Kelly Axe Manufacturing Thread

Steve Tall said:
Yeah, I was just speculating. Online, I've seen some "US"-stamped True Tempers with "Kelly Works" also stamped, and they were said to be WWII axes, but I haven't seen any evidence presented that ruled out them being post-WWII military issue.
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With the pulaski's I see the "Kelly Worlds Finest" making the transition from the smaller style to the larger one but only with a FS stamp, not a FSS stamp. Additionaly I see some of the older ones stamped "True Temper Kelly Works" also with "Kelly Worlds Finest.
But I have not seen all the pulask's out there. Just an observation on what I have seen.
Do you know when the Forest service went to FSS stamp?
 
garry3 said:
... Do you know when the Forest service went to FSS stamp?
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Presumably not before 1949, since 1949 is when the FSS was established, according to the Code of Federal Regulations:

§ 105-53.145 Federal Supply Service.
(a)Creation and authority. The Federal Supply Service (FSS), headed by the Commissioner, FSS, was established on December 11, 1949, by the Administrator of General Services to supersede the Bureau of Federal Supply of the Department of the Treasury...

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/41/105-53.145
 
Steve Tall said:
Presumably not before 1949, since 1949 is when the FSS was established, according to the Code of Federal Regulations:

§ 105-53.145 Federal Supply Service.
(a)Creation and authority. The Federal Supply Service (FSS), headed by the Commissioner, FSS, was established on December 11, 1949, by the Administrator of General Services to supersede the Bureau of Federal Supply of the Department of the Treasury...

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/41/105-53.145
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Thank you Steve. That places the FSS heads 49 or later. This could get interesting. Hard to say if they all quit using FS but knowing the government, rules are rules.

Scratch that. We all know there are tons of FS stamped True Tempers out there, thats the same year Kelly became True Temper, so they continued to use the FS stamping after 49. :grumpy:
 
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But we do know that True Temper axes went back to the late thirty's. Are these FS stamped Kelly True Tempers between the late 30's and 49. Its possible but know way of really knowing.
 
Steve Tall said:
To recap some information posted previously, American Fork & Hoe owned the True Temper brand before they bought Kelly Axe in 1930. There were TRUE TEMPER Kelly Perfect axes advertised in the 1930s. There were some TRUE TEMPER axes (with no mention of Kelly) advertised in the early 1940s.

YesteryearsTools says, "In order to facilitate the acceptance of the [1930] company changeover, the American Fork & Hoe Co. operated their axe division under the name of the Kelly Axe & Tool Works. A slight difference initially, but gradually many the brand names were combined with the name True Temper. Others were discontinued or shelved. By 1949 the entire American Fork & Hoe Co. became known as True Temper and they reincorporated under that name. "

Perhaps this "True Temper Lippincott" was made during the early 1940s (along with the well-documented axes being sold as True Temper during the early 1940s without reference to Kelly, with similar-looking stampings).

When did they start stamping "Kelly Works" on axes? Perhaps they started stamping "Kelly Works" after the corporation name changed to "True Temper" in 1949. This journal from 1953 refers to the "True Temper Corporation, Kelly Works, Charleston, W. Va.", and states that
"The Kelly Works is the largest axe and hoe factory in the world."
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So, my speculation would be that the "True Temper Lippencott" axe (with no mention of Kelly Works) was from the early 1940s or earlier (but no earlier than 1930).
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Found one this morning! She's a beauty.
xkt5s4R.jpg
 
BamaDADx3 said:
Found one this morning! She's a beauty.
xkt5s4R.jpg
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In the 1938 catalog, the True Temper "Lippencott" axes are said to be "bronzed and labeled, with polished blades", which can give you an idea of what it looked like brand new (bottom left):

BookReaderImages.php


from https://archive.org/stream/TrueTemperToolsCatalog1R1938/True Temper Tools Catalog 1-R 1938#page/n153/mode/1up

(By the way, on this same page, the "Knot Chopper" brand is said to have a "raised bit" design, along with "Chippewa Chief", "Cracker Jack", and "Chopper's Support" brands. These uncommon "raised bit" brands are also listed as single bit axes, on page 137.)
 
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image.jpeg My Kelly Registered. This one sits in the safe. I contacted the company who has been in continuous business since 1832 and still is. One of the oldest hardware stores in the U.S. They told me they sold it between 1928 and 1932.


image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
 
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shaving sharp said:
View attachment 815478 My Kelly Registered. This one sits in the safe. I contacted the company who has been on continuous business since the 1832 and still are. One of the oldest hardware stores in the U.S. They told me they sold it between 1928 and 1932.


View attachment 815463 View attachment 815464 View attachment 815465 View attachment 815466
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shaving sharp said:
Another of mine. I really like the head stamp.


View attachment 815502 View attachment 815503 View attachment 815504
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Thank you for sharing the lineage and showing us those beautys!!
Really amazing axes sir
 
shaving sharp said:
My Kelly Registered. This one sits in the safe. I contacted the company who has been in continuous business since 1832 and still is. One of the oldest hardware stores in the U.S. They told me they sold it between 1928 and 1932.


image-jpeg.815463
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That is truly fine. Take good care of her.
 
What's the deal with this axe? Clearly looks like a Kelly.. I must admit I didn't do a strenuous search but a basic look over and couldn't find anything.

NTsPp3M.jpg


j8g7isu.jpg
 
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Is this a thing Kelly did in later years? Dropping the true temper stamp and becoming just worlds finest?
 
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