Ice Axe or Hawk?

[RiverRat]

A friend of mine bought this over. It was found in a barn in upper New York State. Any ideas on what this was used for?
Thanks

 

[Claude Mathis]

Just my opinion, but... It appears to be mounted upside-down on the new handle. The spike is "usually" more toward the top and the curve is backwards. Also, the collar usually comes down the side of the handle rather than going up toward the top.

This looks more "normal" to me.

(or is it just me?) :grin:

 

[Bountyhunter]

I would concur with you Claude, the cheeks go down the handle. The head is mounted upside down.

 

[Norskie]

Probably because the taper on modern handles goes the other way.

 

[RiverRat]

:rotf: That's exactly what I am talking about. Well, now that the upside down handle has been identified, any ideas on uasage? I mean a ice chipping tool or posibly a fighting hawk?

 

[capnwilliam]

Any ideas on what this was used for?

The upside-down way the head is mounted on the shaft, it would be a hell of a time using it for anything! :haha:

Capt. William

 

[paulvallandigham]

It looks like a worn out hachet that one might use for rough carpentry work, or for splitting wood. It would be hard to tell what the poll was used for, if anything. Someone many years ago may have ground that down to make a war club looking axe.

 

[RiverRat]

It throws pretty good :grin:

 

[mbw907]

It is interesting, no doubt. And it was made well. I think it was used to hold down dollar bills from blowing away :youcrazy: But seriously. maybe it has been sharpened down from a much larger size.

 

[Bountyhunter]

I would speculate that it may have been an early half hatchet which had the hammer poll ground down to a point, and was used for ice or stone and had one point of the cutting edge pounded or worn off. I'm guessing that its use has been modified from what was originally intended.. Back up at my ranch, I have some stone hammers that were used to square large blocks of limestone for building purposes, and they had notched cutting edges, but the way that the face is curved off, I'll still bet that it was square when it was new. Unless you happen to know who had the old farm/barn and they would know something of the history of the family, the real truth may be lost in history/mystery.

 

[guncobbler]

I think it could be an early fireman's axe. I have one of more modern design but the lines are essentialy the same. Chop with the blade and smash with the pick. GC

 

[dlemaster]

I believe it's way too small for a firemans axe.
It is pretty interesting and from an area where it could be early.
Just my .02 cts

Regards, Dave

 

[Wanders]

All of the ice axes I've seen had elongated blades - 12" or more and the hooked part was used to pull up a block of ice. This looks too symetrical to have been sharpened down to this length. Also, most woodworking axes have straight blades. This looks like an upsidedown hawk to me. (Wish I'd found it!) :hatsoff:

 

[kentucky bucky]

The shape of the point looks like a battle axe to me, or an iron version of a war club. Form follows function and the only thing I could think to do with that point is bludgeoning.

 

[RiverRat]

Great replys folks :hatsoff: Please keep them coming. My friend will be asking what I've found and again I will boast about being a forum member and the knowledge that is here. He his a old guy and who dosen't own a computer.

 

Nice find. Does it look to y'all like the pitting is less pronounced on the spike than than the rest? Might give credence to the ground-down carpenter's hatchet idea, might not. Either way it probably wasn't done recently.

Sean