Rig Axe

Bastler

Bastler

Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
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I got this Vaughan rig axe from a friend and I'm not sure what to do with it. It's really a tool for driving nails more than chopping and I have nail guns for that purpose. I already removed the mismatched handle and I'm thinking about grinding away the hammer poll and that stupid notch in the blade. Why do they put that notch there, anyway? The only reason for it is so your helper will break your handle trying to pull a nail with it. At least, that's been my experience.
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I cut the hammer and nail puller out of a carpenters hatchet, and now I wish I hadn't have done that. It throws off the balance and makes for a more limited tool. From what I've read, these hatchets were intended to be used for quick construction of rigs and scaffolding. The handle should be able to hold up to nail pulling.
 
Rigging was generally put together with duplex nails, so it could be easily broken down after you were done with it. However, the chief use of a nail puller notch is for when you accidentally bend a nail over before it's fully driven home. They're easy to extract at that point. Furthermore, when used in demolition or camping it's useful for pinching onto wire, such as wire bails on cookware or old barbed wire fencing that often is found in the woods around here, for dragging it out of the way safely. It's quite a useful feature if you think creatively with it. Carrying a few duplex nails in a camping kit with one allows you to quickly set up temporary camp furniture and takes up little space. The hammer is useful for not only driving nails, but adjusting boards, driving stakes, and so on, and I'd personally say that if the design is not useful to you, sell it rather than remove useful features from it, and use that money to buy something closer to your needs.
 
you could exchange with someone, who is interested ans has some good stuff to trade...
 
EngrSorenson said:
The handle should be able to hold up to nail pulling.
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The first time that someone used my rig axe, about 40 years ago, they gave it back to me in two pieces. Since then, I NEVER let anyone use a wooden handled hammer of mine. "Lemme see your hammer" is about like someone saying "Lemme see your knife." What they mean is, "Lemme F*** your tool up." If you have a nail set more than 1/2 inch deep, you really need to know how to use a hammer, or just get a better tool to extract it.

flexo said:
you could exchange with someone, who is interested ans has some good stuff to trade...
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I would gladly pass it on to a good home, but I wonder if the cost of shipping a two pound hatchet head would be worth it. I really don't know how much I could ask for such a well-used tool. An axe like this will really sink a nail better than most hammers, if for some reason you don't have a nail gun. For my purpose, it's stone-age technology. That's why I thought about making a project out of it.
 
While it does show some signs of use it's in considerably better condition than a lot of half hatchets I see around.
 
Bastler said:
I got this Vaughan rig axe from a friend and I'm not sure what to do with it. It's really a tool for driving nails more than chopping and I have nail guns for that purpose. I already removed the mismatched handle and I'm thinking about grinding away the hammer poll and that stupid notch in the blade. Why do they put that notch there, anyway? The only reason for it is so your helper will break your handle trying to pull a nail with it. At least, that's been my experience.
ReSGTCBl.jpg
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It doesn't quite look correct for a Rigging axe. I am guessing it's a half hatchet, smooth face and somewhere south of a 28 oz head?
8d or 10d usually pulls fine with the nail notch. I wouldn't know how to act with out a nail notch but I understand most hammer users hate them.
 
garry3 said:
It doesn't quite look correct for a Rigging axe. I am guessing it's a half hatchet, smooth face and somewhere south of a 28 oz head?
8d or 10d usually pulls fine with the nail notch. I wouldn't know how to act with out a nail notch but I understand most hammer users hate them.
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The waffle face has been pounded nearly smooth and it's heavy. The picture may give an inaccurate perspective, but it's a good 28 ounces. Note the thickness of the poll. The handle was a bodge installation and clearly not original.
 
The slightly smaller ones were called roofing hatchets. Some "medium" sized ones were also called roofing hatchets or shingling axes. I have a Craftsman rigging axe that is 17 inches long and has a knurled face on the hammer head like large framing hammers. Otherwise, it looks a lot like the one you have. As you say, It's better at driving nails than chopping much, the face of the hatchet being flat.
 
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What do you plan to use it for ?

If you're going to use it camping...ect I wouldn't do much to it.
The hammer poll is great to have, and you could use the notch to lift a pot off the fire.

Take the poll off and cut into the nail notch and it will not only balance terribly, but will be very obvious that it used to be something else.
Theres just no way to hack one of these up in a way that looks good unless you were to foge it into a different shape.
 
Fred1950 said:
The slightly smaller ones were called roofing hatchets. Some "medium" sized ones were also called roofing hatchets or shingling axes. I have a Craftsman rigging axe that is 17 inches long and has a knurled face on the hammer head like large framing hammers. Otherwise, it looks a lot like the one you have. As you say, It's better at driving nails than chopping much, the face of the hatchet being flat.
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Your Craftsman is likely made by Vaughan & Bushnell , and FYI those smaller ones are half hatchets.

These do actually chop well, the straight edged bit being good at carving tasks.
You can give the bit some radius like a typical woods axe / hatchet and they really do chop well.
My first thought was this wasn't a riggers axe because the poll looks kind of small, but that's probably just the picture.
I'm used to the more recent Vaughan riggers axe which has a larger diameter hammer poll.
 
I don't have a real use for it so, guess I'll just toss it in the collection of assorted drek that I'll get rid of one day. I have saws and nail guns that do everything a rig axe will do, and a carving axe, for when I want to go old school.
 
Bastler said:
The waffle face has been pounded nearly smooth and it's heavy. The picture may give an inaccurate perspective, but it's a good 28 ounces. Note the thickness of the poll. The handle was a bodge installation and clearly not original.
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The poll is different than the Vaughan riggers I have used since the 70's. It's smaller in circumference but maybe longer. Probably an earlier one.
 
Garry, the Bastler poll is smaller than my 28, which protrudes beyond the “spine” by at least 1/8”. Be interesting to know the accurate weight of it. Also, maybe the lug is a little rounder. My 22 has the “octagonal” poll, which I considered older, which squares with Bob’s 1940 catalog page.

I believe they once made a 24 oz version as well.

Parker
 
catspa said:
Garry, the Bastler poll is smaller than my 28, which protrudes beyond the “spine” by at least 1/8”. Be interesting to know the accurate weight of it. Also, maybe the lug is a little rounder. My 22 has the “octagonal” poll, which I considered older, which squares with Bob’s 1940 catalog page.

I believe they once made a 24 oz version as well.

Parker
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The 22oz with octagonal poll sounds like their standard half hatchet and not the riggers axe.
28oz is about standard for a riggers axe.


Come to think of it, the OP's might not technically be a riggers axe.
It could possibly be a car builders hatchet which looks a lot like a riggers axe but isn't.
 
FWIW:

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car builders hatchet: hatchets that were made with basically the same head as a rig builders hatchet but were fitted with a regular length handle. They were originally made for use in constructing wooden railroad box cars and later adopted for use in constructing crates and for concrete form work.

rigging hatchet: Originally used when building wooden oil rigs, the rigging hatchet was heavier, had a checkered face and an 18 inch long handle. The longer handle was shaped like a curved axe handle that permitted it to be used with either a “chocked” grip or full length for maximum reach and striking force. The style was adopted for use in heavy construction. (also: Rigster hatchet, rigger’s hatchet.)
Rigster hatchet: (slang) a term used by some tradesmen when referring to a rig builders hatchet. (see: rigging hatchet)
http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Glossary: Axes, Edge Tools, etc..html


Bob
 
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