Early Hatchet

[Rob-IL]

Over the years I've found several early axe and hatchet heads while detecting early home and pioneer sites. I recently put a handle in this one and would love to know its approximate age. It has somewhat of a broad axe look to it along with a possible nail pulling notch. The blade itself is approximately 4" wide with the whole piece being a little over 6" tall. Any ideas?

 

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[mojjax]

Nice hatchet . looks like an early shingling . Is that Gorilla glue I see ?

mojjax

 

[Rob-IL]

Nice hatchet . looks like an early shingling . Is that Gorilla glue I see ?

mojjax

Hello & Thanks for your reply. Do you have an idea of a time frame associated with it Yes, it is Gorilla Glue, it's the first time I've ever used Gorilla Glue and needless to say, I'm quite impressed!!!!

 

[mojjax]

Here's a pic from an Eric Sloane book . It doesn't give a date , but yours looks like 1870 - 1910 ..... just a guess

 

[watercolor]

That is one nice axe head. . . I LOVE the texture on it (I like old stuff that looks old)

Nice,
watercolor

 

[bookfisher]

Nice looking piece. Just a thought - you might want to try and get an old or antique axe handle or some other old handle from a garage or estate sale that has a nice patina to it and attach your axe to it.

 

[littleneckhalfshell]

lot of rust pitting on that.
Just a note, very early hatchets were made of wrought iron for the body of the hatchet or axe with a small wedge of steel forge welded into the area of the edge. I have one somewhere, and it too shows the effects of rust, but the steel edge rusts differently from the wrought iron body, (and rusts faster too).

 

[TreasureTales]

You might want to look through this website to find a similar axehead. Rose Antiques even has some old catalogs of tools online that might help you date your piece. Nice find! (Stove Black paint works really well on old iron relics)

http://www.roseantiquetools.com/

 

[FrankTM]

Nice find. You from IL?


Frank

 

[Rob-IL]

Nice find. You from IL?


Frank Thank You & yes I;m located in IL along the Wabash between Vincennes & Terre Haute Indiana. I've metal detected for over 25 years but anymore devote most of my spare time to archaeology as I'm also an avocational archaeologist. I'm currently (neck deep) in working with two other groups constructing a full scale and authentic appearing replica War of 1812 fort. This fort will be a representation of such a fort that was located here from 1811-1817. (Fort LaMotte) Although the hatchet doesn't go back to that time frame, I still enjoy using on the project. About Yourself?

 

[Bluezman]

Nice hatchet head. If it were mine I would find me a nice piece of ash or hickory tree, and carve me a new handle. Why not give it a try. What have you got to loose? (a few fingers maybe) what the hay. If you're not that handy, maybe you can find someone that can carve one for you. Sure would look better than that storebought junk.
Bluezman

P.S. Think: Hatchet, Spokeshave, Drawknife.