Loyalist Dave said:
Don't let Stophel catch you with that.... :shocked2: :haha:
LD
That's a German style hatchet (usually termed "Rhineland pattern" because axe collectors are compelled to categorize everything exactly according to an accepted pattern). Made in China though.... :redface: If you want a good one, get one from Helko/Stihl. Or scour ebay and nice old hand forged ones aren't hard to find.
The question is, what is "old style"? Just wanting something old fashioned and not necessarily "period correct"?
This is my absolute favorite little chopper. LOVE this thing. Very small little Hudson's Bay type belt axe, 2 5/8" cutting edge. About the size of the so called "Ft. Meigs" axe, also pictured. This one is faintly marked "BEDFORD MFG CO" and "BEDFORD QUE". The Bedford Mfg Co. was in business in Quebec between 1895 and 1933 (sold out to another company). It is hand forged with a steel insert bit. This little sucker chops like a demon.
You're not likely to run across something like this though.... I seriously lucked out and got it on ebay for like 30 bucks.
This is a "Montreal pattern" axe, about "boys axe" size. Popular in Canada, not so much here. It's like a HB axe that's been fattened up with a much taller eye to keep the handle from working loose, which can happen with some of the narrower HB axes, especially trying to do heavier work with them.
Now this one's old fashioned. Ca. 1916 (there's an old ad showing this hatchet including this very leather sheath) By L. A. Sayre. "Cast steel". Marked C.G.B. and R.S.B. (father and son, I presume). This one I'm leaving as it is.
Notice how these are not so stretched out and scrawny looking as many modern Hudson Bay pattern axes are.
Here's an axe that I have that I eventually will get around to putting a handle on and using it as my trekking axe. I was told that this might be by a company called Moosdorfer in Austria, but I have no more information than that. Like the typical German style, but without the upper flare in the bit (which is fine with me, I don't like upward flaring bits) and looks rather like a very thick Hudson Bay hatchet! Super, super wide eye that will take a drift-fit handle. Steel is superb.
Here's a couple of hand forged German axe heads (these are all small, probably 1 1/2 pounds or less). The scythe marked one with the characteristic squiggle marks is thin and light,and unfortunately needs to have it's poll forged back out, as it's pounded in pretty bad. I'll eventually make myself a drift the right shape to work it back out.
And, as was stated, you can make a dandy little light woodsrunning belt axe with the ubiquitous shingle/lathe/carpenter/half hatchet. Cut/grind out the nail notch, and there ya go.
Something like this comes close to Kephart's Colclesser tomahawk of a hundred years ago.
(not my picture... stolen from the internet)
I really like Jersey/Kentucky-Baltimore/Rockaway pattern axes, but you're not likely to find one in a smaller belt axe size. These styles essentially go well back into the 18th century.
Of course, the plain old Dayton/Connecticut/Michigan/Yankee axe designs go way back too... but they're pretty dang boring. :grin: