
pattern that became so famous. It is a fine, hand-forged piece, made by your great
grandfather. The other one is a broad axe, made by McKinnon Brothers. By the way, I am
trying to find out if the "Rockaway" pattern is still being made. The last authenticated
date that I have is 1937, when the Warren Axe and Tool Co. of Warren, Pa. was making them.
That was forty years ago, of course, but several people have told me that someone is still
making them. Unfortunately, tool manufacturers are not very good about responding to
inquiries of this sort." (from letter dated 6/1/1977 to Dorothy Lord Moore.)
 
Hello Visitor,

Based on the "US 91" markings your axe could be part of the tool kit for HMMWV's, also known as NSN#5110-00-293-2336 Pioneer Kit, Axe, Single Bit.

The head shape looks the same, I'm trying to find a good picture online with some markings?


a by laghaxx, on Flickr

Or perhaps an earlier model from a different vendor? Or perhaps I am way off base here :confused:

Kipper Tool makes the kits, and that head looks identical to me. Still cant find a close up showing marking though.


b by laghaxx, on Flickr
 
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that rockaway is one SWEET axe head... man if it were mine i would clean it up, fix the edge and hang it on my wall... that thing is nice...
and to think, you saved it 'from the scrap pile'... i wish that i could find scrape like that ;)
 
Thanks for the info guys. Steve tall -I did see that reference on-line. Have been looking for a photo or add of an original axe. I would like to see what the original profile looked like before doing anything to this one.
I end up with stuff from people who see no value in it....old rusty heirloom tool with broken handle means - buy shiny new one from big box or import store.
On the subject of scrap- I could cry when I hear stories of what gets sold for export / melt. I had a friend who worked on the equipment at one yard. He was banned from even looking at what was being scrapped because he was constantly trying to "save" stuff. I don't know who is worse The "junkers" who take all the old iron out of circulation for good- or the "Collectors" who run up the price of what is left, keeping it from people who would use them.
 
A Visitor said:
...Have been looking for a photo or add of an original axe. I would like to see what the original profile looked like before doing anything to this one...
Click to expand...

Pictures are probably hard to find because there weren't many of these McKinnon axes made. The company started making axes in 1845, and by 1860 they were only making 500 axes per year. In 1909, the company was reported to employ only 5 people.

Compare this with the Collins company, which began around 1826. By 1871, more than 15 million Collins axes had been produced! (Thats over 330,000 Collins axes per year, on average.)

For the edge profile, my suggestion would be to imagine a straight line between the top and bottom corners (that is, between the toe and the heel), and file back the edge to somewhere (up to about halfway? if necessary) between this straight line and the existing edge (keeping the top and bottom corners where they currently are).
 
Nice find. Your rockaway is the one that started it all in the rockaway/ jersey line of axes that are so popular today. It is a hell of a find. A real piece of axe history. I have one but it isn't in as good as shape as yours. As the original popularity of that axe spread to the west with travelers and workers, local blacksmiths modded that pattern and they got their local names then - Baltimore jersey, Kentucky jersey, etc. Those original rockaways are not that popular so it is a hell of a find.
 
Operator1975,
Since you are a collector...and I'm not, can you give me your opinion? Should I leave this in the condition it came to me. Or should I fix the edge and use it.
I was considering attempting to forge weld a high carbon fold over the edge because the blade seemed a little short to me. I'm not certain if I will "run out" of edge steel if I file the edge, not knowing if or how the edge was laminated. I don't need to use this axe, it has no sentimental value to me. What would you say the value of the head would be? I don't want to take away from the historical value of it even if it was worthless.....the history behind it is cool.
Thanks
 
You can tell by the temper line that you have about 3/4" to 1" of hardened steel left to work with.

Mckinnon_Rockaway-2.jpg


You would need to carefully examine the top and bottom of the head to see whether the hardened bit is an insert and if so by what method is was inserted. If it's a wrap over then you may be close to running out of hardened steel already. If it's a 'split-n-insert' bit then you've probably got 1-1/2" or more still to play with. If the whole axe is carbon steel - no forge welded bit - then you've got what's showing to play with.

From the sound of it this is an uncommon axe. Probably best to leave it just as it is. There are plenty of other axes around for users.

215135-Penny.gif
215135-Penny.gif
 
A Visitor said:
Operator1975,
Since you are a collector...and I'm not, can you give me your opinion? Should I leave this in the condition it came to me. Or should I fix the edge and use it.
I was considering attempting to forge weld a high carbon fold over the edge because the blade seemed a little short to me. I'm not certain if I will "run out" of edge steel if I file the edge, not knowing if or how the edge was laminated. I don't need to use this axe, it has no sentimental value to me. What would you say the value of the head would be? I don't want to take away from the historical value of it even if it was worthless.....the history behind it is cool.
Thanks
Click to expand...

I would not touch it or use it, but that is one guys opinion.

Just think, if you use it ,you are technically destroying histoy for that particular piece.

I would let it lie, and look at it 40-45-50 years from now, and it will be worth 10k then.

Just one guys persepective,

Thanks!

Mike
 
Thanks guys,
My gut feeling is that they folded over and forged welded the edge. I can feel the indents from the hammer blows on the axe in general- especially where the body would meet the welded bit. It will sit....I seriously doubt I will be able to look at it again in forty plus years lol.
It may end up in some garage sale as a "old axe/ no handle" with a tag on it saying $2 after I'm gone.
Thanks
 
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