Kelly Axe Manufacturing Thread - Updated Dec 2015

Thanks for the informative post. Glad I'm a user of vintage American made hatchets/axes and not a collector.
 
Operator1975 said:
. . .1921 - Kelly acquires AmericanAx Tool Co, an axe conglomerate of ~ 15, 16 companies, and all the lines, names, etc that come with it. . .
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I don't know the date of this catalogue page, so it may not be accurate for 1921.

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Bob
 
Quinton - what proof do you have of that date of purchase? if it is indeed true, and I am not saying it isn't, just asking, this would be 2 possible references of TT being used pre 1930.....which makes for great discussion. That one you have pictured has similar printing pattern to my Perfect that I have shown.......now I have to go find it and make sure it doesn't say TT on the other side lol.
 
Operator1975 said:
Quinton - what proof do you have of that date of purchase? if it is indeed true, and I am not saying it isn't, just asking, this would be 2 possible references of TT being used pre 1930.....which makes for great discussion. That one you have pictured has similar printing pattern to my Perfect that I have shown.......now I have to go find it and make sure it doesn't say TT on the other side lol.
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It was bought by my grandfather the year he married my grandmother for a house axe. My oldest uncle had busted the handle when he was a kid and hid the head in a nail keg to keep from getting a whippin'. I found it in the 70's in the bottom of the keg where he had hid it. When I showed it to my grandmother she told me when and where it came from...my uncle fessed up later..
 
I found this interesting side bit of history -


TRUE TEMPER CORP. - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

The TRUE TEMPER CORP., a major manufacturer of hand tools, began as the American Fork & Hoe when 17 tool-making firms merged in 1902. Although incorporated in New Jersey, the company had its general offices in the Keith Bldg. at 1623 Euclid, and in 1910 it was reincorporated in Ohio. When the company was enlarged by a $20 million merger of small corporations by 1930, it became the largest hand-tool company in America, supplying about 90% of the hand tools used by U.S. farmers.

Although American Fork & Hoe retained general offices in Cleveland, its manufacturing plants were in Geneva and Ashtabula, OH. The Geneva plant made rakes and pitchforks and developed a tubular fishing rod, a golf-club shaft, and ski poles. The Ashtabula plant produced forged components, and during World War II manufactured steel shell casings and a newly designed bayonet. AF&H changed its name to True Temper Corp. in 1949 to reflect the anticipated growth of its residential sales in the postwar period. In the late 1950s, True Temper and other major tool and sports equipment manufacturers were convicted of fixing hand-tool prices and 2 True Temper executives and 7 others were given 90 day jail sentences--a first in American corporate history. In the 1960s the company began a program of consolidation, closing the Ashtabula plant, centralizing the Geneva plant, and building a major new 88-acre $3.5 million plant in nearby Saybrook, OH. In 1970 its Northeast Ohio operations employed some 1,100 workers. True Temper was acquired by Allegheny-Ludlum Steel Co. of Pittsburgh in 1967 and in 1981, after the company was divided into True Temper Hardware and True Temper Sports, its headquarters were moved from Cleveland to Pittsburgh.
 
quinton said:
It was bought by my grandfather the year he married my grandmother for a house axe. My oldest uncle had busted the handle when he was a kid and hid the head in a nail keg to keep from getting a whippin'. I found it in the 70's in the bottom of the keg where he had hid it. When I showed it to my grandmother she told me when and where it came from...my uncle fessed up later..
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Well thats good info to have. We will keep digging.
 
Here is an American Fork & Hoe, True Temper eye hoe I have, also has a partial label on the handle along with the stamp. The "True Temper" brand has been used for a long time.




 
I have TT Kelly Perfect marked like the double bit in the OP. Mine is a single bit that I think is a Michigan pattern.

I also have this one that I can't figure out where it fits in.
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The marking is a little rough. As best as I can tell it reads:

KELLYS FLINT EDGE
CHARLESTON W VA USA

Can't find a hint of any other markings on it.

Bob
 
Great looking axes so far. So many different stampings, I don't know how Kelly and the gentlemen that ran it kept it all straight back in the day. I wonder where all that information is, or if its gone forever.

Keep the pics coming!
 
My very first restoration head, which is currently getting a new, perfect-grained Council Tool handle. I believe this to be of the 1904-1930 variety.

 
Operator1975 said:
Hope this update holds - I had it done and Bladeforums conveniently decided to stop working - lost it all. Almost lost my mind.

