Maine Axes -post 'em up

[Yankee Josh]

3 of my Emerson & Stevens
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I tried viewing your photos, but no go. I see you used an image hosting website, but it still didn't work for some reason. And I'm not familiar with Flickr!. Keep trying man, I'd love to see your E&S axes!

 

[7x57hunter]

4 E&S in this pic...2 on either side of the Hytest

 

[7x57hunter]

Some closer pics

 

[7x57hunter]

Found a NE Old Yank in the stash...

 

[Yankee Josh]

Found a NE Old Yank in the stash...

Would you ever consider selling this axe? I've been after an old yank for awhile now. I've missed a couple, passed on a couple and need a couple. . But you have to start with one. Usually anyway.

 

[7x57hunter]

Would you ever consider selling this axe? I've been after an old yank for awhile now. I've missed a couple, passed on a couple and need a couple. . But you have to start with one. Usually anyway.

Trade you for that Pioneer...

 

[7x57hunter]

Had an old NOS Snow & Nealley 3# that I’ve had for about 20 years, finally got around to making a handle for it. I had an old white oak plank kicking around...and an ancient pattern that I bought at a flea market

 

[Glenn Bailey]

I'm super-happy about this find. A Marsh & Sons Co, Oakland ME, on a Snow and Nealley 29" haft. The clean-up of a mushroomed poll is clear, and it looks like someone was careless hitting the grinder to the face in spots, but that aside, it looks and feels great. Most of the edge looks fresh outside of a bit of toe wear.

The Snow and Nealley 29" haft was a bonus (to be honest, my plan was to remove the haft and sell it, but I can't get it off without damage, and it's growing on me). Does anyone know how to date S & N hafts? This definitely has an old-school feel and look to it. More about it on the Axe Handle Knob Thread (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/axe-handle-knob-thread.1750104/).

 

[Miller '72]

I'm super-happy about this find. A Marsh & Sons Co, Oakland ME, on a Snow and Nealley 29" haft. The clean-up of a mushroomed poll is clear, and it looks like someone was careless hitting the grinder to the face in spots, but that aside, it looks and feels great. Most of the edge looks fresh outside of a bit of toe wear.

The Snow and Nealley 29" haft was a bonus (to be honest, my plan was to remove the haft and sell it, but I can't get it off without damage, and it's growing on me). Does anyone know how to date S & N hafts? This definitely has an old-school feel and look to it. More about it on the Axe Handle Knob Thread (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/axe-handle-knob-thread.1750104/).

Wow what a terrific holy grail find!!

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Let's talk about LL Bean axes for a minute. Subtext, I can't believe I'm going down this hole again.

Let's start with me having something new to show off. An LL Bean Hudson Bay made by Snow & Nealley. Classic poll stamp and the old-time Snow & Nealley wedge that looks like a little axe. On the original haft as well! I have to say that this looks and feels like the oldest S&N Hudson Bay I've come across (to be fair, I have limited experience). It's soo...wedgey and stumpy and solid and rudimentary..and over weight!

It got me thinking again about the history of LL Bean and S&N, and the evolution of S&N Hudson Bay axes. Once again I searched for old LL Bean catalogs (and will post some pics here so I don't have to go through that again). I was struck by some things that, well, make my mind (that requires order) explode.

grafton, whom I miss on this forum, seemed to have had the most knowledge at the time about S&N Hudson Bay axes. https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/maine-axes-post-em-up.946603/page-7#post-15614225 Through many comments and post (mostly on this thread) one would get the general sense that S&N Hudson Bay (and LL Bean Hudson Bays made by S&N) had a thicker poll and a less dramatic beard from the 30s to 50s, and went more dramatic in the 60s and beyond (based on the popularity of the Collins HB being new to the market?). Here is a link of an older S&N HB, one I wish I never sold...top 3 axe-related regrets for me https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/maine-axes-post-em-up.946603/post-17408969

So here are a couple of things that mess my mind up with this topic. My new LL Bean is a thick wedge, short and stoat. I included pics of it next to the new +2012 S&N Hudson Bay for comparison. When thinking of an evolution of an axe, you would think this would be next to the first they ever made. Compare that to this (same post as above) https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/maine-axes-post-em-up.946603/post-17408969 everyone would agree (sure, I'll speak for everyone) that this is their 30-50s model. So what's up with the 1936 LL Bean HB?! That's a dramatic beard if I ever saw one. 1945 HB Crusing axe? What's that?

So, see my new axe, it's amazing! And anyone who want's to fill in gaps, fill away!!!!!!!

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Let's talk about LL Bean axes for a minute. Subtext, I can't believe I'm going down this hole again.

Let's start with me having something new to show off. An LL Bean Hudson Bay made by Snow & Nealley. Classic poll stamp and the old-time Snow & Nealley wedge that looks like a little axe. On the original haft as well! I have to say that this looks and feels like the oldest S&N Hudson Bay I've come across (to be fair, I have limited experience). It's soo...wedgey and stumpy and solid and rudimentary..and over weight!

It got me thinking again about the history of LL Bean and S&N, and the evolution of S&N Hudson Bay axes. Once again I searched for old LL Bean catalogs (and will post some pics here so I don't have to go through that again). I was struck by some things that, well, make my mind (that requires order) explode.

grafton, whom I miss on this forum, seemed to have had the most knowledge at the time about S&N Hudson Bay axes. https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/maine-axes-post-em-up.946603/page-7#post-15614225 Through many comments and post (mostly on this thread) one would get the general sense that S&N Hudson Bay (and LL Bean Hudson Bays made by S&N) had a thicker poll and a less dramatic beard from the 30s to 50s, and went more dramatic in the 60s and beyond (based on the popularity of the Collins HB being new to the market?). Here is a link of an older S&N HB, one I wish I never sold...top 3 axe-related regrets for me https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/maine-axes-post-em-up.946603/post-17408969

So here are a couple of things that mess my mind up with this topic. My new LL Bean is a thick wedge, short and stoat. I included pics of it next to the new +2012 S&N Hudson Bay for comparison. When thinking of an evolution of an axe, you would think this would be next to the first they ever made. Compare that to this (same post as above) https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/maine-axes-post-em-up.946603/post-17408969 everyone would agree (sure, I'll speak for everyone) that this is their 30-50s model. So what's up with the 1936 LL Bean HB?! That's a dramatic beard if I ever saw one. 1945 HB Crusing axe? What's that?

So, see my new axe, it's amazing! And anyone who want's to fill in gaps, fill away!!!!!!!

btw, that's not red paint on the handle, it's blood. Mine.

 

[FLINT77]

VERY cool! my grandfather was a big fan of LL Bean stuff back in the day. Sorry I can't add anything except that I think you meant that the axe head is stout. A stoat is a little weasel like critter. Or maybe you got bit by a stoat and bled on the handle?

 

[Glenn Bailey]

VERY cool! my grandfather was a big fan of LL Bean stuff back in the day. Sorry I can't add anything except that I think you meant that the axe head is stout. A stoat is a little weasel like critter. Or maybe you got bit by a stoat and bled on the handle?

HA! Consider this a gap filled as requested. And this is what you get when you do your writing in a basic text editor (Pluma on Linux for me).

 

[Glenn Bailey]

Here's a pic of comparing a 30s-50s S&N with a 2012+ S&N