Miners axe, rafting axe, construction axe

Would this be an example of a raft axe bit? Just found it!
13557735_10157191567655694_3335181280121249497_n.jpg

13567316_10157191567630694_372794135407486507_n.jpg
 
Yes.

From the shape I'd guess it's a Collins. True Tempers are also shaped very similar. It's got pretty heavy pitting but there's plenty of steel to work with.
 
Those Plumbs, Warren, True Temper, Norlund and even the Collins are like a pretty girl you worked up the nerve to ask out just for her to say, “No, but I have a friend you should meet!”…





 
Got my plumb cleaned up and hung. Ended up going full length with the haft. I found a oldie i wanted to save. Overall length is right at 34.5 inches , and I haven't sharpened it yet.
I don't know what exactly it is , but this axe feels AMAZING in my hands. Very happy.


 
MERCULA said:
Got my plumb cleaned up and hung. Ended up going full length with the haft. I found a oldie i wanted to save. Overall length is right at 34.5 inches , and I haven't sharpened it yet.
I don't know what exactly it is , but this axe feels AMAZING in my hands. Very happy.


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What you have there now is a nice axe/woodsplitting maul hybrid.
 
jblyttle said:
Agreed. I have two premium 3.5lb Plumb National heads with matching 28" straight handles in my project queue.
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Although Nationals have a high and generous poll that part hasn't been hardened, far as I can tell. I agree fully that this pattern lends itself to straight handles as long as end users understand not to strike metal (spikes, rebar, splitting wedges) with them. If someone with smithing skills offered to service these types of heads to toughen-up the polls I'd be the first in line to have one done.
 
300Six said:
Although Nationals have a high and generous poll that part hasn't been hardened, far as I can tell. I agree fully that this pattern lends itself to straight handles as long as end users understand not to strike metal (spikes, rebar, splitting wedges) with them. If someone with smithing skills offered to service these types of heads to toughen-up the polls I'd be the first in line to have one done.
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These two are hardened, as have the others I have had. I've seen the pattern used on hatchets and these were not hardened.
 
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Mercula, from either end that Plumb looks like it means business!

That is a handsome tool:thumbup:
 
I just picked up this 3.5lb rafting axe and I'm trying to decifer what stamp is still trying to show.


It's barely visible and I'm wondering if there is a way to bring it out.
 
Square_peg said:
From the general geometry I'd guess that's a Mann era Collins. Just a WAG.
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Thank you. I'm going to try to find the etch but do it without hurting the patina. It is definitely a hardened poll and it cuts like a dream.
 
Square_peg said:
From the general geometry I'd guess that's a Mann era Collins. Just a WAG.
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Wild Ass Guess? I'm with you on this one though based on appearance of other Collins (or Norlund) Mann-made examples. Even if the stamp is too faint to read the shape, dimension and location of it will narrow things down considerably for you. There aren't all that many names out there, that made these, that you'll have to compare to either.
 
This Seattle price list document has been shared here I think but the copy I have doesn’t have the first page so I don’t know the exact year it was printed. If someone here knows the date, please share.
It does have descriptions of miners, rafting, construction, and axes with hardened/hard polls:

http://cedarriverforge.com/Photo-index/Tools/Seattle Hardware catalog pages/Axes Prices.pdf
I’ve look at this thing several times but I think I was looking for a specific pattern of something we were talking about and kind of glanced over some of the descriptions. Might be old news (it is actually lol).

Square_peg said:
Yep, that's a Walters and it does show some sign of mushrooming. Sorry that other one fell through for you. I was glad to hear that JB fixed you up.


Here's another of my hardened poll axes. This one is a True Temper Dayton pattern. Surprised the heck out of me when I took a file to it. It's quite hard.

A6-2.jpg
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Square_peg – I forget, is your Dayton marked with anything besides the True Temper? I wonder if the A and B plus numerals stamped on them might indicate something poll related?
*Also I just noticed the host url on your picture is cedarridgeforge as well so it may have been you who shared the catalog.

Hardened%20single%20bit.jpg~original

*The Dreadnaught above it mentions a “hard poll” as well.

Here are the provided descriptions of their Rafting/Construction axes they had for offer:
Hardenedthings.jpg~original


And a couple of options on Miners axes:
minersaxe.jpg~original


Maybe this guy would know :)
Rafting_1.jpg~original


Rafting%20dog.jpg~original
 
Those are pages from my catalog hosted on my website. Of course you're welcome to share them here on the forums.

There is no date on this catalog anywhere. From some of the products available and the history of the company I've narrowed the date down to the mid or late 60's.

The True Temper Dayton with the hard poll is marked 'A6'. I don't know if that is a lot number, a style designation or possibly the steel type. A6 is an air hardening tool steel.
 
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