Some folks asked me about my axe and related old tool collection...so I uploaded some pics and posted. This is not extensive. Its about half of my collection. Ive spent years and made contacts with various antiques dealers trying to find axes. I love them simply because they are so utilitarian and indispensable...If you could only take one tool...youd be wise to take an axe.


Left to Right:

A mid 19th French axe, huge, about 16 inches across

A 14th-16th century axe, German

A 17th or early 18th century New England/Canadian trade axe (heavy sucker)

A 18th century axe

A paper cut out of a jamestown axe I replicated



Next Row...

A 16th or 17th century German axe, hewing

A 17th or 18th century hewing axe, Eastern Europe

A Canadian hewing axe, cast steel, probably 19th century

A 19th century axe, hewing

A replica of 18th century version...my handy dandy hatchet

A similar hand forged axe, date unknown. Could be 17th or 18th century, not sure

Bottom Row

A hand forged multip purpose scy-axe, probably 18th or 19th

A railroad brush cutter 19th century

A french "shoulder axe" (bloody name escapes me at the moment)

A nice adze from Transylvania 18th century

A 17th or 18th century light adze or hoe, English










Second picture is my froe, hand forged from a piece of spring steel. Great for splitting planks. Its almost 18 inches long. And one of my hand hewing axes which I mounted on a longer handle...and it works great. But I had to do a lot of repair on this hewing axe as it was in bad shape. I dont usually use my antiques, ie put them to use as I feel they earned retirement and would prefer to build new ones, but this guy was repaired via poor weld so I felt the liberty of redoing the job and giving it a second chance.

And finally below...the "bearded axe" (yours truly a bit glazed after hours of work)


Now shown are a few of the axes Ive forged and a very rare 12th or 13th century axe which Ill try to remember and photograph.


Well enjoy and feel free to ask me any questions.

cheers
Drew

I'm drooling.... OK I'm over it

Nice collection!

How do you like your broad axe on the long handle? I did that to one of mine, and I love it! It's authentic too

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/Rou...tinfo/367-2057/

It's my favorite hewing tool, makes quick work of rough-hewing a log.

You shouldn't have shown me that page, now I want more axes.

The "American Pattern" broad axe is a coopers axe, not a broad axe for working timber.

Dave, you can never have enough axes!
And I can't help but fell that I may be a bit responsible for them carrying the german pattern axes, they did that since I contacted them about getting some of Müller axes that they didnt carry (yes, they can special order for you!) And since that time, they started listing some of those axes on their website.

If you want to drool, have a look at the full Müller und Söhne line,
http://www.mueller-hammerwerk.at/hammerwerk/Images/produktuebersicht.pdf
They make just about every central European and French woodworking tool you could ever want. I really think they make a finer product than Gransfors, too. Their stated aim is to supply local populations with THEIR traditional tools, and not some standardized version of it. As such they have so many different axe patterns... They definitely are the only source today for a lot of Old European tools, including the elusive French Besaigue. But... they are kind of expensive too...

I wondered about that American axe, but didnt think too long about it, since I was after the German axes.

Well, in truth my hewing axe (I think thats what your referring to) is actually for a single hand..and I was going to cut off the handle but found I liked the added length. Its not a heavy hewer, but works fine for logs or pieces under 12 inches or so.

I hear ya Dave, it is addictive (Im ready for the zombies). I love axes but in general am a sucker for anything hand forged. Just bought a nice 18th century barkspud.

Im real leery about names for these suckers in large measure because I tend to study the late medieval and early colonial eras so the cross-over makes tool identification/naming a bit tricky. Ive seen so-called coopering axes in manuscript pictures showing timberframers, wheelwrights, cabinet/furniture makers, basket makers...the works.

At one time - building on the shoulders of Eric Sloane and company- I tried to classify axes based on shape, size and era. I had gathered dozens and dozens of images from the 14h-18th century and found that just when I thought I was seeing patterns, something would throw off that theory.

Now I think two things existed. First, good tools get passed down from generation to generation for at least a century or more before retired. And second, a good design is a good design, sprinkled with a bit of whimsy. Only when pulling back by three or four centuries do we start to see discernible differences. And yet even then Ive seen 8th or 9th century axes (what we might call viking) look suprisingly similar to 17th or 18th century ones; ergo a good design is a good design.

Not until cast iron axes in the mid to latter 19th century do we start to see large numbers of the same type of axe.

Some nice stuff, but YIKES expensive. Well, actually probably not that bad...but I cant see myself spending that much unless its an antique.

