Modern Mexican-made Collins Axes?

[daizee]

What's the current read on the modern Mexican-made Collins Axes? I see them at my local Ace. I ask because they seem well-shaped, well-finished, and for a prospective modification project, I might not want to cut up a nice collectible vintage piece.

 

[Square_peg]

Perfect for a mod job. They're not very good, soft and thin cheeked. But the price is right and nobody could complain that you were ruining an axe. Go for it! And post pics.

 

[Hickory n steel]

What's the current read on the modern Mexican-made Collins Axes? I see them at my local Ace. I ask because they seem well-shaped, well-finished, and for a prospective modification project, I might not want to cut up a nice collectible vintage piece.

I'd go for the boys axe and stay away from their hatchet.
if you want to mod a hatchet the made in India harbor freight hatchets are cheaper and better ( i file checked a Collins at my local ace and it was pretty soft ) they're about 10$ for a hickory handle and 7$ for a composite handle that you'll probably need to remove no matter which you go with. I here that some HF's carry US made true temper axes which are better yet. You can also get a craftsman hatchet made in Illinois by Vaughan for the same price as the Collins hatchet.
I can't explain how, but my harbor freight hatchet happens to have pretty good steel and for the price I wouldn't hesitate to pick through them and buy another if I wanted.

 

[Woodcraft]

Perfect for a mod job. They're not very good, soft and thin cheeked. But the price is right and nobody could complain that you were ruining an axe. Go for it! And post pics.

I have one of those and that is exactly what I have been doing with it elsewhere.

 

[Woodcraft]

What's the current read on the modern Mexican-made Collins Axes? I see them at my local Ace. I ask because they seem well-shaped, well-finished, and for a prospective modification project, I might not want to cut up a nice collectible vintage piece.

The handles are horribly shaped flat sided board stock. The bits are as soft as butter in the warm sun. They heads are not symmetrical and I have even seen a few that the bit takes a right or left hand turn. For real. They are trash.

 

[dongotto]

Their boys axe is perfect for teaching boys how to split wood. Not a big deal when they get it in the ground.

 

[daizee]

Well, I just discovered that this nice little 2LB hatchet/boy's axe head has a nasty casting seam around the interior perimeter of the eye. Looks like it will be the sacrificial lamb...