What did you rehang today?
- Thread starter Irongun324
- Start date
Nice full Connie! Signature Awesome grind! And those curves are phenomenal! Outstanding build! You set the bar high on this one. I won't see that duplicated for a long while if ever. Amazing axe, thanks for sharing!Figured I'd share my other recent hang. I made this haft for that E&S connie in my last post.
It's a long story but I ended up chasing a gap at the back of the eye all the way down near the shoulder. It was getting dark, I was tired and really trying to get it done. Ended up with the axe way too closed in hang and therefore the front of the tongue was sanded very, very thin. So thin I thought I had ruined the haft I spent so much time and care making.
But I was able to hang a pre-1930 Kelly Works Champion on it! Thank goodness!
So it's hung a fair bit more closed than I really like but I'm happy to have been able to salvage the helve. Anyway here it is!
3lb 5.5oz KW Champion connie on a hand made 29" French curve white ash helve with a yellow birch wedge.
View attachment 1327623
So anyhow I'm happy with how it looks at least. Being so closed it can have its uses. Mainly for me over hand chop though it is a tad short for me for that purpose. In the end I was just happy to be able to use the haft.
Thanks for checking it out and sorry for the photo bomb!
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Well thank you!
I think it came out alright. There's some things that need improving but as I said I'm just grateful I didn't have to scrap the project. That would have been wholly discouraging! . But all's well that ends well! . Very nice compliment bro thanks again. - Joined
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Figured I'd share my other recent hang. I made this haft for that E&S connie in my last post.
It's a long story but I ended up chasing a gap at the back of the eye all the way down near the shoulder. It was getting dark, I was tired and really trying to get it done. Ended up with the axe way too closed in hang and therefore the front of the tongue was sanded very, very thin. So thin I thought I had ruined the haft I spent so much time and care making.
But I was able to hang a pre-1930 Kelly Works Champion on it! Thank goodness!
So it's hung a fair bit more closed than I really like but I'm happy to have been able to salvage the helve. Anyway here it is!
3lb 5.5oz KW Champion connie on a hand made 29" French curve white ash helve with a yellow birch wedge.
View attachment 1327623
So anyhow I'm happy with how it looks at least. Being so closed it can have its uses. Mainly for me over hand chop though it is a tad short for me for that purpose. In the end I was just happy to be able to use the haft.
Thanks for checking it out and sorry for the photo bomb!
Just beautiful work, Josh! I love it!
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Why thank you square peg! I consider that very high praise and I appreciate it! Especially for a project that almost ended up in the scrap heap.
I thought you'd like this one for several reasons... 1 is I left the tongue proud a tad this time and 2 it's hung way down to the shoulder. Both things I think I know you are fond of.
. As you know know I'm a hard-core flush cutter from way back.
. And I normally leave them up off the shoulder so I can reuse the haft when it inevitably shrinks or otherwise loosens one day. But this one was only going to happen one way! And I like it a lot too. Thanks again man. 
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Awesome! That's wonderful! Do you burn firewood?
I'm just curious if you were having fun with her or prepping yourself a little firewood helper...
My latest hangs:
First a carpenters hatchet. I kind of like it. neat hatchet.
Then I hung this newer Flint Edge (no Kelly Works stamp) on my last short, straight handle - the tennessee hickory. I thinned it out a good bit, and for some reason it looks round in the pictures, but its oval I promise. Its also not as skinny as it looks in the pictures - 1 3/16" x 13/16" are my target dimensions. The head is 8"x5" and weighs almost 5lbs - and someone has engraved a 5 into the head. This will be another fallers axe, and I won't worry about banging this one around in the woods.
and now, for the first time in a long time, I don't have a single unhung head or handle!!! (until later this week at least)
First a carpenters hatchet. I kind of like it. neat hatchet.
Then I hung this newer Flint Edge (no Kelly Works stamp) on my last short, straight handle - the tennessee hickory. I thinned it out a good bit, and for some reason it looks round in the pictures, but its oval I promise. Its also not as skinny as it looks in the pictures - 1 3/16" x 13/16" are my target dimensions. The head is 8"x5" and weighs almost 5lbs - and someone has engraved a 5 into the head. This will be another fallers axe, and I won't worry about banging this one around in the woods.
and now, for the first time in a long time, I don't have a single unhung head or handle!!! (until later this week at least
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Thats a sweet straight handle like that alot.
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I just acquired and hung a pretty interesting axe I thought worth sharing. A Winchester made Keen Kutter rockaway! It's the winnie date stamp under the poll that gives it away. 4-30. So 90 years ago!! First a couple comparison pics. My axe is on top in both;
There must have been some agreement between Winchester and E.C. Simmons for KK to use their font and -made in usa- line. I know that kind of stealing trademark usage was frowned upon in that time especially. Anyhow here it is!
3-3/4lb(actual weight) rockaway on a old as dirt 29" hickory stick. I used one of the new batch of yellow birch wedges I recently made. I put a thinner grind on it than I usually do. This one is right around 20°. It's going to bite deep! Steel is just perfect. As good as I've ever come across!
I did not stain the haft. Just a light sanding to remove a thin layer of rot from the helve and liberal amounts of blo! I'm making a nice stitched mask for it later today. Thanks for checking it out guys! Hope you are all doing well. And your families too.
There must have been some agreement between Winchester and E.C. Simmons for KK to use their font and -made in usa- line. I know that kind of stealing trademark usage was frowned upon in that time especially. Anyhow here it is!
3-3/4lb(actual weight) rockaway on a old as dirt 29" hickory stick. I used one of the new batch of yellow birch wedges I recently made. I put a thinner grind on it than I usually do. This one is right around 20°. It's going to bite deep! Steel is just perfect. As good as I've ever come across!
