handmade axe maker?

N

Norwood

Joined
Jan 19, 2019
Messages
27
When I first looked at this axe I was awed by the overall condition and craftsmanship. Overall length is 30 3/8". The axe head is 4 1/2"heel to toe, 9 1/4" bit to bit, and the depth at the eye center is 3 5/16". On one side there is a 3 1/2 stamp and a partial block letter stamp HANDMADE across from it. Along with the handle design I hold to a hope there could be enough to recognize this axe maker. Anyway, I got this about 10 years ago from a barn sale in sw MA and they told me the axe was southern. Here are links to photos.
https://imgur.com/0Q6ue1c
https://imgur.com/TZPrlaf
https://imgur.com/hRdR2m9
https://imgur.com/tvbsK99
https://imgur.com/pjwhRk2
https://imgur.com/61PnS6L
 
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That's an Emerson Stevens! Definitely not a southern axe! It was made in Oakland, Maine. Easily recognizable! Under the eye, if they aren't worn off, you should find either a (M) W or a P being the initial of the person who tempered your axe and also the year of manufacture. You were right in recognizing quality!!
Here's a few photos of a more recognizable set of stamps from them.
15811331715658481353691171527661.jpg

15811332001381820556719369342857.jpg
This one was made in 1939.
15811332763716417887879090924850.jpg
And im not sure who tempered it. Some claim it's a W(and it sure does look like one) but if it is it's always upside down... A man named Mansen was making axes for them but I don't know if he was working for them that early.
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Yankee Josh said:
To which are you referring? Doesn't matter much but I'm curious! That wedge pattern I have is almost new old stock.
But op's db is a nice axe too! Pretty hard to find an E&S db in any sort of condition let alone good.
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I was referring to Norwood's ( that haft:eek:) but yours is damn fine too. :D I think you can spot a E&S a half mile off.

I admit to being envious of those Oakland axes you guys find. Ain't that the way it is though with some of those regional patterns, we want what we can't find? I was actually really lucky some years ago when I came across a hoard in a basement. It was axe picking heaven and I didn't know if I had enough dough to get all I wanted when I seen this skinny DBL bit with a diamond eye and no makers stamp in a pile of loose heads. I didn't know what it was but I hadn't seen anything like it, it was forge welded hand made so it came home with me. Only one I have ever seen in the wild and I don't expect to I'll ever see another one.
 
Those are all beautiful axes.Norwood,thank you for taking good photos for everyone to see.
Josh,likewise.
Ad Garry's i can just picture,those are fantastic,those diamond-section Maine DB's.
And all of these are pretty much together period/construction/finish-wise.

I've possibly a slight conundrum here for you with my poor old "HANDMADE".
The inscription is oddly similar,but it's a definite product of closed-die process,and mono-steel,(and much later i'd suppose).
Is that imprint a coincidence?(i kinda thought there was a modern(-ish)company or brand or something...(i'm anything but a collector,and memory particularly bad for brands et c.)

2011.jpg 2013.jpg
 
jake pogg said:
Those are all beautiful axes.Norwood,thank you for taking good photos for everyone to see.
Josh,likewise.
Ad Garry's i can just picture,those are fantastic,those diamond-section Maine DB's.
And all of these are pretty much together period/construction/finish-wise.

I've possibly a slight conundrum here for you with my poor old "HANDMADE".
The inscription is oddly similar,but it's a definite product of closed-die process,and mono-steel,(and much later i'd suppose).
Is that imprint a coincidence?(i kinda thought there was a modern(-ish)company or brand or something...(i'm anything but a collector,and memory particularly bad for brands et c.)

View attachment 1279668 View attachment 1279669
Click to expand...
Jake, my gut tells me paper label hardware store hatchet made by AA&TCo.
vtg-hand-made-hatchet-axe-hammer_1_d6c1be2fc16840d17093083a7e4c0aee.jpg

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtg-hand-made-hatchet-axe-hammer-1981882199
 
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garry3 said:
I was referring to Norwood's ( that haft:eek:) but yours is damn fine too. :D I think you can spot a E&S a half mile off.

