When did American axes become poor quality and why?

B

Balls Deep

Joined
Jan 2, 2014
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Hey everyone. I've been on blade forums for awhile and have gotten the opportunity to learn a ton about knives, steels, making etc., and I'm starting to get more into learning about axes. I've been doing research on how to hang axes, grain orientation on handles, good shapes and so forth. One of the things that is continually surprising though is that it doesn't really seem like American axes are at the top of the pack when it comes to high quality axes. Counsil tools seems to be making a presence with their velvicut but other than that there don't seem to be a lot of start to finish axes made in America outside of Counsil.

Gransfors Bruks, Wetterlings, even Husqvarna are all repeated over and over again as the quality axes recommended for most buyers. Even Chinese made axes like Marbles and the Cold Steel products seem to get good reviews.

New model True Temper axes and Vaugn axes meanwhile don't seem to rank as highly as the previously mentioned axes. Estwing is sort of in it's own category being a solid steel axe.

On the forums one of the most commonly suggested comments under "What axe should I buy?" from the community is usually, "Get an old Kelly True temper, or Collins, or inert ___ here. They can be found on Ebay for such and such a price."

I've been trying to look up the history online and learn a little bit more about what happened to American axes, but I don't seem to be able to ask google the right questions.

What I'm really curious to know is why is it that one of the best axes I can buy is a 1930 - 1970 era American axe? And if they're fantastic cutting tools (which I believe they are based on the threads I've read so often) why were they discontinued or no longer made in the same way?

Any information on this would be much appreciated.
Thanks all,
BD
 
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Back when people relied on axes to chop firewood or earned their living with them, both the manufacturers and purchasers were infinitely more attuned to what was desirable, durable and useful. Widespread use of chainsaws and machinery pretty much delegated axes to third and forth place and the strive, will and means to produce quality dropped like a stone. A factory that was set up to make 1000 axes per day quickly folds when it only has demand for 10 axes per day. In the most part casual and recreational buyers look at price more than anything else and it's not difficult to figure out what happens then. Domestic manufacture ceases and production goes offshore.
In some ways it's kinda neat that formerly non-economically-viable (they couldn't compete) operations such as G-B have created their own small niche market and are thriving (relatively speaking).
 
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this is the hope for the future 300 six, small groups marketing to highly specialized sales areas, enabling mom and pops to spring up everywhere people are willing to work. After the great loss that america had to wal-mart, stuff like that makes me think we will come out stronger and eventually regain our self sufficiency. Internet is changing things.
 
It was a slow decline from mid-20th century on due to chainsaw mostly as 300six says. But still early 20th century axes were the peak. Check out the difference between a Collins Legitimus and a later Collins side by side. Much more hand work with a power hammer vs. drop forge. More polishing. The two piece steel axes with an overcoat bit allowed a slight flexibility in the axe due to a thinner profile through the eye area. Even GB uses a drop forge and single steel billet so really the only way to get the best axes ever made is to buy vintage or pay a skilled smith hundreds of dollars.
 
Gehazi said:
this is the hope for the future 300 six, small groups marketing to highly specialized sales areas, enabling mom and pops to spring up everywhere people are willing to work. After the great loss that america had to wal-mart, stuff like that makes me think we will come out stronger and eventually regain our self sufficiency. Internet is changing things.
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Doesn't translate to axe resurgence but backyard Computer Numerical Control milling machines and lathes are now being used to recreate affordable 'small run' high quality copies of otherwise-priceless old single shot target rifles. When the price of oil goes bananas or the supply of it becomes unreliable I suspect there will be a gradual comeback of industries located nearer to the buyers. When I have to pay Canada Post etc more to ship something than it's worth I quickly start factoring in where else to maybe start buying things.
 
well when you think about it, bladeforums really makes a great deal of small business possible-- I know I got a custom order going with a guy I met here that is worth quite a bit of money,( I am a traditional crafts guy, so no CNC necessary) and I have not been disappointed at all, and I love that. I mean to say our hope is that not just ax makers or blade people get more local work, but that more business is available to the individual as an opportunity to provide for others, as big providers start to crumble because of the internet ( except for amazon) but I read several articles about wal mart and all these big stores starting to lose market, and market going to smaller local groups instead. We claim to be capitalist, I think we should actually start acting a bit more capitalist, stop giving money to big companies, give little guys a chance to sink or swim as their product is better or worse. ( like huge tax breaks for a big business to set up-- happens pretty much everywhere, legal bribery)

so yeah in the end I believe in the spirit of the US to make its own stuff, we can do it again.
 
