Estimate the age of this Plumb double

quinton · Jul 7, 2015

A pre-permabond Plumb 3 1/2 on one of the thinnest 30" slim taper helves I have ever seen. At its thinnest the haft is 3/4 X 1 1/8. The head still has red and gold letters on the Plumb stamp. Also looks like professional axe hangers know how to fix minor wedging issues..

halfaxe · Jul 7, 2015

I think Plumb started using red epoxy permabond at the eye in 1959 IIRC. I would guess 1950's for that axe. An odd wedge for sure.

markv · Jul 8, 2015

had one just like it btw good axe, only it was permabond. traded it for a Wetterlings double.

buzz

Guitarist7.62 · Jul 8, 2015

Doesn't matter the date to me, that's a great axe! Good grinds and an amazing handle!

quinton · Jul 8, 2015

Guitarist7.62 said:
Doesn't matter the date to me, that's a great axe! Good grinds and an amazing handle!

Date doesn't matter, just curiosity.

The helve is amazing.. It is perfectly hung too, and I'm funny about hangs. I've not seen many axes that are perfect, old, new or otherwise... but this one is!

Guitarist7.62 · Jul 8, 2015

A lost seems like original handle with it having blue paint in the eye

quinton · Jul 8, 2015

Guitarist7.62 said:
A lost seems like original handle with it having blue paint in the eye

It is the factory original.

quinton · Jul 8, 2015

halfaxe said:
I think Plumb started using red epoxy permabond at the eye in 1959 IIRC. I would guess 1950's for that axe. An odd wedge for sure.

Thanks.. Could be the 50's, but I feel like it may be older than that due to the thinner haft, and more cheek on the head. Guess there is no way to tell for sure.

halfaxe · Jul 8, 2015

quinton said:
Thanks.. Could be the 50's, but I feel like it may be older than that due to the thinner haft, and more cheek on the head. Guess there is no way to tell for sure.

No I'm not certain. Just a guess due to the sticker on the handle. Before the fifties they just burned in a Plumb logo.

quinton · Jul 8, 2015

halfaxe said:
No I'm not certain. Just a guess due to the sticker on the handle. Before the fifties they just burned in a Plumb logo.

I have some older Plumbs with the "screw wedge" that Yesteryears tools say were used prior to 1955. I also have some older Plumbs with "Plumb" stamped into the helve.. So, you are probably right on the age.

BG_Farmer · Jul 8, 2015

The overall appearance reminds me of my dad's plumb boys axe, when it still had the original handle, sometime back in the 70s

. He was born in '35, so I'm guessing somewhere pre-1955 is reasonable.

quinton · Jul 8, 2015

BG_Farmer said:
The overall appearance reminds me of my dad's plumb boys axe, when it still had the original handle, sometime back in the 70s . He was born in '35, so I'm guessing somewhere pre-1955 is reasonable.

What happened to the original haft in your dads axe?

I once took my dads Belknap hatchet on a squirrel hunt without him knowing; I don't know where he misplaced it after that...

BG_Farmer · Jul 8, 2015

quinton said:
What happened to the original haft in your dads axe? I once took my dads Belknap hatchet on a squirrel hunt without him knowing; I don't know where he misplaced it after that...

Good question, I wish I knew the answer!

300Six · Jul 9, 2015

I do recall the distinctive wine colour stain in use on Plumb wood handled hammers on the hardware store rack in the 1980s. I'd be curious if they still do that on wood handles and when was it they started doing this in the first place.

quinton · Jul 9, 2015

300Six said:
I do recall the distinctive wine colour stain in use on Plumb wood handled hammers on the hardware store rack in the 1980s. I'd be curious if they still do that on wood handles and when was it they started doing this in the first place.

According to Yesteryears Tools;

Their early handles were made of American Hickory and were finished in what was referred to as a natural finish. Such finishes had a clear coating applied directly onto the finished wood. Sometime prior to 1922 Plumb started to add a red coloring material to some of their handles. At the time they were also advertising that they were using select second growth American hickory. For many years prior to 1955 wood handles were held in place with a screw type wedge. Before that the traditional wedge was used.

300Six · Jul 10, 2015

halfaxe said:
I think Plumb started using red epoxy permabond at the eye in 1959 IIRC. I would guess 1950's for that axe. An odd wedge for sure.

I recently received an original Plumb axe with a wine-coloured haft without a permabond eye. Am I to presume that epoxied eyes are specific features of 1959 until closing in the early 80s of these? Or was Permabond discontinued somewhere along the way?

quinton · Jul 11, 2015

300Six said:
I recently received an original Plumb axe with a wine-coloured haft without a permabond eye. Am I to presume that epoxied eyes are specific features of 1959 until closing in the early 80s of these? Or was Permabond discontinued somewhere along the way?

The last new Plumb tools I saw on the store racks were permabond, I don't think it was ever discontinued.

300Six · Jul 11, 2015

Well Quinton I do suppose the double bit that you have and the Plumb rafting axe I just got (both are equally in good shape and expertly hung) are roughly the same age: between 1955 and 1959. If you think about it, barely used axes from before then would be harder to find. Chainsaws came into common use by the 1960s and that's when many axes become relegated to the basement or the garage and never really used much again. Relatively speaking these are not oldies, however they do appear to have been made at the height of skilled craftsmanship. Incentive to reduce costs, and morale and skills at axe factories began a steep decline in around there probably coinciding with the introduction of epoxy hidden eyes.

Steve Tall · Jul 11, 2015

300Six said:
I do recall the distinctive wine colour stain in use on Plumb wood handled hammers on the hardware store rack in the 1980s. I'd be curious if they still do that on wood handles and when was it they started doing this in the first place.

Currently available Plumb brick hammer with red handle:

Plumb was granted a trademark in 1922 for tools with the color combination of red handle and black head. This was after two years of advertisements from Plumb showing these colors.

Source: Color Advertising Creates Trademark Recognized by Patent Office, by Samuel F Haxton

quinton · Jul 12, 2015

300Six said:
Well Quinton I do suppose the double bit that you have and the Plumb rafting axe I just got (both are equally in good shape and expertly hung) are roughly the same age: between 1955 and 1959. If you think about it, barely used axes from before then would be harder to find. Chainsaws came into common use by the 1960s and that's when many axes become relegated to the basement or the garage and never really used much again. Relatively speaking these are not oldies, however they do appear to have been made at the height of skilled craftsmanship. Incentive to reduce costs, and morale and skills at axe factories began a steep decline in around there probably coinciding with the introduction of epoxy hidden eyes.

I think you nailed it, 300! A perfect analogy that I feel is spot on..

The Plumb DB axe pictured at the top of this post is a work of art, its quality is unmistakable. It is also the first used vintage axe I would take to the woods for a day of hard work without worry in its untouched, as received condition.