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Cruisers are 2.5 lbs if I remember correctly.
Maine Axes -post 'em up
- Thread starter cooperhill
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Just finished with the handle for this as well, Spiller double bit cruiser on a 28" curly ash handle. Either 3 or 3 1/2lbs, hard to tell as the weight stamp is fairly worn.
That looks nice Jlemay.
I think that is right for the most part. That one looks pretty good on a 28" handle though.
There might be some 3lb double bits with a cruiser sized eyes - I don't have an example though.
Here is a thread related to Cruiser vs worn double bit:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1414758-Questions-about-hanging-a-Plumb-Cruiser
I am always willing to change my take on stuff given new information.
"Sometimes being wrong is just a layover on the trip to being right"
*Is it a lathe that makes the striations in the wood?
Yeah I wasn't sure if the cutoff for cruiser was 2.5 or 3 so I just call it one as it's the same size as all my legit cruisers lol. The striations are supposedly what differentiates this "curly ash" from regular ash, no lathe used in making this handle. Just started out as a handle blank shaped block of wood and carved it down with a draw knife, spokeshave, file, etc. to the finished product.
It's always best not to speak in absolutes when discussing axes.
Then there are those small full size punched eyes that drop on a cruiser handle so nice nobody could resist, tweeners.
Yeah this one would probably be considered a tweener, the weight was a little more than a normal cruiser but size wise it's in the cruiser range, and I honestly can't say about the eye size as I made the handle so I just made it to size for the eye, but I had never made a double bit handle before and didn't compare it to cruiser or full size. If I were to guess off of memory it's probably closer to full size for the eye but since I'm not selling this and it's similar in size I just call it a cruiser. Even if I were to sell it and call it a cruiser most people would see the size when they got it and not think twice about it
One last picture for now, until I get another Mainer in the mail haha. This is the E&S sleeper pattern I posted earlier, hung it on a vintage handle I took off a Collins Legitimus Seagrave Fire axe. Possibly my new favorite axe, although I've said that about the last 3 Maines I got lol
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What good is a felling axe handle on a hewing axe?
Possibly my new favorite axe lol.
What Square_Peg discretely asks about choice of handle in this case certainly rings true for any offset and single bevel blade!
It's a sleeper pattern, it has a single bit eye and there is no bevel, the bit and eye are just like any other single bit axe it basically
just has an extended heel and toe
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OK. Makes sense. Thanks.
No problem, it definitely looks a little off at first glance. Probably won't use it a ton anyway, it's a pretty uncommon pattern and E&S in general are hard to come by, and the handle is pretty old, may have been the original from an old seagrave, it's not cracked or anything but might hang this up on the wall in my shop. As much as I'm usually against strictly wall hanger axes it'd be hard for me to use this one much
So I've been really busy since my last post, started a new job and everything but still managed to find a good 20 Maine axes in the two weeks since my last post. Probably won't post all of them right now, don't want to overload you guys but will post some of my favorites or pictures with multiple in it.
Top is a North Wayne Tool Co boys axe, next is a Spiller sleeper pattern, the head on the bottom left is a North Wayne wedge pattern double bit and the head on the right is an Emerson & Stevens wedge double bit.
E&S double bit, found on eBay for like 20 bucks, wasn't labeled as such but I noticed the makers mark in the pictures. Eye is just slightly dented but can probably hang it just fine, otherwise will fix it.
1916 E&S sleeper pattern, found in an antique mall in Mass, was the only axe in the whole place got super lucky finding it.
1918 E&S single bit, found in an antique mall in Vermont for $6. Doesn't have a makers mark but between the date stamp and the weight stamp font and placement of it I was able to ID it, confirmed by a few people I consider to be pretty knowledgable on Maine axes. In super good condition for it age.
The best of the best of my recent finds and close to the top of my collection in general, 1950 E&S jersey on a vintage handle. Nothing super special about the particular axe but one of my favorite patterns and makers and although I had been looking for ages this is the first E&S jersey I've found undamaged. Left Cooperhills sticker on it (bought it from him) as I like the design and it actually goes well with it, usually not a fan of aftermarket stuff but it stays for now.
