Council Tool Co. Celebrates 130 Years with Commemorative Saddle Axe

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This just in, taken from Council Tool website:

http://counciltool.com/130_commemorative/


Council Tool Co. Celebrates 130 Years

The Council Tool Co. is very proud to offer the opportunity to own a piece of American Axe Making History with our individually numbered 130th Anniversary Commemorative Saddle Axe. Only 130 have been produced and will be sold on the CouncilTool.com website on a first come/first serve basis.

1886 was the year that John Pickett Council incorporated The Council Tool Co. for the purpose of forging quality tools for himself and others in the turpentine industry and 130 years later the fourth and fifth generations of the Council Family are still committed to delivering the highest quality, Made in USA, forged axes and hand tools.

The 130th Anniversary Commemorative Axe is a traditional US Axe pattern aptly named the Saddle Axe. Drop forged from 5160 steel, known for its superior characteristics and blade retention. This axe is a beautiful collector’s item, however it was designed and manufactured for work. It has been heat treated, tempered and crafted with a distinctive flat grind on each blade for maximum versatility. This specific design is a multifunctional and packable axe pattern that received its name from being traditionally carried in a saddle bag while on horseback. The 130th Commemorative Saddle Axe falls under the Velvicut® Line of Premium Axes and this special edition is set apart by its highly buffed finish. In addition to the finish, the 130th Anniversary Commemorative Edition Saddle Axe is inscribed with the commemorated years 1886-2016 in the lower left and right phantom bevel areas. In the upper left phantom bevel area you will see the distinct axe number from the sequence of 130 axes made exclusively for this historic occasion. The upper right hand phantom bevel area is inscribed with the total number (130) of 130th Commemorative Saddle Axes made in this limited run. The innovative Saddle Axe design has a 25 degree flat grind on the left blade for cutting, shaving, and carving and a wider 32 degree flat grind on the right blade for notching, splitting and heavier jobs. All combine into a very well designed, versatile and useful axe. All 130th Commemorative Axes come with a fine leather double bit blade cover. To commemorate John Pickett Council-Founder and his vision of what Council Tool Co. could be some day, he is celebrated in the laser etched centerpiece of this 130th Anniversary Commemorative Saddle Axe, mounted on his horse and surrounded by his hunting dogs at his home in Lake Waccamaw, NC. Circa 1902.
 
This is an outstanding move by Council Tool. It looks beautiful. I love the phantom bevels and the stamping. I had to have one. So I just ordered one.
 
The Saddle Axe will be added to the Velvicut line after the commemoratives are gone... not sure if or when a stock version would come around, but stranger things have happened... if the market causes a strong enough demand, Council would have more reasons to fill that demand...

Peace, Rooster
 
2 lbs. head, 15" handle, 5160 steel, the felling/bucking side is 25 deg. flat grind, and the limbing/splitting side 32 deg. flat-grind with thicker cheeks.... each end is unique.. a true double-bit... she's a thumper, gets things done quick, and very pack-able !!!
 
For me 14" is too short for a 1-1/4lb head, so 15" is definitely too short for a 2lb head.

It's a real nice looking head, but it just seems weird to have a cruiser head on a hatchet length handle, if they went up to about 22" they'd really have a winner. ( a 1-1/4lb saddle cruiser head on a 18" handle would be even better )
I do hope the head becomes popular though so they could be persuaded to hang it on different handle lengths, if they put it into their lineup that is.
 
It would be easy for me to say I don't like the thick handle or the laser etch without seeing it in person. I have some doubts about the head weight too. Also I would prefer a one piece sheath. However, I applaud Council for surviving 130 years and commemorating it with a special axe. From a marketing standpoint, it should generate more interest in axes and axe history. Will it prove to be a good investment? Probably not, but I'm looking forward to comparing it to my Collins saddle axe and adding it to my collection. I would like them to do more limited edition axes.
 
Well, I can tell you that the idea and design elements behind the Saddle Axe by Council is one that does take some liberties, but still ties back to traditional influences...

The eye is sized for a standard cruiser handle, so that in future re-hangs the user can chose from stock cruiser handles available in the market...It may look to some as being thick, but it is quite comfortable. Three separate old school handles were used to come up with this shape and swell dimension... The shorter handle was chosen for pack-ability and is similar in length to the Norlunds... If Council feels that there is a demand for a second option for a longer handle on this size head, then they will re-visit that design element... It has already been discussed prior to the release of these initial axes. Having different handle lengths and styles allows one head to become different versions, which is an easy and simple way to increase the market coverage...

The bits are forged with different geometries, and they are flat ground instead of convex... one side (25 deg.)for felling/bucking/carving and the other (32 deg.) for limbing/splitting...

The phantom bevels were added to compliment the center-line behind the bevels and within the cheeks.

The 5160 steel is the same as all the other time tested Axes in the Velvicut line.

Council is proud to offer this version of a Saddle Axe, and other patterns/designs in the near future..

Peace, Rooster
 
Hickory n steel said:
For me 14" is too short for a 1-1/4lb head, so 15" is definitely too short for a 2lb head.

It's a real nice looking head, but it just seems weird to have a cruiser head on a hatchet length handle, if they went up to about 22" they'd really have a winner. ( a 1-1/4lb saddle cruiser head on a 18" handle would be even better )
I do hope the head becomes popular though so they could be persuaded to hang it on different handle lengths, if they put it into their lineup that is.
Click to expand...

Ditto.
 
I like it, but I think I would like to see one with standard Council Tool markings instead of the commemorative ones.
 
"Only 130" of these have been produced. That tells you something. Current 'gatherers of anything deemed to be investment-type collectible' would have snapped up the first 1000 of these before they came off the assembly line, if they thought there'd be a profitable re-sale market somewhere down the road.
Good move of Council to 'have a go' at something like this though. If I can afford their commemorative hard poll Jersey if/when it ever comes out there most definitely will be a purchase order coming from up this way.
 
Well I tried telling myself I did not need another axe....and that worked out about as well as expected. Ordered one this afternoon. I know I will kick myself years down the road when I see others have this and know I could have had one and kept it in perfect shape.
 
Hickory n steel said:
For me 14" is too short for a 1-1/4lb head, so 15" is definitely too short for a 2lb head.

It's a real nice looking head, but it just seems weird to have a cruiser head on a hatchet length handle, if they went up to about 22" they'd really have a winner. ( a 1-1/4lb saddle cruiser head on a 18" handle would be even better )
I do hope the head becomes popular though so they could be persuaded to hang it on different handle lengths, if they put it into their lineup that is.
Click to expand...

I agree, you could go up to a 28" handle with a 2lb head.
 
I'm impressed that Council has departed from long time manufacturer's convention, in the hanging of this saddle axe, by leaving the haft proud of the eye instead of trimming it flush. It says nothing about how it's wedged but specs for their current FSS Pulaski mention the use of a special plastic instead of wood or aluminum.
 
300Six said:
I'm impressed that Council has departed from long time manufacturer's convention, in the hanging of this saddle axe, by leaving the haft proud of the eye instead of trimming it flush. It says nothing about how it's wedged but specs for their current FSS Pulaski mention the use of a special plastic instead of wood or aluminum.
Click to expand...

I don't know about the plastic wedge, but the best thing about the metal wedge is that it works loose pretty quick so it can be replaced :). At least that's the way it worked on my son's Hudson bay...the head is on good now, after I fitted a wooden wedge! The CT boys axe I had for a while actually had two brads on either end of wedge to keep it in. Seemed to work and they were covered with factory red paint...

I hate to say it, but I think the Trupers do better job of wedging than most, with a wood wedge and a metal ring wedge.
 
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