Not an axe but related??

and then the blade pulled down through the limb by pulling the rope
I'm not sure that the inner curve of the hook, while it is sharp, is sharp enough to be pulled via an attached rope through a limb of any substantial diameter. I am sure, however, that if that hook could be pulled through an overhead limb, I would not want to be anywhere in the vicinity when that 2 lb 1 oz chunk of forged steel comes flying out of the sky straight at me! Maybe that's why it didn't sell well. I'd better check mine for blood stains!
I am thrilled by all the interest and input this unusual tool has inspired. Thanks to all who have contributed. T-A
 
I'm not sure that the inner curve of the hook, while it is sharp, is sharp enough to be pulled via an attached rope through a limb of any substantial diameter. I am sure, however, that if that hook could be pulled through an overhead limb, I would not want to be anywhere in the vicinity when that 2 lb 1 oz chunk of forged steel comes flying out of the sky straight at me! Maybe that's why it didn't sell well. I'd better check mine for blood stains!
I am thrilled by all the interest and input this unusual tool has inspired. Thanks to all who have contributed. T-A

Yeah from what I can see of it I don't think that it'd be useful in that regard for anything thicker than thumb thickness, but small loppers on the back of some pole saws get used a lot for just trimming and tidying up the aesthetics of trees with twiggy blasty offshoots, so that's more the realm I mean. The tool wouldn't come flying straight down since you'd have the pole in your hand and be standing off at a slight angle. But it may not have been used for that, either. I doubt it was something made for sale and more something that was made to fill a particular niche application. Production items, even in the days of the hand-forging smith, were generally cleaner looking and less hodgepodge than this piece looks to be. It was probably a one-off tool made as a means to an end. A serious enough job to warrant having the thing made, but not enough to have anything nicer than that done, either.
 
It was probably a one-off tool
Seems likely that it was a one-off, either for a very specific task, or it may have been a prototype for a tool that never panned out. We may never know. But I'm sure enjoying the conversation. I've heard plenty of ideas for its function that I had never thought of. Thanks for joining in and sharing your thoughts. T-A
 
That's Very true.

And just for fun strictly,being related to axes or even tools Not at all,does any of you gents know what this creature is?:)
(this one is not a mystery,i even rebuilt it once a few years back).

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I'm sorry,T.-A.,it's a crappy photo i took.(The motor is way in the background,it's on an old camel-back drill press beyond;the belt is not a part of It either).

It Is one device otherwise,and it is a Hydrostatic Lubricator.
It some steam from the line and condenses it in that bulb up on top,and uses the raising water level to push some oil into the steam-line that carries it into the cylinder head of an engine to lubricate the rings(and the valve slides)...

There's an old expression-"The Real McCoy".This Is a real McCoy.
Actually,it's a Detroit brand,but McCoy lubricators became Detroit after he sold the company.
It was a Major invention in it's day,before this the guys used to have to crawl all over the moving locomotive and such,to squirt oil into unlikely places,this was a major improvement on things.
McCoy's mother was a slave,and managed to run away using the Underground railroad to Canada,where McCoy grew up to become an engineer and eventually make this invention...
 
It shows up many years latter for guys like us to ponder.
I spent some time this afternoon pondering my unusual hook and experimenting with it. No saplings were sacrificed in the making of this post.
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I tapered the end of an Aus tree branch to use as a handle and positioned the hook in several locations in trees around my yard. Then I pulled the handle out.
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In each situation I got good purchase with the hook.
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I pulled firmly on the rope but not so hard as to damage the tree. No one knows what this hook was designed for, but I know how I can put to good use. Now you'll all be askin' to borrow it, I suppose. T-A
 

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See-you were getting greedy-look at what massive branches you tried!

That was the entire idea,to limit the serfs to only the smallest and the driest of the branches,that way they only pruned and cleared the trees,and didn't get away with anything valuable.

I really think that is about what it was for...
 
