rbeggs
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...oh and I forgot old american files, pocket knives, whetstones, leather....
Rare !!!Plumb axe help dating and other information
- Thread starter Yarin
- Start date
National pattern (which is what your attachment pics are of) was patented in the fall of 1948 (Sept 10). These hatchets and axes did ultimately feature Permabond after it was introduced (black colour in 1955 and red starting in 1956) so if your's are OEM wood wedged then the timeframe is 1949 to 1955. Initial versions (1948?) seem to have 'patent applied for' stamped on them and it may well be that Permabond hangs of Nationals was also not immediate and was gradually phased in.
You do say that the one with a handle is 'natural coloured'. Plumbs have had 'mahoganized' (wine-coloured) handles since the early 1920s so it is imminently possible that that handle is not original.
Hi 300Six,
Thank you so very much for the info. It's kinda of neat to think I have a Hatchet that might be circa 1955 (the year of my birth).
Regarding the Hatchet with handle......by natural, I mean, it appears to not have been painted and is rather....Brown (older wood) in color. The shape of the handle does appear to be the exact same size and shape as the Hatchet in link.
300, do you think this little Hatchet head is too small (i.e. would look silly) on a longer handle of about say......14" inches ? Thanks again 300.
Regards,
HARDBALL
Thank you so very much for the info. It's kinda of neat to think I have a Hatchet that might be circa 1955 (the year of my birth).
Regarding the Hatchet with handle......by natural, I mean, it appears to not have been painted and is rather....Brown (older wood) in color. The shape of the handle does appear to be the exact same size and shape as the Hatchet in link.
300, do you think this little Hatchet head is too small (i.e. would look silly) on a longer handle of about say......14" inches ? Thanks again 300.
Regards,
HARDBALL
Manufacturers had to aim for the lowest common denominator when it came to mass production. You on the other hand are not holding an NOS highly collectible and whatever you do to it is entirely your own business. If this (a longer handle) is the combo that suits/fits you then let the next generation sort out the resale value of a 'previously enjoyed' tool. At very least you got your money's worth!
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She's right. Welcome to the club.
Me too, here's my Plumb collection:
Two felling axes, a boys axe, and Boy Scout hatchet. Here is a close up of the BSA stamp on the hatchet:
rbeggs
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Give an axe to an unsupervised teenage boy and abuse and grinding are sure to follow. I'm still surprised by how many volunteer trail workers will chop into the dirt.
Yes it is and it feels much more lively than the new handle on the felling axe next to it.
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I am the owner of this axe -- it is totally original , obtained from the son of the man that purchased the case of axes.
These marks are from the belt sander in the factory -- we had a handle works here in Ipswich for many , many years & i regularly carried out breakdown repairs in this factory.
The belt sanders were huge & the operators were flat out keeping up with the barrow loads of new handles coming off the copy lathes.
You will go a long way to see another Plumb axe like this but i specialise in unused axes along with various other types - mainly traditional trades.
These marks are from the belt sander in the factory -- we had a handle works here in Ipswich for many , many years & i regularly carried out breakdown repairs in this factory.
The belt sanders were huge & the operators were flat out keeping up with the barrow loads of new handles coming off the copy lathes.
You will go a long way to see another Plumb axe like this but i specialise in unused axes along with various other types - mainly traditional trades.
Axe Collector; not sure exactly what it is you're talking about and perhaps you overlooked attaching a picture. Folks with first hand experience, and even anecdotal second's, about axe makers from 1/2 century+ ago are more than welcome here. Much otherwise-taken-for-granted information is being lost through the passage of time but there are numerous 'keen listeners' here. We've been arguing Plumbs for awhile now and no one disagrees about their quality.
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I think that was nice.
Yourre welcome.
Ill PM you when i get ahold of my RARE GERMAN QUALITY FORGED AXE HEAD HATCHET TOMAHAWK WITH SIGN and we can compare notes.
Bet the guys who made the handles for those didn't specialise in standing around either lol.
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The earliest ads I've found for Jet Wings are in some publications dated 1954 (the year before Plumb started using Permabond in axes), describing Jet Wings as being "new".
Farm Journal - Volume 78 - Page 72
https://books.google.com/books?id=cSZHAAAAYAAJ
1954 - ‎Snippet view
The new axe that's PLUMB BEAUTIFUL Jet Wing Axes...
Country Gentleman - Volume 124 - Page 70
https://books.google.com/books?id=7hMgAQAAMAAJ
1954 - ‎Snippet view
...are combined in these new Jet Wing Axes ...
Here's a photo of the ad the 300Six mentioned that's supposedly from 1954 (with no mention of Permabond):
The latest mention I've found of Jet Wing being a Plumb brand was in this 1973 publication:
Standard Directory of Advertisers - Part 1 - Page 33
https://books.google.com/books?id=8toUAQAAMAAJ
1973 - ‎Snippet view
... JET WING Axe Fayette R. Plumb, Inc ...
Plumb axes having phantom bevels were introduced in 1954 as the "new" Jet Wing axes, but here's an "advertisement" from a 1914 book that appears to show some Plumb axes with phantom bevels:
This comes from a book about printing technology, so it might not have ever been published as an actual advertisement. The two axes that appear to have phantom bevels are labelled "sharp bevel" instead of "plain bit", and it looks like a raised point might protrude from the midline of the axe, as pictured.
from The Printing Art, Volume 22, University Press, 1914
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Good stuff, Steve. Thanks.
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Plumb axes having phantom bevels were introduced in 1954 as the "new" Jet Wing axes, but here's an "advertisement" from a 1914 book that appears to show some Plumb axes with phantom bevels:
This comes from a book about printing technology, so it might not have ever been published as an actual advertisement. The two axes that appear to have phantom bevels are labelled "sharp bevel" instead of "plain bit", and it looks like a raised point might protrude from the midline of the axe, as pictured.
from The Printing Art, Volume 22, University Press, 1914
That is an interesting piece of the "puzzle" Steve!
Printing technology? :thumbup:
That assumption is correct. After USA declared war gov't decrees imposed restrictions on many commercial manufacturers. Plumb ads from 1942(?) -45 mention this and it would make sense that Victory products are a byproduct of expediency efforts. However, Victory model production also seems to have continued for awhile after the war. Moving inventory along from fabrication and assembly, warehousing and on to retail and sales of course can be expected to take at least a year or two so discovering a Victory model that was 'new' in 1947-48 isn't to be considered a huge surprise. But, the again there do exist Victory-stamped models of post-war newly-created Plumb 'National' pattern axes and that particular design wasn't awarded copyright until Sept of 1948. Some Nationals that have been featured on this forum are Plumb Victory stamped, some have PAT APPLIED FOR stamped on them whereas later versions are merely stamped Plumb.
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That's a big boy! Fondle some axes of similar head weight at the hardware store and take a tape measure with you. Factory handle lengths (if I recall) for that size of eye are fairly standardized at 32 or 36 inch and that's probably what you'll be choosing from.