1953 Spiller jersey.
1935 TBA jersey made by E&S, hung it on a vintage handle marked "Vermont Pride", haven't found anything online about the handle and no one else in the groups I posted it to has any idea about it either.
1954 jersey made by E&S, either under their name or Spiller. At the time it was made E&S was making the Spiller axes and this head doesn't have the makers mark anymore, and Spiller and E&S both had the same or similar date stamp, temperers stamp and weight stamps so without the markers mark its almost impossible to tell what it was marked as, but it was definitely made by E&S.
I have probably another 10 Maine axes I bought recently that aren't included, I may post them sometime soon but have been busy and didn't want to overload this post. A few other NWTCo, KATCO, Dunn Edge Tool Co, Marsh & Sons, Snow & Nealley, few Rixfords as well, even though they not Maines they're so similar i group them in, and maybe another Spiller or E&S. But that's all for now, hope you enjoy.
Top is a North Wayne Tool Co boys axe, next is a Spiller sleeper pattern, the head on the bottom left is a North Wayne wedge pattern double bit and the head on the right is an Emerson & Stevens wedge double bit.
E&S double bit, found on eBay for like 20 bucks, wasn't labeled as such but I noticed the makers mark in the pictures. Eye is just slightly dented but can probably hang it just fine, otherwise will fix it.
1916 E&S sleeper pattern, found in an antique mall in Mass, was the only axe in the whole place got super lucky finding it.
1918 E&S single bit, found in an antique mall in Vermont for $6. Doesn't have a makers mark but between the date stamp and the weight stamp font and placement of it I was able to ID it, confirmed by a few people I consider to be pretty knowledgable on Maine axes. In super good condition for it age.
The best of the best of my recent finds and close to the top of my collection in general, 1950 E&S jersey on a vintage handle. Nothing super special about the particular axe but one of my favorite patterns and makers and although I had been looking for ages this is the first E&S jersey I've found undamaged. Left Cooperhills sticker on it (bought it from him) as I like the design and it actually goes well with it, usually not a fan of aftermarket stuff but it stays for now.
1953 Spiller jersey.
1935 TBA jersey made by E&S, hung it on a vintage handle marked "Vermont Pride", haven't found anything online about the handle and no one else in the groups I posted it to has any idea about it either.
1954 jersey made by E&S, either under their name or Spiller. At the time it was made E&S was making the Spiller axes and this head doesn't have the makers mark anymore, and Spiller and E&S both had the same or similar date stamp, temperers stamp and weight stamps so without the markers mark its almost impossible to tell what it was marked as, but it was definitely made by E&S.
I have probably another 10 Maine axes I bought recently that aren't included, I may post them sometime soon but have been busy and didn't want to overload this post. A few other NWTCo, KATCO, Dunn Edge Tool Co, Marsh & Sons, Snow & Nealley, few Rixfords as well, even though they not Maines they're so similar i group them in, and maybe another Spiller or E&S. But that's all for now, hope you enjoy.
Nothing wrong with using a straight felling axe handle on a sleeper as mentioned, they are not flat on one side like a hewing axe. The examples I have seen with original handles seem to suggest the preference was for a relatively short handle. Most I have seen were less than 28" in length.
Cool thanks for the tip, I may or may not try to fit it myself. I have another E&S jersey I got recently with a slightly bulged eye, the one I posted above that I'm not sure is a spiller or E&S jersey has a small crack, and a KATCO double bit with a dented eye, possibly another 1 or two in need of fixing as well. I want to eventually learn how to but currently don't have the tools or skills to do so and if I do learn I don't want these to be the ones I practice on, other than the dent/bulge they're all in great shape and I can easily find a cheap no name or something less valuable than Maines to learn on. I know a few people that are really good at fixing them so if they give me a reasonable price I may just do that, especially the E&S double and jersey I want to be done correctly, they're pretty rare and I really like them. But thank you for the til anyway, I definitely plan to learn at some point so I will keep that in mind.
Yeah they also have a single bit eye which I've never seen an offset single bit eye handle. But I think they were mostly referring to the curved end of the handle making it a felling axe handle, which probably isn't ideal for using it as well as it being on the longer side, probably 32-34" but the head is in incredible shape for its age, it looks like it was barely used. It's also one of my favorite axes in general so I just put it on a nice old handle I had laying around so I can hang it up and have it look nice, the handle isn't in great shape, it's not cracked or anything but not sure it would hold up to heavy use and it fit the eye so figured it'd be a good match for the head.