And it's about time money get's spent locally. Luckily I live in small town USA so most everything is bought locally :P
 
halfaxe said:
Check out the difference between a Collins Legitimus and a later Collins side by side. Much more hand work with a power hammer vs. drop forge. More polishing. The two piece steel axes with an overcoat bit allowed a slight flexibility in the axe due to a thinner profile through the eye area. Even GB uses a drop forge and single steel billet so really the only way to get the best axes ever made is to buy vintage or pay a skilled smith hundreds of dollars.
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For sure someone here can (and hopefully will) provide photo evidence whereof you speak; I'm quite interested in being treated to a visual and descriptive thread on this aspect. We've already learned that two piece heads were the consequence of steel availability/expense so heads were forged of wrought iron with a steel blade insert for the longest time until such time that the Bessemer process made consistent quality steel much easier/cheaper to procure.
 
In the 19th century there we quite a few larger scale axe manufacturers in Canada; at least four in an around Ottawa alone (in one case at least 2 possibly three brothers by the last name Blasdell had their own competing forges there), supplying for the Ottawa Valley white pine harvest. By the end of the first world war up until about 1960 Canada had two major axe manufacturers. These were Walters and Welland Vale. By the end of the 60s Canada had no major axe manufacturing companies and all the smaller local ones had long since disappeared.

That's not an explanation, just a description, but it is revelatory. Business is opportunistic; businesses exist to make money. Not saying that's bad, but we shouldn't be overly romantic about it all.

I reject the big corporations as much as possible. I never shop at wlmrt, trgt etc, and find being in their stores a sickening experience. If I can find a book at a small bookshop I will go there and avoid the large retailers. If I can buy my food at a local market I will. I've spent over 10 years working for a small family business. I agree that corporations should not be kept alive indefinitely, but should be subject to the cycle of growth AND decay.

ALl of that said, there is a risk in idealizing the small business as though it is not also subject to the same pressures as the large corporations. In my experience, many "mom and pop" places are all too willing to pay their employees minimum wage, and as few benefits as they can get away with, avoiding things like overtime pay etc. etc. Many small business owners would be glad if they were able to expand into something larger. It's sort of like wondering over the innocence of children and cursing all of the adults (without asking how it is that children became those adults, and what sort of adults the current children will turn into).

Or at least that's how it looks to me.

Hope there is something relevant in here.


wdmn
 
The Walters Axe Company has a good reputation for quality, and they hung on until 1973. "The reasons for closing were all economic. We couldn't compete with imports..." said the former Vice President of the company.

Steve Tall said:
From The Montreal Gazette, Aug 17, 1973:
"Axe Falls on Old Firm"
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RxQyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3qEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6140%2C302748

From The Montreal Gazette, Aug 7, 1965
"Axe-Maker to the World"
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XYY1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=n58FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4749%2C1186543
(you'll need to use the Zoom-Out key above the article to shrink it before reading it.)

From St. Joseph News-Press, Oct 10, 1965
"Still Grinding Axes"
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nAhUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FTkNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3618%2C1955211

From Ottawa Citizen, April 22, 1969
"President of Hull Firm Dies at 96"
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mKIyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ce0FAAAAIBAJ&dq=walters&pg=6073%2C1377520
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Companies that remain in North America might have cut corners or simplified their process to better compete on cost, at the expense of quality.


[The article in the second link has a photo showing how the factory workers would percolate coffee on top of a red-hot axe head.]
 
