These are either identified as carpenters axes in the case of the two sketches and represent atypical and regional forms of which three come close to the form of the one you have or the wooden shoe makers axe in the photo.

But in the end I do believe your axe head can most correctly be identified as the kuipersbijl or coopers axe seen at this location.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Check this sellers stuff

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/helloantik/m....sid=p4340.l2562

They label them as coopers axes. Maybe maybe not.

As to how think it is, 5mm or less. I don't have a set of scales to weigh it unfortunately.

I don't think I could make a pair of air jordans with this axe no matter hire long I practiced.

I didn't see your last post Don. Yes it would apart it is a coopers axe.

I'd love some axes like in those sketches. In particular the t axes. When it comes to hewing I have two main interests viking/saxon period and the late medieval period. Even if I could find a useable axe from the viking period it would be too precious to use. The only substitutes that I know of are dime of the japanese axes and the gransfors bruks replicas. I know that their are other smiths around who make replicas but I havn't found their sites.

For viking stuff check out this:

http://greenwood-carving.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/building-worlds-most-iconic-viking-ship.html?m=1

Hi Stuart,

These axes are French for sure but I'm guessing that they learned the form from the vikings who used to swoop down on the Bretons to steel their fish. You might have better luck searching for the hewing axe you want by looking in Sweden, Finland and Denmark though Denmark seems oddly difficult for some reason and the Finnish language is pretty indecipherable. Some helpful terms to look under might be, piilukirveet, sparrbila, kirvies...

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

I don't know how the word breaks down but I bet they built a lot of spars with the sparrbila.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyCy3XpVrKY

I would like a close up of the cutting edge.

Hello,
Depending on which view, Tim you might find the right information on these pages. Some straight, some with the radius you like so much, some with the ends all relieved there.

So, I'm only making a direct translation from what little I can make of the Swedish, but spar, that is the Christmas tree, the spruce, though when used in connection to construction it's limited to small diameters no more than 15 cm buts at most and usually less, so the one from the video wont qualify sorry to say. That's a nice finish the axe leaves behind though and typical of what I've seen in old buildings. How fine it would be cutting through such wood I can only imagine.

And then bila, is the same as axe for you and me.

I understand that in Sweden and Latvia and Estonia etc... production and export of spars was a kind of greenwood industry back when people did things like that. It's something about the slow growth in a particularly managed forest parcel where they hauled the spars out from. In Finland I here tell of experimental forests where square trees are being developed, very secretive and all.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff

Got a new toy today,

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd481/Weaverofduart/2012-04-06192035.jpg

http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd481/Weaverofduart/2012-04-06192416.jpg

The plan is for this to be my roughing axe.

The handle is sound but short for me so I'll knock the wedges out and make a new one.

The hungarian axe is getting there but I'm not happy with it. I've given it an off set handle and it is not easy to use at all. Will post pictures soon.