Photos Brand NEWBIE and ADDICTED

[Miller '72]

Hello and thank you to all members for the wealth of knowledge and experience I have been reading thru here for the past few weeks!!

Below is the ax head my five year old son found while we made our routine quest for treasures in our woods, just about a month ago. He found a corner poking up thru the soil and leaf debris layer and we unearthed this buried treasure!!
This is the axe head that realized and brought forward my axe and hatchet passion.

My wife and I bought my grandparents home(that he built in 1935 on land never built on prior that he purchased in the late twenties)from my parents and started our family.

I plan, if you all think it's worth it, to hang, file and stone sharpen to use this Collins Legitimus...that I believe was my grandfathers near where they had an old backyard brick bbq incinerator.

Please chime in all and give me your opinion, any information and advice.

Thank you!!
Miller
Simsbury CT
I live half an hour from Collinsville CT and 20 minutes from Canton and Hartford...
I never realized the rich history of Collinsville, Collins before this treasure was found!!!
I am hooked!!!!

Thanks for looking everyone!!!
I also found a Plumb marked genuine plumb, possibly a boys ax, in a box in the basement and possibly an East wing one piece hatchet possibly from 1970, numbers on the handle 3-1-70.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/hPjfCOwnw8efiVgC3

 

[Agent_H]

Looks like an an intact full-size Collins Legitimus - that is a neat find!

Initially I thought Connecticut pattern but it might be something else from when they had a wiiiiider variety of patterns available. Someone here will be better versed in the pattern id but it is cool.

You realize that if, at some point, you seek help in quitting this addiction you won't find help here lol

 

[Square_peg]

It's actually in pretty good shape. Toe isn't overly worn and the poll isn't mushroomed at all. And 'Legitimus' was Collins top shelf line.

A wire cup brush on an angle grinder would clean it up nicely while preserving the patina. File and hone the edge. Then hang it and oil it with boiled linseed oil. It will last your son's lifetime if cared for. Keep it out of the dirt and the weather.

 

[Miller '72]

Thank you Agent_H!
I have learned from reading some of your past posts and conversations you have had with others!
This is a great group here that encourages the debate, and challenges each other for the advancement and betterment of the knowledge and history of these great American and globally used and manufactured hand tools!
Just have to add this to my list of compulsive, obsessive, addicting hobbies!!
My wife is very forgiving thus far LOL!!

You know I had hoped/thought initially as well that it may be the Connecticut pattern!

It weighs 3.225 lbs!

I am addicted and refuse any treatment!!!

 

[Gator39]

Thank you Agent_H!
I have learned from reading some of your past posts and conversations you have had with others!
This is a great group here that encourages the debate, and challenges each other for the advancement and betterment of the knowledge and history of these great American and globally used and manufactured hand tools!
Just have to add this to my list of compulsive, obsessive, addicting hobbies!!
My wife is very forgiving thus far LOL!!

You know I had hoped/thought initially as well that it may be the Connecticut pattern!

It weighs 3.225 lbs!

I am addicted and refuse any treatment!!!

 

[Miller '72]

It's actually in pretty good shape. Toe isn't overly worn and the poll isn't mushroomed at all. And 'Legitimus' was Collins top shelf line.

A wire cup brush on an angle grinder would clean it up nicely while preserving the patina. File and hone the edge. Then hang it and oil it with boiled linseed oil. It will last your son's lifetime if cared for. Keep it out of the dirt and the weather.

Thank you Square Peg!!
My thoughts too!!! Care for it and pass it down!!
Thank you for the advice!!!
I already gave it the vinegar soak and have incredibly mixed feelings about the result.
I feel a little regretful that's for sure.

 

[Gator39]

Nice axe.

Amazing how you never knew you had an interest in axes.
Then somewhere deep down inside it erupts and engulfs you and that's all you think about.

Lol

 

[Gator39]

Thank you Square Peg!!
My thoughts too!!! Care for it and pass it down!!
Thank you for the advice!!!
I already gave it the vinegar soak and have incredibly mixed feelings about the result.
I feel a little regretful that's for sure.

You can still wire brush it and clean it up more, and remove the Harmon line.
Even with a hand brush.
Your not stuck with the way it looks when it comes out of the vinegar.

 

[Miller '72]

Nice axe.

Amazing how you never knew you had an interest in axes.
Then somewhere deep down inside it erupts and engulfs you and that's all you think about.

Lol

WOW!!! You just read into my soul!
I am driving my wife a bit crazy but luckily I can distract her from the ax and hatchet obsession with the vintage bicycle addiction, the constant camper modifications, the list of never ending house and yard to do's and

You can still wire brush it and clean it up more, and remove the Harmon line.
Even with a hand brush.
Your not stuck with the way it looks when it comes out of the vinegar.

Gator39 Thank You!!
I knew I read about that in several posts prior to the soak, and have been frantically searching for since I removed from the bath.
That is great news and I will be trying the hand brush as soon as I can.
Mostly I regret the heavy rust that was removed also removed most of the engraved name and trademark crown and hammer.
But I started this with good photos and the knowledge I wanted to start using this and caring for it properly from where my grandfather left it and forgot about it.
Thank you!
I can't explain in words how this has taken hold of me LOL!!

