Axes

Onomea said:
Growing up in northern Virginia, my father taught me to use an axe. In winter as a boy of 11 or 12, the dog and I’d go into the snowy woods with an axe and some rope, chop fallen branches and tree trunks into draggable size, and head for home for the final chopping. Gave one a sense of accomplishment.
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When I was 13 we bought the house 2 doors up the street. We had a big load of firewood in huge chunks. One day I was charged with moving all the firewood up to the new house. The pieces were too big for me to lift into the wagon, so I got out a sledge hammer and a couple of iron wedges and proceeded to split the wood into pieces that I could lift into the wagon and pull up to the new house. So Pop not only got his firewood moved, it was split for him too, by a skinny 13 your old boy.

Fast forward to 4 years ago, when I was visiting Pop was in the hospital. We were talking about anything and everything, and I told this story. Pop's comment was one of his classics, "Builds character!"
 
here in Maine one of the better known axes is made by Snow & Nealy out of the Bangor area. In the old days they were the best. Not sure it that still applies. I have always carried a cruiser axe in my pick-up in case a tree blows down when I am off road. Not everyone knows how to use and axe.
 
Snow and Healy made wonderful axes. They used to be sold by L. L. Bean. It's interesting how axe head design differed in the north, south and west when it was the primary tool for clearing land in the early days.
Dave is right about the steel handles. I never did much framing until I volunteered for a Habitat for Humanity house build. By about the third weekend I had bought a wood-handled Vaughan and left my Eastwing home. The ultimate models have a titanium head of about 14 oz., but they hit like a 20 oz. They cost more than a good skilsaw, though.
 
I was looking at a single sided broad axe at a flea market yesterday. I assume they were used in timber framing. Didn’t see a makers name. Maybe it was hand forged.
 
On the subject of axes, I thought you guys might enjoy this image from 1904. It depicts a couple of Army cooks performing their duty at a field kitchen. A nice stack of split firewood for the wood burning stove is there, along with the axe that did the splitting. (Photo credit to WW1Nerd.)

 
I have a Plumb hand axe that was part of my Woodbadge training. Those who have done it understand, it will remain a mystery for the rest.

And a 3/4 Plumb from my camping gear, still has the original red stained handle.

Last one is my great grandfather's double bit, but the handle has been changed many times since he passed. I've never looked for manufacturer's marks, guess I need to do that.
 
If your into vintage axes then check out Beaver Creek Woodcraft. I have used some of his axes and Holy cow! He now makes his own handles out of Osage Orange blanks and hand carves them, hangs them on a vintage head such as Collins, etc. I have no affiliation with this company just trying to help out a small business owner/hobbyist.

Beaver Creek Woodcraft - Sports & Recreation - South Amherst, Ohio - 2 Reviews - 192 Photos | Facebook

youtube beaver creek woodcrafy - Bing video

youtube beaver creek woodcrafy - Bing video
 
Not a collector but I have about a dozen axes. Some have stories to tell. I thought the double bit axe in this video once belonged to my great grandfather, turned out that it was in some old tools given to Dad by a friend. I had left an old F-100 at Mom and Dad's when I got married. A few years later Dad said the pickup had to go, so I pulled it to my house and found the axe head in the bed. After cleaning it up and installing a new handle, I told Dad that I had Granddaddy Papa's axe. He didn't know what I was talking about. I still don't know how I came to think it belonged to my great grandfather.

MAH00123.MP4 - Google Drive

Yes, I am trying to start a new fashion trend.
 
ACORN said:
I was looking at a single sided broad axe at a flea market yesterday. I assume they were used in timber framing. Didn’t see a makers name. Maybe it was hand forged.
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In this area a lot of railroad ties were made using the
 
ACORN said:
I was looking at a single sided broad axe at a flea market yesterday. I assume they were used in timber framing. Didn’t see a makers name. Maybe it was hand forged.
Click to expand...

In this area a lot of railroad ties were made using the
broad axe. Also, squaring logs for buildings.
Yes most of this type of ax in these parts were made
by the local blacksmiths, some by the turn of the
century, 1900's, had a trip hammer to help in forging
these, or a helper with a sledge hammer.
 
Last edited:
My wife’s uncle has a hatchet with a single bevel on the bit. The old feller is 97 and doesn’t remember, anyone know what it might have been used for.
 
Squarebutt said:
Snow and Healy made wonderful axes. They used to be sold by L. L. Bean. It's interesting how axe head design differed in the north, south and west when it was the primary tool for clearing land in the early days.
Dave is right about the steel handles. I never did much framing until I volunteered for a Habitat for Humanity house build. By about the third weekend I had bought a wood-handled Vaughan and left my Eastwing home. The ultimate models have a titanium head of about 14 oz., but they hit like a 20 oz. They cost more than a good skilsaw, though.
Click to expand...

Believe that was Snow and Neeley (Nealy ?) ,not Healy.

Are they out of business now?
 
292 said:
My wife’s uncle has a hatchet with a single bevel on the bit. The old feller is 97 and doesn’t remember, anyone know what it might have been used for.
Click to expand...

There was one of those in my granddad's tools (bad end to that story). It was from his dad, used to smooth timbers for building barns / houses.
 
About 55 years ago I found a double bit axe, with broken handle, stuck in an old fallen redwood tree in the back country of Big Sur, Ca. The axe head had FS stamped into it and it was a Winchester brand. I "think" I still have it somewhere.
 
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