BLODGETT EDGE TOOL MF. Co.: Adze

[rjdankert]

Got this last month and got around to a little clean up yesterday.

Length is 32 inches. 4 i/2 inch blade width. Weight unknown.

I believe the mark on this would have been:

BLODGETT
EDGE TOOL MF. CO.
CAST-STEEL
WARRANTED
H.C. REYNOLDS, AGT


Also did some searching:

1853 Blodgett Edge Tool Manufacturing Company J G Cilley agent
Manchester, New Hampshire
https://books.google.com/books?id=c...oMAQ#v=onepage&q="Blodgett Edge Tool"&f=false

1858 becomes Amoskeag Edge Tool Company
https://books.google.com/books?id=t...ett Edge Tool Manufacturing Company "&f=false

Amoskeag Ax Company Henry C Reynolds, agent
https://books.google.com/books?id=w...ett Edge Tool Manufacturing Company "&f=false

"Amoskeag continued to grow until the Underhill Company bought them out in 1879. This made Underhill the largest edge tool maker in New Hampshire, with 90 full-time axe makers. Because of the wide acceptance and the popularity of the Blodgett Tools, all Underhill labels and advertisements included the statement, 'Successors to Amoskeag Ax Co.'"

"The year 1889 saw the incorporation of the huge 'Axe Trust' -- The American Axe & Tool Company of Glassport, Pennsylvania, whose idea was to convince 15 of the largest makers in America to join together with the aim of cutting costs and controlling the market. So, in 1890 they convinced Underhill to close and move their machinery to the huge new factory at Glassport. Of course, the Underhill names and labels would continue to be made and sold by American Axe & Tool Company."

"This continued until 1921, when the Kelly Corporation of Charleston, West Virginia, purchased American Axe & Tool and moved it to their 20-acre property."
http://www.davistownmuseum.org/toolAxes.html

1930 The American Fork & Hoe Company completely bought out the Kelly Axe Mfg. Co.
http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Kelly Axe Mfg. Co. .html

From an AA&T catalog:

Some other BLODGETT marks (not owned by me):

Thanks for looking,

Bob

 

[Square_peg]

Great bit of history there. Thank you.

Most of us think of that as a carpenters adze. So I was surprised to see it in that 1928 Marples catalog listed as a "Wheelers' Adze".

 

[halfaxe]

That is a nice adze Bob for being over 150 years old. That's interesting about the relationship between Blodgett, Amoskeag, and Underhill companies. I have an axe or adze from all those companies and never realized they were related.

 

[quinton]

Nice old adze, Bob. Thanks for taking the time to do the research.

 

[rjdankert]

Great bit of history there. Thank you. . .

You are welcome

. . .Most of us think of that as a carpenters adze. So I was surprised to see it in that 1928 Marples catalog listed as a "Wheelers' Adze".

I left out what I would call this adze. The English seem to have a lot of terms for the same item than here in the US. And even in the US different terms are used for the same thing.

Bob

 

[rjdankert]

That is a nice adze . . .

Thanks. I thought it was a no name until I cleaned the head and noticed it had a mark. Because it didn't have a complete mark, I had a bit of a time figuring out what it was.

. . . Blodgett, Amoskeag, and Underhill companies. I have an axe or adze from all those companies and never realized they were related.

Well, I never heard of Blodgett or Amoskeag until a couple of days ago. That's really neat that you have examples of all three.

Bob

 

[rjdankert]

. . .Thanks for taking the time to do the research.

You are welcome. I do not think of myself as a collector or particularly knowledgeable about old tools. I acquire old tools that interest me and part of this hobby is to research the tools I get and save the results. So, I do it for myself and posting is just a matter of copy and paste.

Bob

 

[Old Axeman]

Very nice carpenters adze with a great looking carpenters style handle. It looks like it just needs a little touch up on the edge.
Years ago I used a Blodgett carpenters adze. I liked it almost as much as Beatty or Douglas, who made my favorite Broad axes and adzes. You got a good one there.

 

[rjdankert]

Very nice carpenters adze with a great looking carpenters style handle. It looks like it just needs a little touch up on the edge. . .

Thanks. Yeah, I didn't touch the edge yet, only cleaned up the rust with a wire wheel.

Bob

 

[gben]

Nice to see adzes on the forum. Usually tools this old are so rusty you can not find stamps on them, so that makes this a great example.

 

[A17]

Giving this thread a boot in the rear, my little brother got a boy's axe made by Blodgett. It has very sweet bevels and is an absolute joy to use.

 

[garry3]

Giving this thread a boot in the rear, my little brother got a boy's axe made by Blodgett. It has very sweet bevels and is an absolute joy to use.

Not with out pictures...

 

[A17]

All right, all right, it was 9:05 p.m. A little late for pics. I'll try to get some this morning.

 

[A17]

Here y'all are! Much better pics than I would have taken last night.