Recommendation? I need some help with an axe head identification

R

Restorer6826

Joined
Jul 16, 2023
Messages
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Hey everyone, Ive always enjoyed restoring tools. Ive made my own knives and even a few specialised tools for different things. Now someone in my area is selling a kelly axe. I dont know heaps about them and need some help figuring out if its worth getting. They didnt put a price up but from the photos you can see its a kelly and made in aus. It says worlds finest on it too. Is it worth getting and cleaning up or would it jus be a waste of cash?
Axe google drive
Thanks for everyones help and tips. Sadly the ad has been taken down
 
Last edited:
The pictures are requiring an email request to you for access to them.
You're going to need to try something else.
Restorer6826 said:
Hey everyone, Ive always enjoyed restoring tools. Ive made my own knives and even a few specialised tools for different things. Now someone in my area is selling a kelly axe. I dont know heaps about them and need some help figuring out if its worth getting. They didnt put a price up but from the photos you can see its a kelly and made in aus. It says worlds finest on it too. Is it worth getting and cleaning up or would it jus be a waste of cash?
Axe google drive
Click to expand...

Does the head look worn out or damaged?
Has it been butchered on a bench grinder ?
If it's a single bit has the poll been mushroomed over like they used it as a hammer or splitting wedge ?


By " cleaning up " what do you mean ?
Are you going to try and polish it up all whiney like it never would have been, or just wire wheel the rust off and put an edge on it ?
 
Hickory n steel said:
The pictures are requiring an email request to you for access to them.
You're going to need to try something else.


Does the head look worn out or damaged?
Has it been butchered on a bench grinder ?
If it's a single bit has the poll been mushroomed over like they used it as a hammer or splitting wedge ?


By " cleaning up " what do you mean ?
Are you going to try and polish it up all whiney like it never would have been, or just wire wheel the rust off and put an edge on it ?
Click to expand...
its single and has a slight mushroom but not to bad. ive adjusted the settings so you should be able to view it now. I reckon I would wire wheel the rust off and put an edge on it. I might try to polish it a little bit but the stamp already looks like its fading a bit and I dont want to risk it disappearing more
 
Saw the pictures, it's definitely worth buying.
I recommend not sending on it or trying to make it look " new " ...et if you get it.
A tool is only new once, I would recommend to just wire wheel the rust off and put an edge on it, the mushrooming isn't bad at all and you can easily put that steel back with a ball peen hammer.
 
"...the mushrooming isn't bad at all and you can easily put that steel back with a ball peen hammer."
EXCELENT point that I do not see mentioned enough. Polls are left softer so they deform instead of cracking or send chips flying when people misuse them. "cold forging" moves most of that mushroom back into place. Maybe break any sharp edge gently with a file once done and that is it. I started out just filing all displaced metal off before I realized there was a better way.

Looks like a very nice axe there!

Bill
 
If the price is right I'd buy it. It's a Dandenong in fair shape and restorable. Is it the one on the left or right?
 
I find it annoying when a seller wants to play a game of “guess the mystery price.” I see it as market testing, and 99 times out of 100 I don’t participate.

If you have an item to sell that you don’t know how much it’s worth, doing a little research and finding out is easier now than ever before. If you’re not willing to do that, then in my opinion you deserve to leave money on the table.

If you do know its fair value, but want to get more, then I’m not your buyer, and minueting around with you to beg for your item is wasting my time. There’s lots of stuff that interests me out there, and all you are is “next”. Byee.

Once in a great while, I see a seller who says, “My buddy Bill bought one of these NIB for 200, not a scratch on it. My FIL sold an old clapped out one with a busted handle for 5 bucks at his garage sale. Mine is in between those two, so I’m asking 85.” Even if I don’t want the item for that price, I’ll make a point of thanking them for explaining their approach.

Your seller won’t take 30 - fair enough. But sitting back waiting for your next offer is a huge red flag to me, I’d be down the road.

Just my opinion, not mad at those who disagree.

Parker
 
catspa said:
Your seller won’t take 30 - fair enough. But sitting back waiting for your next offer is a huge red flag to me, I’d be down the road.
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

I will never reward that behavior. They will take you for a sucker every time.

Another thing I see alot of is newbies asking for "help ID" when what they really want is a free evaluation without a paid membership. What they're really saying is "please tell me I've won the lottery with this old axe I've found."
 
And a lot of them have, in a way. If they put in the work to remove the rust and grime, rehang it and sharpen it up, they’ll win a useful tool that will probably outlive them if taken care of.

I hear you though, that’s not really the prize they were hoping for.

Parker
 
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