Who made the largest axes?

J

JonathanCharles

Joined
Dec 31, 2014
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77
Hey folks,

Just looking at some old jersey axes and started wondering about the size of axes. Anyone know who produced the largest axe heads? I know that you can find really heavy mauls but Im thinking more of axes that would have been used in the woods.

Thanks a ton!

Jonathan
 
I've seen German-made "Yankee pattern" axe heads as heavy as 9lb.
 
At no time during the glory days of axes did ordinary folks deliberately seek out the 'largest' versions. To eke out a living, or stoke the stove all winter, it'd quickly prove counterproductive to wander off into the forest with a 'monster' axe. Five or six pound heads were (and probably still are) available but 2 1/4, 3's and 4's are by far the most common. The axe business is not unlike that of hammers; folks buy what is practical and what they're comfortable with, and very rarely is that also something oversized.
Broad Axes (for hewing timbers), though, could be quite hefty; you do hear tell of 12 to 14 pounders but tradesmen didn't really swing those (any sort of broad axe) very hard.
 
300Six said:
At no time during the glory days of axes did ordinary folks deliberately seek out the 'largest' versions.
Click to expand...

Sure they did. They were just usually teenagers who hadn't learned better yet. :D In all seriousness, I often come across references in period farm publications and the like talking about young fellows making the mistake of buying the biggest thinking it's best.
 
My old man is kind of a big guy, and for kicks he had a friend of his that works in a foundry make him a 26 lb maul
 
True temper made some 6 lb Kentucky pattern jerseys also rafting axes were available up to 5 lb. This thread needs more pics
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I have a 5 Lb Plumb Dayton. I bought it on a whim. I haven't tried to swing it yet.

It's on the top, with a 3.5 Lb Plumb Dayton and a Plumb Boys axe below it.

[URL=http://s810.photobucket.com/user/doubleott/media/Plumb%20Five%20Lb%20Dayton/Plumb5LbDayton005.jpg.html][/URL]

Even though the helve on the 5 pounder looks longger than the others, it is a 36 inch helve.

[URL=http://s810.photobucket.com/user/doubleott/media/Plumb%20Five%20Lb%20Dayton/Plumb5LbDayton013.jpg.html][/URL]

Boys and a 5 pound.

[URL=http://s810.photobucket.com/user/doubleott/media/Plumb%20Five%20Lb%20Dayton/Plumb5LbDayton023.jpg.html][/URL]

Tom
 
iown 2 of them one is european made without visible brand and weights 5,500 pounds ,on 36" wooden haft, the other one is same size but different pattern, might be u s made,(eye size, not to european standards) but has been forged back in France, original stamp is too faint, and french one is very obvious.
those axes are too heavy even for forestry matters, but i often use the may be u. s. one(on 36" plastic haft) to finish the machine splittings to cut through left fibers .
 
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I have a 6lb Douglas Hunt SB axe. In a Collins Catalog, they list sizes available up to 13 lbs on some types of axes, most that size look to be hewers. If I remember right, there is a story/legend about old man Walters using a 14 lb double bit axe......I think we discussed that before, I might have my stories crossed so I can't say for sure on that one.
 
flexo said:
iown 2 of them one is european made without visible brand and weights 5,500 pounds ,on 36" wooden haft, the other one is same size but different pattern, might be u s made,(eye size, not to european standards) but has been forged back in France, original stamp is too faint, and french one is very obvious.
those axes are too heavy even for forestry matters, but i often use the may be u. s. one(on 36" plastic haft) to finish the machine splittings to cut through left fibers .
Click to expand...

Looks a little something like this, right? :D

image.jpg
 
If you start looking at old axe catalogs of the 20th century, you quickly see that most axe companies and retailers offered four-pounds as being the heavy end of their lines.

So I would call a four-pounder a heavy axe, and anything over four-pounds is heavy for sure.

Firemen's axes usually run very heavy, but they are a specialty item.

The most interesting thing I saw was in the Sager catalog at the bottom of their page titled "standard axe list" it says "Group 10...8lb. axes".
 
Collins catalog - 1939 = Dayton = 3-6 lbs, Connecticut = 2.5-5 lbs, Michigan = 3-5 lbs, yankee 3-5 lbs, Michigan DB = 3-5lbs,

Warren Axe and Tool Co Catalog 1937 - Axes up to 8 lbs, but doesn't specify pattern, just says any axe to the buyers choosing.

1921 Collins Catalog - Hewing axes up to 9 lbs, 16 inches across. Yankee pattern up to 8 lbs, Kentucky up to 7, DBs u to 6, and interestingly enough, Yankee broad axe up to 9 1/4.

So they made so big axes back in the day. Imagine swinging an 8 lb sb on a 36 inch handle......all day. Sideways.
 
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