Collins Bush Axe - Identification Information

D

ddayx10

Joined
Apr 29, 2017
Messages
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Hello.

Today I ran across an old bush axe at a sale. It looked old. I had seen one before and didn't know when I'd see one again so I bought it. I think I paid too much for it ($20). I thought I might be able to sell it and if its not worth it then I could just use it myself.

Pics at bottom.

So after reading about it for a long time on this forum and looking on http://yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Collins Pt. 1.html I think I can see this is a pretty hard thing to identify completely. It has the mark "The Collins Company" which indicates it was made between 1843 - 1966 but that doesn't really narrow it down and I can't find any other markings or identification beyond the stamping "Made In USA".

While searching around I got a good feel for the distinctions in shape, etc from similar types of axe head and I noted in one person's post where they had found the same axe with the same stampings (The Collins Company) but in his picture the axe looked very much like a 1 piece casting. The axe I bought very clearly appears to be a 2 pieces forged together.

When you look where the axe handle housing meets the head you can clearly see it has been forged onto the axe head itself. There's a picture below with pretty good resolution I hope you can see it.

So my questions I guess would be:

Are there ways to distinguish between older axe heads of this type (same markings) built in the 1800s vs those build in the 1900s?

Is this really important or is there no real distinction in value to anyone on these grounds?

I guess another way to phrase it would be:

If the axe was build earlier can this be identified and is it important or "they're all pretty much the same"?

Like I said I've read a lot in these forums and there seem to be many knowledgeable people here so I'm hoping someone can tell me anything they think is important or interesting about this. Thanks very much to anyone who reads this and for any of your help.

Doug

The Collins Company - Axe 1843 - 1966
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Crop out and enlarge to show forge marks on axe head
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Those Collins models are some mighty fine bush hooks. Nice and light with a good shape to the bill.
 
Thanks man,

My wife told me don't leave that "freddy krugar" in the car. She wasn't on board with the purchase so it's nice to know I'm not the only one who gets drawn to these sorts of things.

Yeah I know if I wanted to take some brush down or clear limbs etc this would make life pretty easy. My problem is I see people clean these up and I don't know if I want to clean it or just keep it as is.

I'm pretty sure there are some easy techniques to take off the rust (perhaps vinegar) and then to sort of "cure" it so it has that black tarnish/finish and maybe sharpen it and take a nick out of the blade but I'm reluctant to touch it if it has any value. Best I can tell is that people like these but they aren't really of great value... unless yer the one behind the handle swinging it.

Doug
 
It's an older model. Newer ones had the eye welded on. Yours also a square-head bolt which indicates age. Yours is cool for the forge weld alone.

The thing is there is just no value in these. Nobody wants them. I've kept and restored one because it had a railroad stamp on it and I collect from that railroad. Yesterday I came across a very nice True Temper brush axe at an estate sale. Like new for $10. I almost passed but decided the handle was worth $10 to me.
TT%20Brush%20axe.jpg
 
That's actually pretty darn helpful, thank you. I appreciate the acknowledgement of what I was thinking by someone who probably knows much, much better than I. It was interesting just digging into it and figuring out as much as I have from reading and examining the thing. Since I'm probably just going to use it myself I wish I had struck a better deal but I still think its cool. Knowing its old (especially if early 1900s or 1800s even) just makes me feel its worth owning even if for a few more bucks than I should have given.

I never really bought anything and went through the process of discovering things about it with quite so much sleuthing involved. It was fun and I'll maybe sell it cheap or admit to my wife it's not worth selling and keep it.

From the picture you posted it seems I'm not the only one who can't quite ignore a cool old tool if it can be justified at all... cheers.

Doug

PS: The handle is worth more than $10 so bonus!
 
ddayx10 said:
PS: The handle is worth more than $10 so bonus!
Click to expand...

Can you show us the rest of the handle? Some of these old tools have fine slender hafts with nice full fawns foot swells. Much better than any haft you find in a store today.
 
That's a nice old tool there, and probably worth every bit of the 20$ you paid though less would've been a better deal.
To clean it up the best way is to use a wire wheel in an angle grinder then oil it when finished.
Vinegar will leave a dull grey finish and in some cases can eat into the Steel ( I've seen a few pictures of axes this happened to ).
 
Wow guys thanks. I'm starting to geek out on this thing a bit.

Square_peg its convenient you asked about the handles. I saw some other postings about handles earlier but have no idea how to tell if they're really old. This one looks similar to one I replaced on my axe last year (old axe don't have any clue what it is). I figured the chances it was a replacement were pretty high since this thing looks like its seen a few hours of sweat. So I'm posting some more pictures down below (had to charge my phone 1st darn it).