Anyway - here we go.

Lots of confusion on this topic - so wanted a redo on this so we can all get up to speed, have correct info, drive some conversation, provide some pics, etc.

So, our outline of the timeline I think we should start with, seeing the history of the company, what name when, who owned what, is confusing to say the least.

WC Kelly starts the axe business, based off his father's steel work business, early 1870s.

Kelly Axe Mfg Co name used

1874 - Starts operation in Kentucky

1880 - Operations moves to Indiana, roughly 160 some miles N, for better natural resources. Some operations still going on in Ky.

1904 - Operations move to Charleston, WV, again for more resources and better overall operations.

From sometime in the 1880s to 1930, names of Kelly Axe Mfg Co and Kelly Axe Works are both used.

1921 - Kelly acquires AmericanAx Tool Co, an axe conglomerate of ~ 15, 16 companies, and all the lines, names, etc that come with it. The name Red Warrior, as an example, would start with Mann, then to AATCo, then to Kelly, then to AFHCo.

1930 - AFHCo, a conglomerate itself of ~ 16 companies, acquires Kelly so it has an arm in the axe making business to help out is overall agricultural/gardening business

1930 - Kelly now uses the official name of Kelly Axe and Tool Works. However, the other two names are still used for some time post 1930 in order to continue name recognition, and customer loyalty.

1930 - AFHCo, now owning Kelly, institutes the True Temper name on its axes produced to build the brand.

1949 - AFHCo changes name to True Temper Corp, seeing it is a more popular name and has better customer familiarity with it.

1960 - Ludlum Corp purchases True Temper - keeps the axe line of the business going

1983 - Charleston WV plant shut down

1987 - Barco Industries purchases the rights to the Kelly line, and to this day continues the use of Perfect, Woodslasher, and Rocket names.

1990 - True Temper purchased by Huffy

Late 1990s - True Temper now under Ames ownership.

Whew. You can see where some confusion comes into play no doubt. We haven't even dived into all the names, exports, other tool lines, etc.

Just think, around 1949, you had AFHCo, which if you were to go back in time and split off all the original companies, you would have around 40 companies that ultimately made it up. Crazy.

So, pic time.

WC Kelly example -





So that is about as close as I can get to a real WC Kelly example. It has various dates on it, including the 1890 on the back, but I have no way of knowing when it was actually made. If I had to guess I would say late 1890s, early 1900s.

Kelly Axe Mfg Co -

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Kelly Axe and Tool Co -

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Kelly Axe and Tool Works -

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American Fork and Hoe Co -



True Temper Kelly Works -



True Temper - (TT name only, which I assume are post 1949)





So as you can see it can get confusing real fast. Plus, the names were carried over past the timelines in the books and references -

AmericanAx with True Temper on it - so that has to be post 1930 at least - (Kelly bought out AATCo in 1921) -

One side -



The other -



Plus then you get the WC Kelly name used on axes, made in Charleston -



So its confusing no doubt. Hopefully this will help overall.

Add some pics if you have them with imprints, markings, etc that can help us out. I will see what other ones I have.

Thanks!
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I've read just about everything I can find including the older thread you have and the "yesteryear" info on the net. I recently acquired a Kelly Double bit (not in my hands yet). Stamped on the head is "Falls City" and directly underneath is "Kelly Works". Based on what I've read, this head would have been made IN 1930 when Kelly Axe Manufacturing was changed to Kelly Axe and Tool Works and prior to the "True Temper" being added to the stampings. Is that correct?

Earlier info had me thinking it was 1930 to 1949 since the "True Temper" started appearing post 1949. I'm just looking for confirmation on the "Falls City" "Kelly Works" stamp age.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Pics added..........

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Operator1975 said:
Lots of confusion on this topic - , is confusing to say the least. You can see where some confusion comes into play no doubt
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Every time your write about Kelly axes you state how confusing it is, and how confused you are. I believe it, because the last time you chimed into a thread where somebody was asking about an axe head marked "True Temper" you told them it was probably from 1900-1930, which is dead wrong. Until you are no longer confused maybe do others a favor and leave it to those who are not confused???

Operator1975 said:
From sometime in the 1880s to 1930, names of Kelly Axe Mfg Co and Kelly Axe Works are both used.
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Wrong. The word "works" was a post-1930 feature, before that "Mfg. Co." or "Tool Co." was used.