See-you were getting greedy-look at what massive branches you tried!
Now don't take me wrong; my experiment was not to disprove anyone else's theory, but rather to support my idea that the shape of the hook and the relationship between the hook and the ring make it perfect for firmly gripping the upper part of a variety of different trees. Further experimentation might show that this device would work well for pruning smaller limbs. Who knows; that could happen. Maybe, in the meantime, someone new will come along who has more information than we do. Until then, stay safe and wash your hands! T-A
 
Here’s my guess. It’s the end of some sort of a log jack or pike pole, similar to a log cant tip. Used for manipulating logs. Maybe for floating them down the “big river”.
 
It’s the end of some sort of a log jack or pike pole
I don't think the socket is stout enough for it to serve as a pike pole, and it would need a spike on the end for pushing logs. It might work, but I think there would be a better design for a tool used for that purpose.
That was the entire idea,to limit the serfs to only the smallest and the driest of the branches
Here's the tool I would use for trimming the small branches:
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It has a very stout socket that will accept a fairly large diameter handle to which it would be pinned. It's sharp on both the concave and convex curves, and it's even sharp on the end like a little hatchet. This is the tool I'll be issuing to my serfs! T-A
 
It’s not shaped to have been sharpened on the inside of the curve. I like that it’s designed to go around something. But, a tip that pointed is for a purpose as well. I also like that; it’s set with a pole, then the ring is it’s purpose once it’s anchored. Maybe the pole is slipped out and loaded into the next one. This is good fun.
 
The tool at the bottom of the image is used in Spain to cut palm branches on a long handle, sharpened on all sides (I don't like the inner 90° stress point but hey).

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My problem with T.A's hook is the ring position, if it were a pulling or hanging hook with its main pull being a rope or chain one would imagine the ring (& swell of the hole) should be on the outside of the hook so as the hook rotates the socket eye doesn't get in the way of the pull.
Maybe a pole hook with the loop as security....... or something......... maybe......;)
 
I think the hook with its ring might be useful when drawing water from a well. It's often a problem I have that the bucket lowered floats atop the water. Such a hook fitted with a pole would be able to sink the floating bucket but not necessarily haul it filled back up, the attachment to the ring serving to retrieve.
 
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one would imagine the ring (& swell of the hole) should be on the outside
If I'm relying on the point of the hook to embed itself into the bark or maybe even the wood of a branch (when positioned over a branch larger in diameter than the opening of the hook), I would want the ring positioned where it is, not on the other side on the shaft. Here's my proof:
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The first photo shows the rope tied to a ring attached to the outside of the shaft. The second shows the rope attached to the ring on the inside of the shaft as it was originally built. Look at how the point of the hook is better positioned to dig into the wood with the ring attached to the inside of the hook. For the purpose that I theorize the hook was designed. having the ring attached where it is works better. But I welcome any further thoughts or comments. I'm enjoying this immensely! T-A
 
After seeing your test of hanging the hook up on branches in a tree, I'm thinking that the most likely use was for hanging or anchoring something into a tree - or a pole or rafter, or similar. The sharp section of the hook would help it dig into the limb or pole and dig in a little so that the hook didn't slide around when pulled on - especially if it got pulled from an an angle approaching horizontal.

I definitely do not think it was for cutting limbs, I don't think that would work very well. The amount of force you would have to pull down on a limb would break it before cutting it with that thing.

so I think that 42blades was closest in his original assessment of what it was used for - or Old Axeman's assertion that it would work well for providing an anchor to hang game. Thinking of it, that would be super handy if you wanted to hang something from a tree. Thinking about how many times i've tried to throw a rope over a limb. tying rocks to the rope and have the rock fly off mid toss, etc. the rope always slides around and never ends up where you want it.

I want one now!!!
 
I have a Little Mule lineman's puller that is a brute but it's wound with steel cable. I like that AmSteel Blue. I've considered re-spooling mine with it. Once a wire or two break I probably will.

I use Samson Pro-Master with my Maasdam. I like that it takes some stretch. You can load it up and it will pull the tree a good distance before it goes slack.
 
Have you ever heard of tirfor's? They are a cable grip style puller. They can pull inbetween 2000-9000 pounds depending on which model you buy. The only downside is when you want to pull over 4000 pounds the cables are 1/2" and up they weight a ton.
 
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