Plumb Rockaway vs Plumb Kentucky vs Plumb Jersey

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crbnSteeladdict

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Jul 31, 2017
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I am looking for a screenshot of Plumb Catalog listing Plumb Rockaway pattern being offered for sale.
I have found Plumb Jersey and Plumb Kentucky patterns.
I would appreciate if somebody could share one.
Thanks
 
Square_peg said:
Their Jerseys and Kentuckys had rounded lugs and are often mistaken for Rockaways.
Click to expand...
Long time ago, when I was researching my first Mckinnon I found a picture of Plumb with slightly curved beard (not straight like Plumb's Kentucky pattern). I have tried to find that pic again and again. No success. Maybe it was just some kind of lens distortion.
 
Like this? They're odd ones.

vintage-plumb-rockaway-style-felling_1_4ee6532b7ac644cc684e8c1e089574af.jpg

s-l1600.jpg
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Like this? They're odd ones.

vintage-plumb-rockaway-style-felling_1_4ee6532b7ac644cc684e8c1e089574af.jpg

s-l1600.jpg
Click to expand...
plumb-rockaway-single-bit-axe-head_1_ed313052e9f3404bdee07ab8ae0e90c5.jpg

vintage-plumb-single-bit-axe-rockaway_1_3bff1560d6177a0369bec7835cf51a1e.jpg

Maybe it is the shadow but I can see slight curve. They look more like Virginia pattern than Kentucky.
The thing is I do not recall ever seeing Plumb listing Virginia or Rockaway patterns. For now, until proven otherwise (that is the reason I posted my request) I have to assume those are odd Plumb's Kentucky axes.
Maybe Plumb was cheap and wanted to circumvent patent protections and chose to not call it Rockaway?

BookReaderImages.php
 
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What's interesting to me about the McKinnon and basic pattern of a Rockaway is that they sort of look like a broad axe that was cut in half. Coincidence or not, they're appealing to me.

I'm thinking about making a 2.75lb one in S7. I've got a friend who's a machinist and S7 is cheap and widely available in big enough drops. They have A2 already, but on paper S7 sounds better. He thinks it can be done, more or less. I'll have to do the final shaping, but the idea has a particular allure. I need to look into heat treating an axe with an air hardening steel, yet.
 
Fmont said:
What's interesting to me about the McKinnon and basic pattern of a Rockaway is that they sort of look like a broad axe that was cut in half. Coincidence or not, they're appealing to me.

I'm thinking about making a 2.75lb one in S7. I've got a friend who's a machinist and S7 is cheap and widely available in big enough drops. They have A2 already, but on paper S7 sounds better. He thinks it can be done, more or less. I'll have to do the final shaping, but the idea has a particular allure. I need to look into heat treating an axe with an air hardening steel, yet.
Click to expand...
That would be one sweet axe. I just want to point one thing that might not be obvious. Looking from the top Rockaway axes have very wide poll: it looks like wedge pattern. Of course, unlike wedge pattern they have high center line.
vintage-kellys-flint-edge-rockaway_1_46a10e2096f11e26b6a5105797f6fa27.jpg

vintage-axe-head-plumb-usa-rockaway_1_3b3d0f0e138a9dbe771bc587361c05e4.jpg
 
crbnSteeladdict said:
plumb-rockaway-single-bit-axe-head_1_ed313052e9f3404bdee07ab8ae0e90c5.jpg

vintage-plumb-single-bit-axe-rockaway_1_3bff1560d6177a0369bec7835cf51a1e.jpg

Maybe it is the shadow but I can see slight curve. They look more like Virginia pattern than Kentucky.
The thing is I do not recall ever seeing Plumb listing Virginia or Rockaway patterns. For now, until proven otherwise (that is the reason I posted my request) I have to assume those are odd Plumb's Kentucky axes.
Maybe Plumb was cheap and wanted to circumvent patent protections and chose to not call it Rockaway?

BookReaderImages.php
Click to expand...
The Plumb Rockaways had a nearly-straight jawline to them that was distinctly different than other makers' interpretations. I'm pretty darn sure I've seen them listed in catalog images specifically as Rockaways, but wouldn't be able to find the catalog pictures again to save my life, unfortunately. I believe it was a color advertisement and it showed a few different patterns, including Jerseys and Nationals, I think? They definitely are not Kentucky nor Virginia pattern. They have a "waist" to them at the eye even a little narrower than a Kentucky that gives them a slightly "pinched" look right in the angle of it, and a bit nearly as wide as a Jersey, with a very slight curve to the jawline. The eye height is about the same as a Kentucky and the underside of the poll has a kind of angular, slanted "drop" to it you don't really see on other patterns.
 
A lot of people mis-label the Plumb round-lug Jerseys as Rockaways on eBay, but the difference is pretty easy to spot. Jerseys are broad bit/tall eye. Rockaways are broad bit/average-height eye. Plus the other tells like the sloping underside of the poll and dramatic "pinched" transition to the underside of the bit. There's a lot more of a flare to the bit despite similar edge length.

Edit to add, here's one of their round-lug Jerseys. Compare to the other photos I posted and you can see the difference is significant.

vintage-plumb-lb-rockaway-pattern_1_68b94a6a9af4c100b1a7a01c2d5f3d2b.jpg
 
Lastly, I drew a line through the undercut of the poll on this image to show what I mean. A lot of Rockaways do this, though not all. However, it's something not many patterns do, and helps in ID'ing.

52935487_10217967311362825_1834815002423328768_o.jpg
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Also just found this photo someone took of a True Temper Rockaway next to a Plumb showing the stylistic differences and similarities.

rockaways_zpscba0dc42.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks! This pic did it for me. In the sea of misidentified Plumbs those with slightly curved beards are closest to Rockaway pattern.
I know you have eye for geometric lines: that green line got me curious.
I just went through bunch of hardware store catalogs listing plumb axes and I have problem finding even Jersey pattern being offered for sale.
Oh well, the search continues
BookReaderImages.php
 
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Holly Molly.... I knew it had to be somewhere: 5 days of searching. It comes from 1929 Plumb's/ Peter McLaren axe manual
Cannot find full pdf version
https://archive.org/details/Axe_Manual_of_Peter_McLaren
Pre-1929 Plumb Patterns:
Plumb Pacific Coast Felling Pattern
Plumb Kentucky Pattern
Plumb Swamping Pattern
Plumb New England Pattern
Plumb Rockaway Pattern
Plumb Michigan Pattern
Plumb California Reversible Pattern
Plumb Jersey Pattern
Plumb Redwood Pattern
Thanks @FortyTwoBlade. Your info gave me enough strength to keep searching!
vintage-axe-manual-peter-mclaren_1_0bd27b6cafb3a67dcd470bbd979673b2.jpg



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-axe-manual-peter-mclaren-1974971393
Jersey
vintage-plumb-single-bit-axe-head_1_223f9d62bb73cd6df037ecbb662099a1.jpg

Kentucky
plumb-jersey-42-axe-head_1_b265864650d93af06a18d4f914e2f351.jpg

Rockaway
vtg-plumb-rockaway-single-bit-axe_1_441038bf1fc94ee8b98290e8076d1242.jpg
 
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The ones pictured in the posted catalog page look to have the "U.S.A." impress under the boxed Plumb.

20's or 50's, it's a nice example of that pattern.
 
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