Operator1975 said:
1930 - Kelly now uses the official name of Kelly Axe and Tool Works. However, the other two names are still used for some time post 1930 in order to continue name recognition, and customer loyalty.
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What "other two names"???


Operator1975 said:
1930 - AFHCo, now owning Kelly, institutes the True Temper name on its axes produced to build the brand.[/OUOTE]

To be clear: American Fork and Hoe owned the True Temper name before it bought Kelly and put "True Temper" on lots of tools before 1930. It is when the "true temper" name appears on an axe head ALONG with the "Kelly" name that the axe can be accurately dated to the 1930s or later.

If the "true temper" is stamped on the opposite side of the axe as the Kelly information is, then it is probably from around 1930 or shortly after when the "true temper" may have been stamped on to old Kelly axe heads left over from before the American Fork and Hoe purchase of Kelly.

Axes with a dominant "True Temper" logo stamped on the same side with a Kelly logo appeared in the mid-late 1930s though, even before American Axe and Hoe changed it's corporate name to True Temper.
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I too dislike Operator. How come he has all these collectible tools and I don't?

gben said:
Every time your write about Kelly axes you state how confusing it is, and how confused you are. I believe it, because the last time you chimed into a thread where somebody was asking about an axe head marked "True Temper" you told them it was probably from 1900-1930, which is dead wrong. Until you are no longer confused maybe do others a favor and leave it to those who are not confused???
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Hubris filled statements.
 
gben said:
Every time your write about Kelly axes you state how confusing it is, and how confused you are. I believe it, because the last time you chimed into a thread where somebody was asking about an axe head marked "True Temper" you told them it was probably from 1900-1930, which is dead wrong. Until you are no longer confused maybe do others a favor and leave it to those who are not confused???



Wrong. The word "works" was a post-1930 feature, before that "Mfg. Co." or "Tool Co." was used.



What "other two names"???


Operator1975 said:
1930 - AFHCo, now owning Kelly, institutes the True Temper name on its axes produced to build the brand.[/OUOTE]

To be clear: American Fork and Hoe owned the True Temper name before it bought Kelly and put "True Temper" on lots of tools before 1930. It is when the "true temper" name appears on an axe head ALONG with the "Kelly" name that the axe can be accurately dated to the 1930s or later.

If the "true temper" is stamped on the opposite side of the axe as the Kelly information is, then it is probably from around 1930 or shortly after when the "true temper" may have been stamped on to old Kelly axe heads left over from before the American Fork and Hoe purchase of Kelly.

Axes with a dominant "True Temper" logo stamped on the same side with a Kelly logo appeared in the mid-late 1930s though, even before American Axe and Hoe changed it's corporate name to True Temper.
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Thanks for the insight Gben, much appreciated.

So, I did put the wrong name down in relation to "works" vs "tools". As I stated at the very beginning, I had the whole thing done and tried to post it, and it wiped it clean. So, in my angst and haste, when I was rewriting it, I mean to type one thing and wrote another. It happens. Many apologies.

So, when I wrote = "From sometime in the 1880s to 1930, names of Kelly Axe Mfg Co and Kelly Axe Works are both used." Works is incorrect and should of been Tool Co. Works is indeed a post 1930 name.

The two other names used post 1930s were Kelly Axe and Tool Co, and Kelly Mfg Co. This was to decrease confusion and also provide a smooth transition as possible. The True Temper name, on axes, was indeed used to build that brand, on axes, as AFHCo had a very limited presence on axes, while having its name out there on a variety of other gardening tools.

As far as which side the TT stamp is on, there is no way of knowing the time frame for that. It could of been right after 1930, or 1945. Hard to tell. Thats one of the things with axes - its easy to assume but very difficult to prove.

Gben I appreciate you adding to the discussion here in regards to Kelly. I don't think it is appreciated you down right being rude and trashing people on a forum. If you have never made a mistake in your life, then you are entitled to it, but I seriously doubt that is the case. I realize people on here might not have the time accrued in years, use the internet more than you, and have better collections than you, and this seems to really bother some on here. Such is life. No reason to get all nasty on a forum. That in itself is weak. Please feel free to add comments that add to the discussion at hand, and refrain from doing it in a harrassing/bullying/idiot way. It will help out the forum in general.

Agent H - Sorry you feel that way - most of my collection will be on sale starting 8-1-16. More to come.

Thanks
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