Early Collins single bevel broad axe. User or wall hanger?

M

Malus

Joined
Dec 24, 2018
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I won a bid on this early Collins broad axe last month. It looked to be in great condition. I thought I could deal with the amount of pitting because it was a full pattern with only a little damage to the poll. Otherwise, it looked like it hadn't seen any abuse. In the seller's only picture of the backside it appeared nice and flat.
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Unfortunately, opening the package today I found that it had been sharpened on the non-bevel side at some point in its life. Some better lighting really shows it.
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I know that some of these early broad axes had the good steel laminated only to the back (flat) side with the rest being wrought iron. I'm willing to put in the time to file the pitting and flatten the back, but I worry that in doing so I may file through the laminate steel on the back. Based on the pictures do you think I can get away with it? The bevel put on the back isn't too bad, and if I do go ahead and file out the chipped portions that will bring the edge back which would help a bit.

From what I've read on yesteryear tools the "Collins & Co. Hartford Cast-Steel Warranted" stamp might be pre-1834.
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Maybe this one should have its patina preserved, get a nice handle and hang on a wall.
 
I frankly don't know what to say...(other than that it's an absolutely Beautiful tool,elegant as h...ll,in all proportions).

The steel on the back side looks peculiarly narrow(for a head with so little wear,seemingly).
AND,as far as i can see at least,the width of steel on the beveled side seems about the Same.

Could this be an inlaid bit?...I think that it maybe is...

Which would mean that there's plenty of steel for a significant reshaping...

However,it may also be an overlaid bit(which would be odd as the amount of steel then would be stingy at best...But,if this axe is indeed that old,and there was a developed re-blading industry in common practice,maybe such expedients were employed).

But judging from even these good photos is always iffy,so i'd not want to influence your difficult decision in any way...
 
If it was mine--only file to profile and sharpen, leave patina. Start with filing the edge flat to remove the pits, then file the hump of the back bevel, so to speak, out of the back side until the pits at the edge are gone, file the front bevel last, stone, hang with a 20-24" dog leg hickory haft (either right or left handed). Start hewing. VERY nice early Collins broad axe.
 
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Thanks for the advice guys. Jake, I think you're right about it being inlaid, especially if it is as old as I think it is, so that gives me confidence to go forward.

Also, I didn't mean to suggest that I would remove any pitting or patina on the rest of the head. I meant that if there was a chance I could run into soft steel while trying to remove the back bevel I would simply quit while I was ahead and preserve the axe as is for historical value.

Old Axeman, your steps are the exact process I plan to take on this one. In fact, before the head arrived I had already roughed out a 22" haft from a piece of white ash that had a natural bend going with the grain.

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I'll update the thread with my progress, I'm going to get filing.
 
I think you have a great user that deserves to be restored and given a new life. I would give it a rigorous cleaning with a cup brush on an angle grinder and see if that reveals the cast steel bit. If it doesn't then I would go ahead and give it a vinegar soak for 24 hours to reveal the bit. That will tell us what to do next.

Most likely you'll end up doing precisely as Old Axeman advised.

You may have seen read a post where I flatted the back of my broad axe with files. In doing so I removed a slight bit of camber on the back of the bit. This was likely a mistake (as a lifelong carpenter I saw the broadaxe as a giant chisel). A small amount of camber on the back can help to keep the heel and toe of the axe from digging in and can make it easier to achieve a smooth finish on your hewing.
 
Here it is sharpened up and hung. 6 1/4 lbs Ohio pattern Collins & Co. broad axe on a 22" offset ash handle. Probably made in the 1830s or 40s at the Collinsville, CT plant. As you can see from the first post the back had been beveled and was pitted. I brought it back to non-bevel while keeping the arc and taking off the least steel possible. I wanted to preserve this piece of axe history, and I spent a long time carefully bringing it back to working condition.

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Now you did it, that axe looks like it is ready to go to work! I am not a fortune teller, but, I see you making a couple of bologna & cheese sandwiches and filling a thermos with hot coffee and getting at it. Nice job! There has been much wisdom imparted here in this thread by all of you gentlemen.
 
Malus said:
Here it is sharpened up and hung. 6 1/4 lbs Ohio pattern Collins & Co. broad axe on a 22" offset ash handle. Probably made in the 1830s or 40s at the Collinsville, CT plant. As you can see from the first post the back had been beveled and was pitted. I brought it back to non-bevel while keeping the arc and taking off the least steel possible. I wanted to preserve this piece of axe history, and I spent a long time carefully bringing it back to working condition.

aKcLazm.jpg
xy5cA8d.jpg
MgmpCXz.jpg
ZheVEXO.jpg
DGmffBb.jpg
Click to expand...
Maaaaaagnificent!!!
Any steam bending involved or natural curve was enough?
 
Hairy Clipper said:
Now you did it, that axe looks like it is ready to go to work! I am not a fortune teller, but, I see you making a couple of bologna & cheese sandwiches and filling a thermos with hot coffee and getting at it. Nice job! There has been much wisdom imparted here in this thread by all of you gentlemen.
Click to expand...

You may be a fortune teller! I am planning a small timber framed workshop/studio build with hewn timbers. There will I'm sure be a lot of coffee involved!
crbnSteeladdict said:
Maaaaaagnificent!!!
Any steam bending involved or natural curve was enough?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I didn't steam bend this handle. It had some natural bend, but there is some runout. Its a good dense piece of ash though so I'm not worried about it breaking.
 
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