I admit to being envious of those Oakland axes you guys find. Ain't that the way it is though with some of those regional patterns, we want what we can't find? I was actually really lucky some years ago when I came across a hoard in a basement. It was axe picking heaven and I didn't know if I had enough dough to get all I wanted when I seen this skinny DBL bit with a diamond eye and no makers stamp in a pile of loose heads. I didn't know what it was but I hadn't seen anything like it, it was forge welded hand made so it came home with me. Only one I have ever seen in the wild and I don't expect to I'll ever see another one.
Click to expand...
I think that's my favourite part of getting familiar with different makers and their specific markings. You can spot em a mile off! Even just their weight stamp... 98% of the time it's placed just below center of the bit. Just down a tad toward the heel.
Yeah diamond eyes are fairly rare even around here. And good ones are rarer still. People sure got there monies worth out of their tools back in the day here in Maine. I have I think 6 or 7 diamond eyes and all but 2 are quite worn or have uneven bits. I have one really interesting one I think I'll make a thread about. I love finding basements like the one you mentioned! I haven't found one in awhile. But I'm always looking!! :thumbsup:
 
Yankee Josh said:
I think that's my favourite part of getting familiar with different makers and their specific markings. You can spot em a mile off! Even just their weight stamp... 98% of the time it's placed just below center of the bit. Just down a tad toward the heel.
Yeah diamond eyes are fairly rare even around here. And good ones are rarer still. People sure got there monies worth out of their tools back in the day here in Maine. I have I think 6 or 7 diamond eyes and all but 2 are quite worn or have uneven bits. I have one really interesting one I think I'll make a thread about. I love finding basements like the one you mentioned! I haven't found one in awhile. But I'm always looking!! :thumbsup:
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Looking forward to seeing it. Not sure if we even have a thread dedicated to the Maine axes?

Them day's of easy picking and finding pounds of axes for cheap are nothing but a distant memory now. We don't have that much population and it's just getting real tough with so much interest in them now. Getting skunked is more the norm and finding one two is a good day. The juice usually isn't worth the squeeze to put much effort into it.
 
Yankee Josh said:
That's an Emerson Stevens! Definitely not a southern axe! It was made in Oakland, Maine. Easily recognizable! Under the eye, if they aren't worn off, you should find either a (M) W or a P being the initial of the person who tempered your axe and also the year of manufacture. You were right in recognizing quality!!
Here's a few photos of a more recognizable set of stamps from them.
View attachment 1279602

View attachment 1279603
This one was made in 1939.
View attachment 1279604
And im not sure who tempered it. Some claim it's a W(and it sure does look like one) but if it is it's always upside down... A man named Mansen was making axes for them but I don't know if he was working for them that early.
View attachment 1279605
View attachment 1279606
Click to expand...

This axe found the barn, rather than barn... axe. Thank you YJ for eye's open to E&S and the photos wOw! There are stamps under the eye, W and looks like 36, thought it was 98 under the magnifying glass.
https://imgur.com/lucrVRj
 
Here's a few more examples of year/ temperer markings. The majority are W. But if you notice on the one's that are stamped P the P is oriented the same way as the year stamp. Which has always confused me. That means that on every single axe the "W" is stamped in the opposite orientation to the year. Anyway.
1928-P
20200208_202253.jpg
1948-W
20200208_202351.jpg
20200208_202358.jpg
This one is 9?-W
20200208_202415.jpg
20200208_202459.jpg
This one is 8? And no temperers mark remains.
20200208_203002.jpg
20200208_202657.jpg
And lastly 1951-W. As you can see this ash helve lacked the shoulder to fill out the bottom of the eye so I used a clear 2 part epoxy to fill in. It's held up for 2 years now!
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A family photo;
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They're all Such beautiful axes,Josh,thanks for putting these photos up.
I think i like that '51-W the best...Stunning axe,and i don't know if profiling was yours(i'm sure grind and sharpening was),but all those are fantastic too.
Good stuff...:)
 
jake pogg said:
They're all Such beautiful axes,Josh,thanks for putting these photos up.
I think i like that '51-W the best...Stunning axe,and i don't know if profiling was yours(i'm sure grind and sharpening was),but all those are fantastic too.
Good stuff...:)
Click to expand...
Well thanks Jake! I appreciate that. I did reprofile, grind and sharpen all but the loose head. That toe is so worn I'd be almost out of carbon steel by the time I got it fixed. I only bought that one for the good stamps on it.
Yeah that '51 I found on my birthday 2018 for ten bucks! It was totally covered in black paint but I knew what it was and talked him down from twenty bucks. ;).
I'm still looking for an E&S connie. I missed out on a few and I won't let that happen again! :mad:. I know where there's an Emerson Stevens broad axe right now stamped West Waterville... But it's just barely legible and that's if you know what you are looking for. Lowest he'll take is $70 and the most I'll pay is $35. So that one won't be coming home I don't think.
 
I so enjoy reading your posts,Josh,makes me wistful for Maine...You really are a true Yankee!
You ought to tell these people that they must give those axes up to you,you deserve them,they're yours by some ineffable Cultural RIGHT!!!:)...It's Your heritage,and those axes Deserve to belong to you-they'll only be safe with you,else it's just plain wrong!

That loose head...Pick a time when the Collector within is napping,then quickly stoke up your forge and re-steel it!(practice a bit first by forging a set of tongs that'll grasp it safely clear around the stamp and won't bugger it up:)
 
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