Best axes?

[Trevor51]

Hi, I'm new to axe collecting and I've been going to a lot of garage sales. I've passed a few axes on because they are un market, but still looks like they where hand forged. What do you guys think should I have bought these? And also what are the good axe brands to look for at garage sales? So far all I know is gransfors hultafors and ox head, what other good brands are out there? Thanks for your time.

 

[Trevor51]

I also have one more question that I didn't want to make a new thread about. I have a lot of dry birch logs around would it be decent to make a axe handle with. I can't aford 2" thick hickory or ash.

 

[Mr. Tettnanger]

Look for brands like Plumb, Mann, Norlund

 

[Lieblad]

If yokory.

 

[Agent_H]

Lots of others, especially older makers but this is just a list of the more common that I come across:

Plumb
Mann
Norlund
True Temper
Kelly Tool Works (Most things mared "Kelly" somewhere)
Collins (older is better with them)
Sager/Chemical Axe
American Fork & Hoe Co
Craftsman (especially with ovals around the mark)
Evansville
Wards Master Quality
Stuff marked "Made in Sweden"
Heads that have ridges running vertically through the eye
Older heads with higher center lines


More than anything I would look for unsmashed polls, evenly worn – especially the toe.

Nothing wrong with unmarked heads if they are an interesting pattern to you or seem like they are in good condition.

Heads marked in Kg or grams for example – 1.5kg (3.5lbs) or 1250 (grams) are usually imports – which may or may not to your liking but there are some excellent heads out there.

 

[300Six]

Definition of best is nebulous unless you're buying factory new. Best for collecting and realizing a profit is to seek out $5 garage sale Black Ravens and even Norlund Hudson Bays but best for ownership of a first class user is to resurrect an undamaged and barely used version of any domestic axe that made during the pre chainsaw era. Stamps are a definite plus towards confirming the age and quality of whatever it is you come up with.

 

[phantomknives]

this is a little bit of buying advice, i don't know any brands that well. best ax on a budget would be a true temper kelly perfect, but if its bragging rights ya want, buy a granfors burks, but, if you cant find any of those, just a generic American felling ax is good for starting out, just, anything that rings well should make a nice ax. stay as far away from bahco as possible, the steel is softer then butter. if you see chips in the blade of an old ax, its probably a fairly nice steel, cheaper stuff won't harden as well and curl.

 

[jstare]

Best axe is a very subjective thing like others have already mentioned. If Kelowna is anything like down around Vancouver where I live you will come across a lot of swedish and German stuff, some branded and others with just country of origin. With our without the brand they are still good axes, but if you are looking to restore and sell them you will obviously get more money for ones with a brand. I have found a lot of Hults Bruks and older Sandvik swedish stuff. Other common stuff I have found a lot of is True Temper (Flint edge, black prince), Kelly, Welland Vale, Walters and some Plumb. Any axe that is stamped Made in USA, Sweden, Germany are generally going to be of good quality. Unmarked axes can be hit and miss, once you start to see a bunch of axes you will learn to tell if an unmarked axe is old by the handle style/shape, the quality of the steel when you run a file over the edge or even by the shape of head.