Axes with eye ridges....

gben said:
Thanks to Steve Tall and Square Peg. Great information, did it get us anywhere?

If Peg's single-bit Collins was not made by Kelly, then we can not say that unmarked axe heads are made by one company or the other definitively.

Also there are axes with numbers of ridges in the eye other than six, and we have not come up with any marked examples that have less than six ridges to shed any light on those axes.

The 1960 patent is interesting, I wonder if they thought they could get a new patent just by changing the number of ridges in the eye, or if the ridges were made or shaped in some other way to warrant a patent.

Looks like it is going to be a long process before we can identify unmarked axe heads by the number and shape of ridges in their eyes.....!
Click to expand...

True Temper's patent for the eye ridges was Patent Number 3090653, filed 7/2/59 and granted 5/21/63. (Details at bottom.)

The information previously posted shows that the True Temper ridges were advertised from 1960 until 1982 (around the time that the Kelly axe factory was shut down). True Temper used the patented ridges on the Kelly Perfect, Woodslasher, and Flint Edge axes. During this period, the Kelly Perfects were evidently stamped and the Woodslasher and Flint Edges had no stamps (just label stickers). So I think it's likely that unstamped axes with ridges in the eye were originally labelled as Woodslasher or Flint Edge, and made during the period between 1960 and the early 1980s.

The axes with ridges and stamps from other makers, such as Collins or Vaughan, are still a mystery. These known exceptions so far are all stamped, unlike the Woodslasher and Flint Edges from True Temper. Perhaps Barco made some axes with ridges for Vaughan/Collins/Mann after Barco acquired Kelly Axe in 1987?

(Edited to add: YesteryearsTools says that "Some other brands previously used by other companies [in addition to Kelly] have reportedly been made by Barco but that has not been corroborated nor is the extent of the brand use been determined." )
http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/Barco%20Industries.html

I would assume that the ridged eyes weren't manufactured before 1960, since the ad said the feature was new that year, and the patent was ultimately granted to Kelly (which generally wouldn't happen if other companies had been already making them).

Patent information:
https://www.google.com/patents/US3090653

US3090653-0.png
 
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I have several Kelly products with 2 ridges on each side - one pair wider spaced than the other. I have this pattern on a True Temper claw hatchet, a True Temper 3^3 Pulaski and on a Kelly Perfect double bit. I also have the same 2-wide/2-narrow pattern on a a no-name full size single bit. I'm sure I've seen a 2-3 pattern on a TT/Kelly product but I'll have to do some more looking in my collection to find one. I'm in contact with Jimbo and I should have some info on the Vaughan soon.
 
The True Temper / Kelly patent for the eye ridges specified the flexibility for changing the number and relative location of the ridges.

The Vaughan "Value Brand" ridges were similar to the Kelly Woodslasher/FlintEdge ridges:

Steve Tall said:
For the record, eye ridges were also on some Vaughans:

From Old Jimbo:
"This type of grooving locks the handle in nicely and used to be a factory thing - actually forged in. Here's a picture of such grooving/ribs - and it's on a Vaughan head of all things!"
vaughaneye.jpg

vaughanlogo.jpg

http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/vaughangrind.html
Click to expand...
 
So were kellys without ridges only made prior to 1960 or did they continue making them giving the user a choice of ridges or without?
 
Square_peg said:
I have several Kelly products with 2 ridges on each side - and on a Kelly Perfect double bit.
Click to expand...

That would be really cool to see photos of that Perfect with the four ridges inside!

It would seem that other manufacturers would have to pay Kelly royalties or licensing fees to use the ridges if Kelly had them patented. If another manufacturer had ridges before Kelly filed then the patent could be turned down as usually when a patent is filed it has to be accompanied by what is called "prior art", which is documentation showing that no other manufacturer had the feature in use, patented or copyrighted in the past.

And thanks as usual to Steve Tall for his passionate interest and research into axe history.....
 
There is talk of other manufacturers using ridges in the eye, but does anyone actually have an example or a picture? I can't remember if I have one or not. I have many with ridges in the eye, Kelly lines as mentioned above. I don't think I have ever seen a Collins with ridges in the eye.....but I will look.

***EDIT - just look back at some of the original posts in this thread. Duh ***
 
I don't doubt that Kelly, being one of the largest axe manufacturers in the USA ever made axe-heads for many retailers. Is there any reference material or documentation showing what retailers Kelly made axes for?
 
I recently rehung a no name Cruiser on a 28'' House Handle. Today I remembered something about eye ridges an found this thread so I'm guessing that its a True Temper Kelly Woodslasher. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
P3150025.jpg
 
I first posted these in the rehanging thread, as that is a project I plan to tackle this weekend. I don't know much about axes, so I did not realize the ridges were a defining characteristic.

Adding them here for posterity. The ax is most likely a woodslasher from some other folks opinions. Based on who owned it before me, I am guessing it was purchased anywhere from 1950-1980.




 
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