It followed me home (Part 2)



Picked up this sweet Dayton pattern today. Inside the diamond it says blue diamond. Does anyone know anything about this ax?
It also has a circle next to the diamond with something in it. I haven’t had a chance to wire wheel it yet
 
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Brian Rust said:


Picked up this sweet Dayton pattern today. Inside the diamond it says blue diamond. Does anyone know anything about this ax?
It also has a circle next to the diamond with something in it. I haven’t had a chance to wire wheel it yet
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Almonds ?
Seriously though I have no clue but am sure Steve tall can nail it for you.
 
Square_peg said:
That is one sweet saw. It will become your new favorite.

A shame about the axe. :(
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Thanks Square_peg I was already feeling the same way. I cant wait to get to her. I will be cleaning and dressing this one when I finish with the 48" Plain Tooth...I need to resume her gullet work. I could have filed today but chose to go for a drive and save this saw, apparently from a transfer station ending:( (as it was, he only wanted $10 for the saw, it was a no brainer I had to go save her)
Damn shame about the axe, he probably saw my brain smoking and working overtime figuring out that some lucky bloke went in with a bin of trash and left with a Black Raven....LOL!
I don't know what axe he had but that would make one great story for the guy dropping his trash :D
 
Brian Rust said:
I sure hope so Hickory. This ax is nice and convex. and a super thin bit I believe it is a very high-quality ax!
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Looks like a gem just a little dirty and waiting to get cleaned up. What does it weigh? What size is the handle? Looks like it could make dinner plates for chips.:D
Nice Score
 
I would say it is at least 4 pounds. And by the size of the beard I would say it was hardly used. It is on a very thin octagon handle but it was cut down to about 12 inches. I’m guessing the handle broke so they cut it down and it was rarely used.
 
Brian Rust said:
I would say it is at least 4 pounds. And by the size of the beard I would say it was hardly used. It is on a very thin octagon handle but it was cut down to about 12 inches. I’m guessing the handle broke so they cut it down and it was rarely used.
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You really did find yourself a gem..."a diamond in the rough" if you will allow :D

Seriously I think it's a good looking axe. At 4lbs you will get it done. Reminds me of a True American Mann but i have never seen one in person.

I inquired about a 3&1/2lb Collins Legitimus Connie this morning, but missed it and then happened upon the saw...It was karma I rescue the saw, in my own mind anyway:D
The Legitimus I was told went to a good and deserving home...just not mine :cool:
 
Brian Rust said:


Picked up this sweet Dayton pattern today. Inside the diamond it says blue diamond. Does anyone know anything about this ax?
It also has a circle next to the diamond with something in it. I haven’t had a chance to wire wheel it yet
Click to expand...


"In addition to its famous Diamond Edge,other recognizable "house" brands marketed by Shapleigh were Mound City, Norleigh Diamond, Diamond Brand, Jersey, Panama, Ice Diamond, Bluebelle, Sageware, Black Jack, Red Raven, King Nitro, Sahara, Black Prince, Blue Diamond, Rugby, Triumph, Defiance, Black Wonder, Double Diamons, Mascot, Bull Dog, Ozark, Columbia, Longwear, Mizzou and Bridges."

from http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf
 
Miller '72 said:
especially the triangle eye beauty?
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That adze was forged by one of the simpler methods,whereby the strap is bent around the eye,the sides of the eye thinned by drawing them down into longettes,and the two ends welded asymmetrically(the shorter one on the left in the photo,seam visible).
Then the entire welded section is twisted 90 degrees to form the adze(vs the axe) shape.

It is a simpler variant as it doesn't waste much time or effort on the front of the eye(the surface upon which the forces of hafting and work itself do not act much in any case,that part remaining fairly neutral).
I'd guess that it's either a product of some rural Scandinavian forge,or work by a master of Scandinavian descent.
Aside from my familiarity with such work in general what speaks for it is the voluminous eye,normally the sign of tool meant to be handled with softer hardwood such as birch.
 
Steve Tall said:
"In addition to its famous Diamond Edge,other recognizable "house" brands marketed by Shapleigh were Mound City, Norleigh Diamond, Diamond Brand, Jersey, Panama, Ice Diamond, Bluebelle, Sageware, Black Jack, Red Raven, King Nitro, Sahara, Black Prince, Blue Diamond, Rugby, Triumph, Defiance, Black Wonder, Double Diamons, Mascot, Bull Dog, Ozark, Columbia, Longwear, Mizzou and Bridges."

from http://www.thckk.org/history/shapleigh-history.pdf
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As always thank you sir! It reminded me of a shapleighs and I thought that’s what it was at first but then it was a different stamp. It is better quality than my other shapleighs though. Thanks again!!

There are more pictures in an ax id thread I started. Which is pointless now
 
jake pogg said:
That adze was forged by one of the simpler methods,whereby the strap is bent around the eye,the sides of the eye thinned by drawing them down into longettes,and the two ends welded asymmetrically(the shorter one on the left in the photo,seam visible).
Then the entire welded section is twisted 90 degrees to form the adze(vs the axe) shape.

It is a simpler variant as it doesn't waste much time or effort on the front of the eye(the surface upon which the forces of hafting and work itself do not act much in any case,that part remaining fairly neutral).
I'd guess that it's either a product of some rural Scandinavian forge,or work by a master of Scandinavian descent.
Aside from my familiarity with such work in general what speaks for it is the voluminous eye,normally the sign of tool meant to be handled with softer hardwood such as birch.
Click to expand...

Mr. Pogg I am never disappointed when I read your posts.
Thank you for the history and probable origin, and or where the experience of forging this piece hails.

In my total inexperience with forging I am absolutely impressed with your experience and ability to decipher a tools origin and or the part of the world the forging methods originate, even the era or range of years.
Always great to read and learn.

Miller
 
Miller,thank you,and you're entirely too kind,sir...

I've spent almost two decades trying to make a living as a smith before finally giving up,and older tools always held a particular fascination for me.
Reverse-engineering of any given tool is Extremely challenging,and i was never very good at it myself,alas...It really is surprising how much ingenuity was employed by the crafstmen of old,and again,it is Very difficult to trace it back to the starting stock,as well as the sequence of forging operations.
So,most info i post here was developed by others,and safely and securely tried and confirmed by a number of smiths.I do try to stick to the more reliable information,so as to not mislead anyone.
Thanks to everyone here for posting many an interesting tool,many of them rare and unique,and for appreciating how much has gone into the forging of even the most "common" looking of them....Tool-making has gotten us all to where we are now...Starting in the early 1700's,the manipulation of steel alloys by blacksmiths is what has given us first the steam-engine,then the turbine,then on to generating electricity and eventually the information technology....It all had Much to do with the work of blacksmiths,unique in that they not only created the product,but the very tooling for the other trades...And also a great deal of Innovation,somehow inseparably intertwined with the working of iron...
 
jake pogg said:
That adze was forged by one of the simpler methods,whereby the strap is bent around the eye,the sides of the eye thinned by drawing them down into longettes,and the two ends welded asymmetrically(the shorter one on the left in the photo,seam visible).
Then the entire welded section is twisted 90 degrees to form the adze(vs the axe) shape.
Click to expand...

Help me out, I don't quite follow you.

Where exactly is the seam? I see a ding on the left side of the eye but that looks like normal wear.

And I don't see how it was twisted. I think it could be done symmetrically with the welded section simply drawn out flat. The 2 ends could have been compressed in height prior to wrapping the eye.

I'd like to see it cleaned up.
 
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