 

[Agent_H]

There are ways to force a patina but your mileage will vary and it sometimes looks just like that - "forced".

It really does take using vinegar once or a couple of times to know if you like it for sure lol (It did me at least).

 

[Miller '72]

There are ways to force a patina but your mileage will vary and it sometimes looks just like that - "forced".

It really does take using vinegar once or a couple of times to know if you like it for sure lol (It did me at least).

Thank you Agent_H!
I think I do appreciate and like the vinegar soak, i was just surprised how much rust had gotten into her and that it of course ate away at the engravings not the vinegar. I

t was also good proof that an ax head stored under decades of soil isn't the best place

Agent_H I came across your swapping and sharing of heads and tools with another member... amazing tools on both sides of the pond by both of you!!!

Miller from CT

 

[cityofthesouth]

Congrats and welcome. That's a great one to start with for sure.

 

[halfaxe]

Connecticuts are 5 1/4" wide usually. Another possibility is a wide bit Dayton.

 

[Miller '72]

Congrats and welcome. That's a great one to start with for sure.

Thank you cityoftheshore! I feel rather lucky to have found an ax of my grandfathers and have it be of such rich and local history!
I am hooked for sure!!
What else has he buried out there intentional or not!? Grandpa!!! LOL!!!

Connecticuts are 5 1/4" wide usually. Another possibility is a wide bit Dayton.

I wasn't sure what direction to go in next to try to more accurately ID the pattern and certainly the age appears to be more in a large range rather a specific year.

Any info regarding pattern and age are more than welcome but I understand from researching past and present posts on most all makes and models, there is a triangulation effort to pinpoint those specifics.

I am just happy to have found it, this forum and can't wait to research handles and hanging and wedges!!!

Thank you guys!!

-Miller

 

[Agent_H]

Guess my take on vinegar was a bit ambiguous on second read. I don't like what it did to most of my tools that I tried it on. It did make each one look different in the end. There are a couple of members here that were going to share its efficacy on cleaning/sharpening your files - looking forward to learning about that probably like you are some other technique/aspect of keeping life/age intact while making something use ready.

The wire wheel on an angle grinder seems like the way to go. For me, that then comes down to practice and uniform pressure. Your softer bristled cup will still remove "patina" if you push hard ie., trying to get the gunk out of lettering/markings, crevices, clefts, and corners. It helps if you go in one direction over a surface all at one time, then go from the other direction and check to see what that second pass does to the finish. I have a hard time with hammers - they are small, have sharp or small spaces, and don't have much of them exposed when trapped in a vise. Ball peens/nail pullers especially make me mad for some reasons lol. Those little areas you can use a power drill with a tiny wheel or brush or not at all.

There are many things that I just use some cheap/gold bristled/wooden handled brushes and copious amounts of WD-40 to clean. Oh, and paper towels (Sorry not green).

I do have a bench grinder that my brother bought me as a gift from Bi-mart but I have only used it once or twice - The one I remember was to modify a replacement bolt on the base of a vise (that I then gave to my brother)... There is a pattern there someplace I'm sure. The grinding wheel hasn't been "dressed?" which I have heard you would want to do, at least on coarser wheels.

Miller '72 , I pick up the minutia from trying different stuff but everything else that shaped how I see axes, their handles, their grinds, and their care came from hanging around here - and it changes all the time.

I've used an axe for most of my life without really paying attention to anything but them being sharp enough to "cut" and not completely coming off - probably would be better off it was still like that lol.

Here is a thread that you need to read and welcome to the forum

http://www.bladeforums.com/threads/cots-project-thread.1233816/

 

[Miller '72]

Thank you Agent_H I look forward to the read!

Ya, I am not sold on the vinegar and definetly want to try a brass bristle hand brush with WD 40.
I had started with the WD and a hard plastic bristle brush I had, then I got very excited when reading about the vinegar and before I knew it I had jumped in both feet LOL!!!

It certainly makes the ax look different, down to it's bones so to speak, and ready for it's next chapter
I am still most and more than anything, pleased to have found it, and am able to bring it back for my use and hopefully my boys use, but the vinegar bath did not match my excitable imagined vision LOL!!

The is isn't my last but only my first (sorry honey) and will try another method or two, maybe starting with another ax still with handle I found in the basement right here...another grandad find...

Thanks again and thank you for the warm welcome!!!

 

[Miller '72]

Oh my I am only upto the 8th posting in this thread you have linked to me Agent _H....I am drooling!!!
Cityofthesouth!!! Amazing craftsmanship!!!

I have much to learn, and much fun in the process!

WOW

 

[Brian77]

Nice find. Good eye for the little guy. Love stories like this.

 

[Agent_H]

I read/have read COTS' thread many times and routinely do. Each time it applies to something different that concerns my hang or how I treat a head/handle in process.

Loving stories like this is the reason to do it at all.

The rest is advanced math, info/truth seeking, artificial intelligence, and popping chips no matter what size.

 

[Miller '72]

Thank you Brian77!
I am pretty lucky and tickled that this is our story!!
So many stories are the other guys, it's nice to have one about you and yours(family) every now and then.

The rest is advanced math, info/truth seeking, artificial intelligence, and popping chips no matter what size.

Thank you Agent_H !
Well said, a great mantra for so many a thing!!!