Just a few notes. The handle doesn't look completely water damaged or dried out but it's only a few "mistake swings" from showing it's weakest link. Also the handle doesn't have a wedge in it (which it doesn't need technically) but it does have a slot for a wedge cut in it (don't know if that matters). I really didn't know what to show for the handle so... like I said I geeked out a bit on it.

Steve Tall, that ad is cool. I hadn't thought much about the name but I think I saw it referenced a few times that way so I was just trying get something close as I could tell without using any of the wrong buzzwords that would misidentify it. If I hadn't been taking pictures I would have been researching where to find these cool old advertisements. You can learn a lot from that as a resource I see, especially if you could find the years where things change.

Hickory n steel you are right. I have seen demos of vinegar left on highly rusted tools too long eat pits right into the steel. This blade doesn't really have a lot of deep rust it doesn't appear. I don't think I'll do anything to it as it is but maybe wire off the rust and sharpen it. You reminded me I need to look into it harder before I mess with it. Thanks. They wanted 30 for it I caved at 20 but would have been happy at 15.

Now after posting all that I think I truly went crazy on my 1st posting of an axe on this forum. Thanks again.

Left Full Length

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Full Length Right
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Left Head Close Up
Interesting here is the other side of the square fastener. When you look at the bolt it doesn't appear to have been removed in a long time. The bolt itself terminates in a point where it has been sheered off (likely with bold cutters) and is weathered identically to everything else (it doesn't really shine at tip that's just the camera flash).
right_blade_zpsvxtdasj8.jpg



Handle Spine
70f2ebf6-4c8f-4d42-a0e2-ae1d41fcdd6f_zpsmwtlngna.jpg


Handle/Axe Head Top
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Thats typical brush hook.
That haft is probably orginal, it does have more elegant slenderness lacking on more recent tools.
Btw, obviously axes are always kerfed & wedged. some brush hook hafts have a kerf, some dont.
 
Lieblad, I'm pretty much a goof trying to figure out something about this crazy axe. I actually didn't know what a kerf was or kerfed but... dumb as I am I googled it :)

I thinking you're referring to the fact that the handle has no wedge (in it's kerf, is that right?) and I said it probably didn't need it? I'm not really sure why I thought about it that way doh, anyway I lost my safety glasses too... go figure eh. I still got both eyes for now, but if I don't listen to you I may have my skull kerfed (and wedged, gulp) or somethin.

Thx.

So anyway (and I may simply be 100% corn-fused here) if it's supposed to be wedged would that mean perhaps the original handle had been replaced.
 
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If that handle was replaced it probably happened 50yrs ago or more, because that handle just has that nice slim profile seen on older handles.
Then again maybe the factories supply of kerf-less handles ran out so they used some regular axe handles.
 
The handle looks like a nice old replacement to me. Yeah these tools are common here in the northeast and people can't give them away but I'll still pick them up if they are $5 and have a nice handle. Your example is very nice and in great shape. Although you paid too much to sell it, you didn't pay too much to have and use a nice tool. Especially one that gives you pride of ownership.
 
I usually buy brush axes for their handles, I've been able to sell heads for 20 dollars to the right people but to me they hold no utility value, I'd much rather use an axe or machete.
 
6JtSKkT.jpg


This looks like a similar one but maybe a bit smaller - at least from the pictures. I hadn't really given the construction any thought until your post. $20 for an intact one like yours probably isn't too bad.

The handle isn't a prize on this one (unless you like flat sides, anemic swells, and lacquer bubbles, then you are set!)
 
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The handle is almost certainly a period replacement, as true bush hook handles don't have a kerf. Single bit axe handles were more widely available and almost identical and so most folks used a single bit axe handle to replace the original handle.

As far as the nomenclature goes, in the modern era we call the brush axes, but historically it was more common to call them bush hooks. However, you can mix and match from bush/brush and axe/hook and the resulting combination is considered acceptable.
 
DarthTaco123 said:
I usually buy brush axes for their handles, I've been able to sell heads for 20 dollars to the right people but to me they hold no utility value, I'd much rather use an axe or machete.
Click to expand...

I'd like one of these because to me it seems you get more leverage than with a machete, and I'm a heavy machete guy myself, plenty :). It's like having a machete on a long handle. I've never been able to compare, though.
 
Bush hooks are for targets too heavy for a bush scythe and too light for an axe. They use a very different stroke than a machete would and so are sometimes better suited to certain kinds of vegetation removal than machetes are. I use machetes much more frequently, but bush hooks are the best tool at what they do.
 
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