Didn't have much luck trying to read 7 Aug 1965 Montreal Gazette story "axe-maker to the world" as an attachment but I have an original and identical copy of the same article from Canadian Weekly 7 Aug 1965 from the Toronto Star. Hamel's son told me 10 years ago that Ed Hamel (or Hammell, depending on your source of information) was drawn away from being Chief Tool & Die maker at Inglis Appliance of Toronto (stoves/washing machines/fridges) by Morley Walters not long after the war. Innovative young Hamel had overseen the plant go from making kitchen appliances to producing superb Bren light machine guns and Browning Hi-Powers during the war. Hamel was tasked with modernizing the manufacture of axes and in 6 short months had upped the production at Walters in Hull Quebec by two and reduced the labour component by half! There is a quote from Morley himself in another article that states making 15 axes per day was typical good production per man per day at the turn of the previous century.
 
Thanks for keeping me honest Steve; I must have associated M. Walter's death in 1969 with the scuttling of the company, but you are right, they did hang on for a few more years. However, as you say, by 1973 they could no longer compete (i.e. make money). Either you save money by cutting costs (reduce quality), which could include moving your manufacturing elsewhere, or you close up shop.

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the only reason I think smaller business is preferable to bigger, is that there is more profit to go around with many small guys than with one big guy.
 
I want to thank everyone for there input on this post so far, this is pretty fascinating information. I notice the topic is getting a little political, which makes sense since we're talking about old industries going under, but wasn't necessarily the purpose of the the thread. I'm still curious to know when most of larger scale axe manufactures stopped producing (sager chemical, plumb, kelly true temper, collins) especially since they were such effective cutting tool. Factoring in inflation would a kelly true temper in the 1950's be the equivalent of a $100 axe today?
 
wdmn said:
Thanks for keeping me honest Steve; I must have associated M. Walter's death in 1969 with the scuttling of the company, but you are right, they did hang on for a few more years. However, as you say, by 1973 they could no longer compete (i.e. make money). Either you save money by cutting costs (reduce quality), which could include moving your manufacturing elsewhere, or you close up shop.
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General Manager Ed Hamel had a controlling interest in Walters Axe after Morley died. A few astute Ottawa businessmen realized Ed's technical value and enticed him over to set up a huge scrap metal recycle facility called Baker Brothers (now BakerMet) by purchasing Walters Axe along with Ed's services. No surprise then that when they looked over the ledger books, after successfully luring Ed Hamel over, that they immediately decided to fold up the axe business.
Museum of Science and Technology, when it first opened in Ottawa in the mid 70s (?), featured along the entrance wall a large display of brand new types of every Walters axe. I don't know whatever happened to these. Also, Leonard Lee the founder of Lee Valley Tools had a large glass-encased display of Walters Axe products in his Ottawa store during the mid 1980s. Don't know whatever happened to those either.
 
Balls Deep said:
I want to thank everyone for there input on this post so far, this is pretty fascinating information. I notice the topic is getting a little political, which makes sense since we're talking about old industries going under, but wasn't necessarily the purpose of the the thread. I'm still curious to know when most of larger scale axe manufactures stopped producing (sager chemical, plumb, kelly true temper, collins) especially since they were such effective cutting tool. Factoring in inflation would a kelly true temper in the 1950's be the equivalent of a $100 axe today?
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I think the gist of all this is that domestic industry had the means and skills to produce first class implements, and competition within that sector further served to improve the variety and quality of these tools.
I suspect you'll be poking around searching out golden oldies a little bit more intently now.
 
I've actually started going on a famous auction site to find some heads to refinish. I'm interested to see how they compare to my wetterlings small forest axe.
 
I am not an economist but IMO it began with NAFTA. I think this was when there began the general flow of American manufacturing to countries with cheaper manufacturing costs in part due to our high cost of labor. First it was Mexico then ultimately China. My Uncle (RIP) who was a man of few words voiced his displeasure over this legislation and called it a sellout of American industry. I wish I paid greater attention to him because he was right on the money. I have yet to see anything of quality come from China and doubt I ever will.
 
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Fantastic video hardball. Pretty amazing the way they used to be made and how cheaply they had to pay their workers to stay in business considering how skilled the labor was. I think that one of the things that fascinates me so much about this subject is that it feels sometimes like with live in a sci-fi world where the best technology is old technology. I know that's going a bit far, there's clearly still highquality axes being made. It's few and far between but sometimes they just get it right with a product.
 
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