Vintage axe color references?

Double Ott

Double Ott

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Jan 3, 2011
Messages
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I just had a friend send me a note about color references for Collins axes. He has one coming from Ebay that has been painted or re-painted blue. He is searching for any reference for colors. I know that many Collins came in a medium blue.

He did send an email to yesteryears tools. No reply yet. Any help on colors would be appreciated. I sure would appreciate any help you can offer, including Kelly's (red).

My regards, Double Ott
 
Color patterns ranged from manufacturer, time frame, demands, etc.

Collins was well known for their blue color - I think I posted that one cruiser in the Collins blue - that was somewhat popular - you can still find those out there. Usually the Homestead brand was known for the blue coloring, especially in the 50s and 60s before they closed up.

However most of your major manufacturers, Collins, Kelly, Mann, Warren, etc - made axes in just about any color scheme, pattern, paper label, stamping, etc that you can imagine at one time or another. Overall coloring of axes wasnt too prominent - because now you got into extra cost - which meant your price went up, while your competitions was lower, which isnt good for business.
 
Operator, Thank you for your knowledgeable reply. I have copied it and sent to my friend.
My regards, Tom
 
Tom - I shouldnt say that painting of axe heads wasnt out there - it was - you can see many examples in old catalogs. Plumb had the DefenseAx line that was red and blue, I have a Kelly Perfect double bit with some color still on it. Competition was a hell of thing in the axe market - look at all the fancy paper labels and stampings, and then yes sometimes color. I dont think it was paint as much as it was enameling, if that makes sense. That western clipper pic/thread I posted - that has coloring - but to me it isnt paint - i think it is an enameling process on the axe - again I dont know anything about that, how it worked, etc. For all intents, it is the same thing. So coloring of the heads was out there - hell they did it sometimes on the handles as well. Be honest with you, as I think about it, I dont have many "painted" axes in the collection - maybe 5 or 6. Unless it is NOS they usually didnt last long lol.

Sorry for the rambles, I dig up some more concrete info for you.
 
I read somewhere that Collins axes (older ones) could be ordered in the white (no finish), gunmetal color, blue or black. If the buyer did not specify, they often came black.
 
Operator, thanks much for the info. I'm the friend of Double Ott. Would you happen to have any pics of the Collins blue that they offered?
 
This axe was painted -

SAM_0813.jpg


Here is the Collins cruiser I was talking about - blue - but it is more of an enameling - not a paint like what is on the agdor - if that makes sense.

SAM_0804.jpg


This one has a "bluing" to it -

SAM_0721.jpg


Another couple painted examples -

SAM_0611.jpg


SAM_0595.jpg


So they were out there - not uncommon. I do believe the vast majority of axes were just regular though - Warren Axe and Tool Co catalog states theirs were dipped in lacquer so the buyer could see the natural color of the tempering process......so looks like manufacturers did their own thing.

Hope it helps!
 
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