Hatchets/ Axes made in West Germany?

B

Brian Rust

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Nov 14, 2017
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i was just wondering what people’s impressions were of these? I recently purchased one and was curious. I am in the middle of re-handling and cleaning up the head and will post pictures later. Thank you for your comments and any advice given.
 
best i can tell, they're high quality especially if they're marked ruhr. apparently the ruhr valley was like the maine forges of germany
 
The Made in West Germany axes and hatchets are tough to pin down.

If they are marked "West Germany" then that probably puts into the time frame after Germany was divided and potentially up to Reunification.
1. Patterns I've personally seen or owed are pretty varied (single bit axes/hatchets that include sizes from 1 1/4 to 5lbs), double/single bits.
2. They often are heavier than the marked weights.
3. The eyes are more the size of the 80's import Swedish/HB axe heads. For the hatchet-sized axes a house axe handle (full-size eye) seems to work pretty well.
4. Most are flat-sided but some do have the top and bottom of the cheeks pushed in some that might "simulate" cheeks.
5. Some are not marked, some are marked Trumpeter (French and English text) Wiebelhaus, WECO via label, etc. Weco also appears on tools from Brazil, Mexico, Germany, and Japan. There may be a connection to Weco and post war investment and import opportunities - I don't know for sure.
6. More often than not they were blue and a little rough in build.
 
Manufacture and quality of German tools tends to be excellent. Every tool I own of W German descent is top quality. Immediately post war the finishing and quality of tools and axes was crude (shortage of skilled workers, quality materials and manufacturing equipment) but they weren't long catching up. Some of their axe heads have D-shaped eyes and I'm of the opinion that this is superior to the ubiquitous oval eye in making it easier to align and fit a handle.
 
Speaking of impressions, mine are that the German likes a very hard temper that will not stand for much abuse - they wouldn't think of it to begin with - but will hold an edge for a long time, all good and well, but when it finally does come time for inevitable sharpening, whether a real grind to get out damage, for example, or a honing to freshen up the edge, it is a serious matter and takes much work. So, if I had a thing or two to say about German axes, in the broadest sense of that characterization, it would be that. Once you get to it, maybe you will take note and pass on what you think regarding sharpening this axe.
 
Ernest DuBois said:
Speaking of impressions, mine are that the German likes a very hard temper that will not stand for much abuse - they wouldn't think of it to begin with - but will hold an edge for a long time, all good and well, but when it finally does come time for inevitable sharpening, whether a real grind to get out damage, for example, or a honing to freshen up the edge, it is a serious matter and takes much work. So, if I had a thing or two to say about German axes, in the broadest sense of that characterization, it would be that. Once you get to it, maybe you will take note and pass on what you think regarding sharpening this axe.
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I've got a lot of commercial and recreational use out of a 1 kg (2 1/4 lb) Iltis Oxhead 'Canadian' that I bought new in 1992. It's never chipped on me and sharpening with a file has never been difficult. Other than it having flat cheeks (which, to be honest, never bothered me) it's been a lovely tool.
 
My only experience with west German steel is with a drill index from my grandfather, it's a top notch set of drill bits for sure.
I would assume any axes have to at least be decent.
 







Well here are some before and after shots. All I did was wire wheeled it and it cleaned up much better than I thought it would. You can see the casting isn’t very good. Both sides are pretty rough. And in the last picture you can see that the top of the head is very wavy... but I’m not much for cosmetics anyway... as far as the steel, it is not overly hard but it is one of my harder axes. I sharpened it when I was sharpening a little Collins hatchet I recently found and it is much harder than the Collins. But not as hard as a few of my TT’s. Over all I am very impressed with the steel and not very impressed with the casting. I haven’t found many heads marked 1 3/4 though.

I’m sure it is near impossible to find who the maker was due to the lack of markings but is there a few makers we could narrow it down to possibly? Thank you to all who commented and for your opinions!!!
 
Also, I have read other forums posted here talking about saving the original handles and chipping out the Orange epoxy. Well I tried for about 30 minutes and that crap is not easy to deal with. I didn’t like it that much anyways so I just cut it off. Then then smell that comes off that stuff just from trying to chip it out made me feel like wearing a mask haha. But when the handle finally came out there was no epoxy left in the head so that was good. Just thought I’d throw that in
 
junkenstien said:
A lot of cheap knives I have seen are marked west germany.
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Indeed in the 1960s these were common and 25-50% lower priced than domestic-made goods. I still have a Solingen-made "cheapie" belt knife from that time (frugal selection from when I had a $2/wk paper route and needed one as a Boy Scout) but I've never regretted the purchase. Folks laughed at bargain German and Swede imports at the time and little did they know that Mexican, Indian and Chinese versions would supplant these. Country of origin was the only real issue 60 years ago, now it's origin along with diminishing quality.
 
One of my favorite hatchets. Takes and holds an edge very well. Feels like mid-50s HRC under the file. Came with an excellent handle, really nice grip in the swell and perfect grain. Thick cheeks like a typical vintage American camp hatchet.

Hatchet8.jpg

Hatchet7.jpg

Hatchet5.jpg


It is older than unification. Research found it made in Solingen.
 
Square_peg said:
One of my favorite hatchets. Takes and holds an edge very well. Feels like mid-50s HRC under the file. Came with an excellent handle, really nice grip in the swell and perfect grain. Thick cheeks like a typical vintage American camp hatchet.

Hatchet8.jpg

Hatchet7.jpg

Hatchet5.jpg


It is older than unification. Research found it made in Solingen.
Click to expand...

So were the krauts basing this hatchet from the American style with a little twist? You can still see a little of theirs in the heel. For better export sales guess? Very nice little axe, and the handle looks like it would fit the hand perfectly, which you have noted already but I felt like I had to say something ha
 
My parents endured the war in occupied Netherlands. Dad loathed everything 'Mof' (German) except machinery and tools and held grudging admiration for their technical ability. In later life whenever he used the term "Jerry-built" to describe creative improvised solutions it was a real compliment.
 
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Brian Rust said:
So were the krauts basing this hatchet from the American style with a little twist? You can still see a little of theirs in the heel. For better export sales guess? Very nice little axe, and the handle looks like it would fit the hand perfectly, which you have noted already but I felt like I had to say something ha
Click to expand...

Tell me Brian Rust, did you just step out of a World War II movie?
 
No sir I did not and I was not using any terminology in a derogatory manner. If you choose to take it that way then I will try to be more sensitive to other cultures when I post a comment. I appreciate the comment.
 
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