Age of this axehead?

mmocha2905

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Sep 11, 2018
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massachusetts
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Makro Simplex, Ace 250
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

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It's a carpenters bench axe or hatchet (can't tell the size) head. It's used to rough shape wood that will be more finely shaped by drawknives, planes and rasps. Or it could be used for squaring timber. I use one to rough out axe handles from split pieces.
Now that you say that, one of dad’s buddy’s (now past) had one that looked very similar. Was only sharpened on one side (one side, not to the middle like normal). Used it to rough in frames around doors and windows.
 

I found one similar except it had the claw. Same style were hafted. It was cast steel from Teeney and company. I tried to find my post in preservation but could not. Only electrolysis revealed the stamp.
 

So..... i will try to reveal a marking, but any idea on age?
 

Those type of axes have been used so long it is difficult to age. However, it was pounded on the poll heavily but shows no separation around the handle hole area. This suggests machine made. A very old one would have a weak area where the blade is hammer welded to the part surrrounding the hole. So at the oldest it might be late 1800s I think.
 

Those type of axes have been used so long it is difficult to age. However, it was pounded on the poll heavily but shows no separation around the handle hole area. This suggests machine made. A very old one would have a weak area where the blade is hammer welded to the part surrrounding the hole. So at the oldest it might be late 1800s I think.
Makes sense, thanks almy
 

It's a carpenters bench axe or hatchet (can't tell the size) head. It's used to rough shape wood that will be more finely shaped by drawknives, planes and rasps. Or it could be used for squaring timber. I use one to rough out axe handles from split pieces.
I have one very similar from my father. A short hatchet--sharpened on one side--flat on the other--like a wood chisel or bench plane blade.

I use it for splitting kindling for the wood stove. 🙂
 

A proper broadaxe (and why not a hatchet? Because of how it is used.) has a flat side and beveled side.
For hewing. Knocking the edge off a round log for example.
A felling or standard axe making cuts to the line (the straight edge you want on the side of a log) to either make a side flat. Or more sides flat Four flat sides =one squared timber.
Thr flat side towards the center of the timber as you knock of the sides along the line between the cuts you made to the line earlier.
"Hew to the line!" And the short slabs fall away.
(Offset (bent to one side a lot) handle on a broad axe saved hands should overtravel hit timber.) My Grandfathers has a straight handle.


The o.p.'s axe style was still being built in the 1900's. Depending on where in the world they may have been made until and still in the present.

Subject axe died young from abuse.
 

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