is this a splitting hatchet?

COSMO

COSMO

Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Messages
451
Happy memorial day to all, and thanks to all who serve, or have served (and their families)

Hoping for some help with this piece, it is todays flea market find. Fresh from the back of a guys truck, and not yet cleaned up. It weighs in at 2 lbs and clearly needs to be re-hung. I would like to know a bit more abut what it is, and what it is specifically used for. The pictures will hopefully help, the angle of the edge is pretty steep, and it has no markings of any kind. My guess is that it is for splitting, given its weight, but I have not seen one like this before. I am thinking I will give it the electrolysis bath and then a new handle, not shure what style or length handle to give it though. All input is appreciated!!

Thanks

Cosmo

servzk3.jpg

wsNKDCI.jpg

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VmYShS3.jpg
 
Cosmo, the head's eye is a different shape than I see normally - at least with a wooden handled axe. Maybe someone here can place its origin.
Is it possible that it was originally designed to take a synthetic handle?

That doesn't really look like a purposefully set edge with bevels - more likely it was taken back past previous damage to the edge.
wsNKDCI.jpg


If the line here in this picture is the extent to which you have hardened steel for an edge, then there is still a little to work with but not much:
VmYShS3.jpg

The handle itself is interesting in that the length curves facing the right direction but the eye is flat and then rounded the opposite of what I would expect.

BGA.axt
(Flat to the back, rounded "D" to the front.)

2lbs? Maybe 26"-28" if it is going to be a dedicated smaller kindling splitter?
 
Agent H- thanks for all of your insights, I appreciate the information. I'm going to take the handle off and clean up the head. More might be revealed once I can get a better look underneath the rust.

Thanks
Cosmo
 
Looks to me like there was originally some kind fo red epoxy in the eye, and there's some reddish color on top of the wood leading me to think the handle is probably original.
With that flat spot there I'm thinking maybe a piece of wood somehow just broke off very cleanly ?
It doesn't exactly look like something that just happened on it's own, but I can't think of anything else that would explain it.
Whatever it is i think it's a more modern cheapo, and whether or not it was designed for it I think it would probably be good for splitting.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Looks to me like there was originally some kind fo red epoxy in the eye, and there's some reddish color on top of the wood leading me to think the handle is probably original.
With that flat spot there I'm thinking maybe a piece of wood somehow just broke off very cleanly ?
It doesn't exactly look like something that just happened on it's own, but I can't think of anything else that would explain it.
Whatever it is i think it's a more modern cheapo, and whether or not it was designed for it I think it would probably be good for splitting.
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Thanks for the input, I had not considered the red epoxy that you mentioned.

Cosmo
 
So I thought I would share another photo of this as it progresses. This photo is to show the difference some Flitz and elbow grease can make. The part near the butt was left as it looked when it came out of the electrolysis bath, the other part, towards the bit, was rubbed out with Flitz, using only elbow grease. I decided not to use any sandpaper on this, just Flitz.

Cosmo

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I have been using Flitz origional paste for about 30 years........ after meeting the guys that devoloped it at the SHOT Show.
I used it on firearms for years before I started trying it on other things. I've had pretty good luck using it on knives, axes, and saws as a protective finish.
 
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