Couple others I forgot to post yesterday.
1930 Spiller double bit. Only seen like 4 double bits from Spiller and 3 of them I own, one I posted earlier in this thread that I made a handle for, this one, and I just purchased one off eBay that had been there for quite awhile. The guy had it listed for like $200 obo and I offered him $50 and he accepted it. Paid a little more than I wanted but the doubles are really uncommon so it was worth it to me, just bought it today so don't have it yet.
3 1/2lb E&S jersey, not quite sure on the date but it's definitely 30's. It has a P stamped on the poll near the makers mark which I've never seen before but the guy I got it from is very knowledgable of Maine axes and says that E&S did that occasionally, it's not the temperers mark though that is also on the axe in the correct place. I thought that's what it might be just in a different spot because one of the two temperers marks I've seen on E&S and Spiller axes is a P, the other a W, but it's already there in the correct spot. The eye is a little bulged on one side on this axe head but not too bad, was able to hang it just fine but I still may have it fixed at some point.
1930 Spiller double bit. Only seen like 4 double bits from Spiller and 3 of them I own, one I posted earlier in this thread that I made a handle for, this one, and I just purchased one off eBay that had been there for quite awhile. The guy had it listed for like $200 obo and I offered him $50 and he accepted it. Paid a little more than I wanted but the doubles are really uncommon so it was worth it to me, just bought it today so don't have it yet.
3 1/2lb E&S jersey, not quite sure on the date but it's definitely 30's. It has a P stamped on the poll near the makers mark which I've never seen before but the guy I got it from is very knowledgable of Maine axes and says that E&S did that occasionally, it's not the temperers mark though that is also on the axe in the correct place. I thought that's what it might be just in a different spot because one of the two temperers marks I've seen on E&S and Spiller axes is a P, the other a W, but it's already there in the correct spot. The eye is a little bulged on one side on this axe head but not too bad, was able to hang it just fine but I still may have it fixed at some point.
Just got these a few days ago, both NOS 3 1/4lb, one is a 1925 Emerson & Stevens and the other is a Spiller.
The seller sill had the original sticker that came on the E&S but it had come off, you can even still see where the sticker was on it so I plan to reattach it, just need to research the best adhesive to use.
Hi all,
Nor'Easter hitting (Sagadahoc) Maine REALLY hard today Monday (2/13/17) ! Since I was home and had some time to play, I grabbed some of my Rusty old Axe Heads I've collected over the years (Flea Markets, Yard Sales, etc.) and some sand paper and went to work. Surprise! I too am now a member of the "SPILLER of Oakland, ME." Club! Sorry I am unable to post my own Photographs but, it looks like this : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Spiller-Axe-Head-Jersey-Style-/172501081944
In addition, I also discovered I had two more SNOW & NEALLEY Bangor, Maine. Axe Heads. Pretty cool!
Oooh, J18 you might enjoy this if you haven' yet seen : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr4VTCwEfko
and this : http://old-photos.blogspot.com/sear...-05:00&max-results=20&start=300&by-date=false
HARDBALL
Nor'Easter hitting (Sagadahoc) Maine REALLY hard today Monday (2/13/17) ! Since I was home and had some time to play, I grabbed some of my Rusty old Axe Heads I've collected over the years (Flea Markets, Yard Sales, etc.) and some sand paper and went to work. Surprise! I too am now a member of the "SPILLER of Oakland, ME." Club! Sorry I am unable to post my own Photographs but, it looks like this : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Spiller-Axe-Head-Jersey-Style-/172501081944
In addition, I also discovered I had two more SNOW & NEALLEY Bangor, Maine. Axe Heads. Pretty cool!
Oooh, J18 you might enjoy this if you haven' yet seen : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr4VTCwEfko
and this : http://old-photos.blogspot.com/sear...-05:00&max-results=20&start=300&by-date=false
HARDBALL
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Do I need to get me a few spillers again? I've sold every one I've had haha.