Dating a Kelly Black Chief

[daizee]

I just took a closer look at what my dad said 'may be the family axe' up here at the cabin.

It is clearly stamped "BLACK CHIEF MADE BY KELLY AXE & TOOL WORKS".
It has a '5' in a circle stamped under the poll. Doesn't strike me as 5lbs, but maybe? There appears to be some residual paint. Note this is NOT a Black Raven.

I'd call it an Ohio or a Michigan pattern, will post pictures in a bit.
The bit is rather beat up, but could certainly be tuned up and put back to work. I got interested after we discussed a small wood shed for the cabin, now that the fireplace has been modernized and is in working order.

Any notion on dates for this thing? Any other info?

 

[daizee]

 

[Woodcraft]

I would say that is a Michigan. If I recall an ohio will have a squared up poll like a dayton.

 

[phantomknives]

i'd put it maybe in the charleston era based on markings and positioning but i could be wrong. so about early 1900's to maybe the 30's. yeah, that's a beaut

 

[daizee]

I forgot about this thread, so posting the refurb pix here too for later reference:


The toe was quite worn, so I reprofiled the entire edge on the KMG with 60g ceramic on a contact wheel running full tilt. Made short work of it. Then reprofiled the edge transition on the slack belt, and cleaned it all up with scotchbrite. Sharpened on the machine, stropped on the scotchbrite, and then finished it with a nail buffer by hand. The haft is original, sans all the donor hardware, with a new wedge and bunch of BLO in there.