Beautiful axe here Sharp,if you didnt know it this style of axe is called a destral(hatchet in catalonian)and they are mostly used to trim off branches,i like the forge finish of the axe,it gives it an antique appealing to meThe smaller of the two Catalan style hatchet heads has cleaned up lovely, clearly hand forged & marked Perez with Sabadell, a town in Cataluna, northern Spain where it seems this unique style evolved.
The individual hammer marks can be seen & felt.
I really like how tiny the eye is & how very thin it's been forged.
The handle on this one looks home made, the larger one has probably it's original handle which needs a little TLC.
Interestingly the hatchets I've googled in this style have kerfs cut a long way past the tiny eyes like the original handled larger one.
Spanish flea market finds & other stuff that might be of interest!
- Thread starter I'mSoSharp
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Cool, thanks.
I'd rather see these as trimming, instead of hardcore felling axes. Thank you as well.
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Thanks Termax, "destral Catalina" works much better as a search to find images of others like these, I'd been using "hacha" which I guess wouldn't be liked up there
. I think you'd struggle to fell with this one as it weighs only 11oz (310g), doesn't seem to be heavy ones in this style, or maybe I've not looked hard enough!
As for the Sandvik, I know you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear but no harm in trying.
About half an hour with a scraper (one of the planer blades ;-) & a ScotchBrite pad then linseed oil & to me it looks much better
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You could try local flea markets, probably better if it's for locals rather than a touristy one.
They are still available new, a company called Pallares still has one for example but I'm not sure where it's made.
http://www.filofiel.com/tiendaonline/pallares-hacha-catalana-nº-1-p-9951.html
Googling "hacha Catalan" brings up some results as does "destral Catalana" as Termax suggested.
Pallares has its cutlery and tools made in Spain,its an old familiar company and the make very fine carbon steel folding and fixed knives,i would give them a chance definetely
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I cannot argue that Pallares products are not still made in Solsona.
But, Pallares (like many companies) website tells you, they use the best steel, it's still a family company, quality is everything, technology has been embraced & there has been many changes in recent years, their sharps are still sharpened by hand.
Nowhere does it say "still proudly made in Solsona".
Which I wold have though would be the first thing to boast about. Many of the old cutlers websites that are still trading but getting things made elsewhere use terms like " designed in", "we are still based in" & other such boasts which if read quickly gives the impression things are still home made when they are not.
I can't say Pallares don't make there own stuff, if they do make everyting in Solsona still then their website is worded (in all languages) badly.
Edit- I should have also said, I do sincerely hope Pallares stuff is actually still made locally & I am wrong.. I do have one of their carbon friction folders.
But, Pallares (like many companies) website tells you, they use the best steel, it's still a family company, quality is everything, technology has been embraced & there has been many changes in recent years, their sharps are still sharpened by hand.
Nowhere does it say "still proudly made in Solsona".
Which I wold have though would be the first thing to boast about. Many of the old cutlers websites that are still trading but getting things made elsewhere use terms like " designed in", "we are still based in" & other such boasts which if read quickly gives the impression things are still home made when they are not.
I can't say Pallares don't make there own stuff, if they do make everyting in Solsona still then their website is worded (in all languages) badly.
Edit- I should have also said, I do sincerely hope Pallares stuff is actually still made locally & I am wrong.
. I do have one of their carbon friction folders.
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Hello here, due to my limited time I don't have much time to add content to this thread but I'm enjoying reading it.
I want to talk about the origin of the word destral. The word destral´s original meaning in Catalonian is not translated as axe. I derives from the name "destra" which means the "right hand" or the "main hand".
When people uses an axe one handed we tend to use it with our main hand, destra in Catalonian language. That type of axe is literaly known as "the one used with your main hand" (destral) in Catalonian language.
Sigue así I'mSoSharp, tal y como he dicho estoy disfrutando del hilo
I want to talk about the origin of the word destral. The word destral´s original meaning in Catalonian is not translated as axe. I derives from the name "destra" which means the "right hand" or the "main hand".
When people uses an axe one handed we tend to use it with our main hand, destra in Catalonian language. That type of axe is literaly known as "the one used with your main hand" (destral) in Catalonian language.
Sigue así I'mSoSharp, tal y como he dicho estoy disfrutando del hilo
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Nowadays "destral" is commonly used as a synonym of "axe, hatchet" or "hacha" in Spanish but its origin is indeed the dexterity (dexterity, in our language the word diestro means both "right-handed" and "being proficient and having dexterity with or in something") of the tools' usage.
As far as Pallares, they are not all made in Solsona anymore and by the traditional methods, as that would make it impossible to satisfy the demand and reach the current production levels.
But the feel in hand, cutting performance and classic traits remain. Slicey grind, humble steel, pinned construction, they remind me of Vic SAKs. I love mine!
As far as Pallares, they are not all made in Solsona anymore and by the traditional methods, as that would make it impossible to satisfy the demand and reach the current production levels.
But the feel in hand, cutting performance and classic traits remain. Slicey grind, humble steel, pinned construction, they remind me of Vic SAKs. I love mine!
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Thanks you for the comments Ugaldie, I enjoy your thread as well.
And thank you ThePeacent, I also like Pallares knives for their robust slicey simplicity, like so many other Spanish made friction folders.
And thank you ThePeacent, I also like Pallares knives for their robust slicey simplicity, like so many other Spanish made friction folders.
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Pics from my Photobucket account so we'll see how long they last......
Saved the larger handle with some epoxy, linseed oil & a new oak wedge instead of the oridginal short rusted steel one.
Made a new handle for the smaller one as the tiny eye was full of screws & nails wood was very split. These heads seem to mainly have straight handles so.....
The heads are very tight despite looking a bit fragile.
Saved the larger handle with some epoxy, linseed oil & a new oak wedge instead of the oridginal short rusted steel one.
Made a new handle for the smaller one as the tiny eye was full of screws & nails
wood was very split. These heads seem to mainly have straight handles so.....
The heads are very tight despite looking a bit fragile.
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Just out of curiosity, can everyone see the images in the above post? What with Photobuckets superb buisness direction & all that........?
Wondering if only I can see them?
I see many things others can't........
Wondering if only I can see them?
I see many things others can't........
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Just out of curiosity, can everyone see the images in the above post? What with Photobuckets superb buisness direction & all that........?
Wondering if only I can see them?
I see many things others can't........
I can see the last two pictures that you posted.
Any ideas where they are from or the general pattern types?
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I can see the last two pictures that you posted.
Any ideas where they are from or the general pattern types?
Thanks, but I posted three pictures above?
So you can see things others can't too
don't know why my Photobucket is still working (maybe not!)...... I'm sure saying that will have done it!...They are northern Spain "Catalan" type heads, other search terms are mentioned in the thread.
The strange wedge fixing appears to be traditional & seems to be functional, I can see how it' d work in the field.
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