I also think there is a sort of exclusivity/novelty element involved in those prices...ya know ""German""" or ""Swedish"" axes or anvils or tools as if they are blessed by the tool gods. Since few places make them anymore, they can clearly charge a premium for their tools.

Hello,

The cost of a new compared to an old flea market axe is not as straight forward as it might first seem, at least in the case of a broad axe.

The axe I am using now is a fine Swedish double bevel hewing axe I bought new 12 years ago.

Typically, after 6 days of use I spend a half a day sharpening, (not including honing it in-between sharpenings). If it gets nicked that costs me an extra day to grind, sharpen and hone. And this is a double bevel, or two short surfaces.

I can imagine untold hours of lapping, on a not so ready available, properly sized lapping plate, to get the flat side of a rusty and pitted, if not superficially polished up, antique, or lets old, broadax that cost initially €100, polished decently. Then you are talking about an expensive axe.

On the other hand, and in no small part accessible because of the internet, there are many blacksmiths from Finland down to France and everywhere in between who are forging and offering many types of broadaxes that will cost you between €200 and €300. Oh yea, left or right handed versions too.

I like the idea of putting good old tools back to use, but in the case of - I qualify - a single beveled hewing axe, I don't see it as practical, (not to mention the desirability of hours on top of a lapping plate). Of course it can all depend on your idea of what constitutes sharpness .

Oh yea, Andrew Young, the word you were looking for is bisaiguë but in fact the tool is a Kreuzaxt.

Don, the situation is a little bit different in America.

All of the best modern tools come from German speaking countries or from Sweden, with Japan coming up next in line. America is, sad to say, a good ways back there.

But this was not always so

During the 1800's it is generally said that American blacksmiths, and later American industry, produced the best steel tools in the world, and these are still some of the best tools to be found by modern standards.

The steel used may be inferior to German tool steels, but the difference is in the process. The old tool makers were excellent forgers -they beat a lot of strength into the metal, and most important they had mastered the fine art of tempering. A Good tool from this era holds an edge like no other.

I have a Gooswewing broadaxe made in Pennsylvania some time around 1800 or so -I can surmise that from the way it is put together (assuring me it is hand forged before the 1830's) and the way it is decorated, clearly an early Pennsylvania Dutch product. This 200 year old axe will hold a keen edge every bit as good as my new Gransfors broad axe (which is today used as a joinery axe and not a hewing axe) And better than my Ochsenkopf Stichaxt, which certainly holds a good edge in its own right.

I have a few old axes that I bought from Europe, and I must say in comparison the quality of the temper is not nearly as good. But they are fine tools nonetheless and certainly usable.

That said, I have nothing against modern made tools. I have a few and intend to get more as the tool fund gets fat enough. I love old tools because I love old things in general, it it gives me a strong sense of connection to those who came before me. I love modern tools because I like practicality and function.

As far as cost, I paid about $250 for my Goosewing. In semi-restored (cleaned up, but still with the brown patina) and a good keen edge in fine working condition, it is worth well over twice that. Part of the reason for that is because of WHAT it is and when and where it was made. genuine PA goosewings can be worth a fortune. I never would have paid that much for another old axe, $100 is my usual top end of what I am willing to pay, and I prefer to pay less than half of that. I got a fine PA pattern broad axe that needed some minor retuning of the edge for $25, I could sell it today for maybe $150 to $200 (it is certainly pre Civil War) And can tell a similar story of my carpenters adze which was made in the 1830s. But in the case of the Goosewing it was exactly what I had been looking for, in excellent condition, and priced to sell. I knew exactly what I was looking at, and I don't think anybody else did. It also happens to be the most beautiful tool in my shop. Finely decorated along the non-functioning edges and on the front face. Clearly hand tooled, yet excellently made and finished. There are maybe 1 or two tiny spots that give away the fact that it is hammer forged, but otherwise it is almost immaculately perfect. The forge line between the bit and the body is so fine that the only indication that it is even there is the difference in grain quality between the steel bit and the wrought iron body. There is no seam. And oh yeah, it is a joy to hew with even though it is a left-hand bevel (which does not mean you have to use it left handed. I am right handed and almost find it easier to use a left hand bevel)

I spent some time today taking nicks out of two of my axes. I find the extra-coarse DMT diamond plate makes quick work of it. In initial prep of an old tool I use an angle grinder with a sandpaper flapwheel, being careful not to over heat the steel. For maintenance sharpening, I can work the primary bevel down to a wire edge and then put a secondary bevel and polish on the broad axe in about ten minutes as long as there are no huge chips.