Spanish flea market finds & other stuff that might be of interest!

I'mSoSharp said:
So you think the decorative spur is based on older axes that used to have a haft over-strike protector?
Click to expand...

No. Not an overstrike protector. It's simply to increase the surface area of contact between the haft and the head. This reduced wear on the haft. Recall that old world axe makers didn't have access to hickory which only grew in N. America. This is why many European axes to this day have a larger eye size than American axes. It takes more wood in the eye to make an adequate haft if you don't have hickory.
 
Picked these two uglies up today :rolleyes:

DSC07392_zps3fiseim9.jpg


DSC07395_zpsoxrvlair.jpg


I like the shape of the top one, it weighs 1lb 6oz with a normal steel wedged handle (with fancy splits!), the lower one 1lb 4oz with a slip handle someone had decided would benefit from having half a dozen nails driven into it.....
The slip handle is a goner, the split handle should be too but am hatching a plan to maybe save it ;)
 
Last edited:
A bit of black epoxy & it's good as new :rolleyes:

DSC07442_zpsi4eickao.jpg


It would have been easier to re-handle it but I wanted to see what it looked like, glad I did as I like it, a very solid handle.


And following on from this thread- https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1424530-Large-French-axe -I finally handled the last of the three big heads.
For this last one I made a slip through handle.

I started off thinning a Rowen log down that I'd stored a couple of years ago.
DSC07417_zpstpfsdlpx.jpg


Using just the hatchet I shaved it down, here slipped half way through the eye.
DSC07420_zpsqrp4sfel.jpg


Normally I'd go inside & use a draw knife but this time I thought I'd see haw far I could get with the hatchet & the knife I had in my pocket at the time, a Douk-douk.
DSC07438_zpsq9nz437e.jpg


A bit rough, I used the pocket knife as a scraper.
DSC07427_zpsbzmzd6n2.jpg


Still, a totally usable haft as it would've probably been done some years ago, might give it a sanding tomorrow before oiling.

:)
 
Last edited:
That epoxy job actually looks pretty cool....well done. Old wood always has a character worth preserving.
 
Able_walker said:
That epoxy job actually looks pretty cool....well done. Old wood always has a character worth preserving.
Click to expand...
Thanks, & yes it does look pretty nice. Sadly when digging the wedge out of the slightly loose head to get it off that end became unusable, so it's about an inch shorter than it was when found. Coulnd't agree more on old wood.

Square_peg said:
That's great work and I love how you used the natural curve of the wood to your advantage.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I had a few straight & curved bits stored, will have to find some more for the future as I haven't much left.

Agent_H said:
I like that. Thank you for the ride-along pictures as well!
Click to expand...
Thanks, & you're welcome.

:)
 
Not a flea market find. Got it from a neighbor yesterday, on a long slip through round shaft.

DSC07498_zpsxtycu3gl.jpg


It's a Spanish made "Bellota" 801-0.

What's it called in English? Matttocaxe, Axmattock :D
 
Last edited:
The Italians would call that a "zappascura" -- literally a "hoe axe". Its closest American analog would be a cutter mattock, but they are a clearly different tool, though used for similar tasks.
 
Canadian Mojo said:
I'd be inclined to call it a Pulaski although they look a little different.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would seem a Pulaski is roughly an axe with the addition of a smaller digging adze, whereas a Mattock is an adze with the addition of a smaller axe....... maybe. :rolleyes:

FortyTwoBlades said:
The Italians would call that a "zappascura" -- literally a "hoe axe". Its closest American analog would be a cutter mattock, but they are a clearly different tool, though used for similar tasks.
Click to expand...

Mans first tools probably went something like hammer, knife, adze! It seems like every country/culture has adze & mattock type tools but has so many different names, not only in different countries but even different regions.

The Wikipedia entry for Mattock shows a near identical shaped head to mine, like you correctly said is a Cutter Mattock, that one has an oval eye, I do remember these in the UK with oval tapered eyes, same as pick axes, it seems here in Spain the Mattocks & Axes are virtually the same except they have round eyes.

My confusion over the name comes from the very common single bladed digging adze seen everywhere here, I thought that was a called Mattock in English but stand corrected as it would appear a Mattock always has a cutter or pick.
 
A few more rusted lumps that might be of interest.

Firstly a shallow gutter adze head that I'll clean up, grind & handle.

DSC07757_zpsllnovsq8.jpg


DSC07756_zpsfpb2fdzt.jpg


Quite pleased with getting this for the price of a coupla cups of coffee, I don't see too many & when I do see one it's usually wire wheeled to death & the vendor thinks it's super valuable because it's "antique" :rolleyes:

Next is my now slow growing collection of crazy old claw hammer heads (I know it's an axe forum but think they count, just!).
The large one I found first & posted some time ago in the "sledgehammer" thread, since then I've found a couple more & can't resist their "caricature of a claw hammer" looks, I can't help but smile. The larger two have different markings on the back side of the head, the smaller I haven't got round to de-rusting, it looks interesting as it has more shape, but very poor condition.

DSC07748_zpsa8bmlgca.jpg


DSC07746_zpstkmtdlji.jpg



Also a couple more slip through hatchets I'll have to get photographed.......

:)
 
Last edited:
The hammers are really pretty cool.

Now I want to see the slip through hatchets...

:thumbup:
 
Small one cleaned up & no visible markings, all now handled.

DSC07763_zpslazpiiei.jpg


I've named the smallest "Kenny" :)

DSC07761_zpsscnsqqoj.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nice to see a good craftsmans work. Thanks for sharing with us.
Those hammers are interesting, how old are they?
 
Wow, I really like a lot of these patterns!
Great work with the handles. Please stop making me want old cultivating tool...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top