I did not stain the haft. Just a light sanding to remove a thin layer of rot from the helve and liberal amounts of blo! I'm making a nice stitched mask for it later today. Thanks for checking it out guys! Hope you are all doing well. And your families too.
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Wow! beautiful beautiful axe!!! I love it. Love Rockaways! Very very very nice!!!
I'm not sure I'm convinced about a winchester manufacture though. I saw that auction and the winchester argument made by the seller. I thought that was a pretty common Keen Kutter stamp and was under the impression that the later keen kutters with that stamp were made by Kelly. I have a Keen Kutter with that same stamp that is clearly a rebadged kelly perfect. Doubtful that winchester ever made axes - and any axes with their name stamp were most likely made for them by an actual axe manufacturer (like Kelly). Possibly kelly made both the winchester and the keen kutter axes? Either way, its a freaking sweet axe!!!!
I'm not sure I'm convinced about a winchester manufacture though. I saw that auction and the winchester argument made by the seller. I thought that was a pretty common Keen Kutter stamp and was under the impression that the later keen kutters with that stamp were made by Kelly. I have a Keen Kutter with that same stamp that is clearly a rebadged kelly perfect. Doubtful that winchester ever made axes - and any axes with their name stamp were most likely made for them by an actual axe manufacturer (like Kelly). Possibly kelly made both the winchester and the keen kutter axes? Either way, its a freaking sweet axe!!!!
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Winchester most definitely made axes...
I can't remember the exact dates but it was roughly from '23-'36. There are actual known dates and I'll try to find them.
The lions share of KK axes were made by Kelly and its obvious which ones. I'll dig up some more info for you later.
Have you listened to the last couple legitimus podcasts? You may find them enlightening.
And just fyi I know the guy that had it and I didn't buy from Ebay nor pay anything near that for it.
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Winchester most definitely made axes...
I can't remember the exact dates but it was roughly from '23-'36. There are actual known dates and I'll try to find them.
The lions share of KK axes were made by Kelly and its obvious which ones. I'll dig up some more info for you later.
Have you listened to the last couple legitimus podcasts? You may find them enlightening.
And just fyi I know the guy that had it and I didn't buy from Ebay nor pay anything near that for it.
Oh wow, ok, cool ! I'm glad to have learned something. so, what then, Winchester started making axes for Keen Kutter during that period, and then Kelly took over and kept the same stamp font style?
I've never listened to a podcast and wouldn't know how to do it even, but that's awesome if there is a podcast about axes. Is it like a you tube video or something? I guess I could google it.
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I never get tired of seeing Rockaway axes. I am glad you got Rockaway bug.. please, keep posting.I just acquired and hung a pretty interesting axe I thought worth sharing. A Winchester made Keen Kutter rockaway! It's the winnie date stamp under the poll that gives it away. 4-30. So 90 years ago!! First a couple comparison pics. My axe is on top in both;
View attachment 1332085
View attachment 1332086
There must have been some agreement between Winchester and E.C. Simmons for KK to use their font and -made in usa- line. I know that kind of stealing trademark usage was frowned upon in that time especially. Anyhow here it is!
3-3/4lb(actual weight) rockaway on a old as dirt 29" hickory stick. I used one of the new batch of yellow birch wedges I recently made. I put a thinner grind on it than I usually do. This one is right around 20°. It's going to bite deep! Steel is just perfect. As good as I've ever come across!
I did not stain the haft. Just a light sanding to remove a thin layer of rot from the helve and liberal amounts of blo! I'm making a nice stitched mask for it later today. Thanks for checking it out guys! Hope you are all doing well. And your families too.
Yeah, it does not look like it came out of Charleston WV. It would be interesting to compare this axe to Mack's Rockaway pattern (not sure if such an axe was ever produced).
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Well initially Mann edge tool had the contract from E.C. Simmons. But then in the 20's Winchester started making their own axes around Pittsburgh (possibly New Haven, Conn. that part is not known 100%but pretty sure near Pittsburgh,PA) and they got the contract. Then later Kelly(TT by then) got the contract. The exact dates are up for debate. But it's all very interesting!
Some of the Winchester info can be gleaned from wikipedia.
I'll try to find those dates though.
Apparently after the relationship between Simmons and Winchester (namely once they stopped making them) Keen Kutter kept the font and layout design.
Super interesting stuff though!!
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There was a Mack made! From around 1910-1920(ish). In fact Winchester bought the "Mack Axe" plant and made their axes from there. It's all so interesting!!
And thank you btw!
That is just beautiful. What an interesting and valuable piece of history. Glad it found its forever home lol. Very nice axe! Love the original haft!I just acquired and hung a pretty interesting axe I thought worth sharing. A Winchester made Keen Kutter rockaway! It's the winnie date stamp under the poll that gives it away. 4-30. So 90 years ago!! First a couple comparison pics. My axe is on top in both;
View attachment 1332085
View attachment 1332086
There must have been some agreement between Winchester and E.C. Simmons for KK to use their font and -made in usa- line. I know that kind of stealing trademark usage was frowned upon in that time especially. Anyhow here it is!
3-3/4lb(actual weight) rockaway on a old as dirt 29" hickory stick. I used one of the new batch of yellow birch wedges I recently made. I put a thinner grind on it than I usually do. This one is right around 20°. It's going to bite deep! Steel is just perfect. As good as I've ever come across!
I did not stain the haft. Just a light sanding to remove a thin layer of rot from the helve and liberal amounts of blo! I'm making a nice stitched mask for it later today. Thanks for checking it out guys! Hope you are all doing well. And your families too.
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Why thank you! I'm very pleased to have it! I spent a long time on it and am happy with the shape it's in now. Appreciate it man.
. I just finished the mask for it. Leather isn't my strong suit but it's passable I think.
It needs a little more burnishing but it's close to being finished.