Axe collecting has become kinda popular these days.

A post in another thread prompted me to start this thread. I have a pretty decent amount of knowledge about old axes (mostly related to the logging trade) and can help ID or answer questions if possible. There are hundreds of axes currently living at my place. Its an addictive problem for some. I also collect any other kind of related logging tools and other oddities.

If you have some nice blades you have saved, restored, or collected lets see them!

This is a gun site so I’ll start with a Winchester Puget Sound falling axe. It’s wearing its original handle and is in great shape. The handle is covered in pinholes from the soles of old calk boots or "corks".

All right, this is cool.

I’ll play the role of the ignorant guy. What’s a “falling axe”? Used for felling trees?

This is an old KnotKlipper made by Mann Edge Tool Co. it’s a Puget Sound pattern falling axe with a 42” octagon fallers handle. The last pic is a shipping crate from a lot of KnotKlipper double bits.

I also like axes and ax heads and have about a dozen or so.

I hunt for them, esp. ax heads and separate handles, at estate sales. Picked up a few really nice ones for a few dollars over the years.

One of my coolest ones was a very good condition vintage ax head, a Norlund Tomahawk. Got a few other cool ones.
Here's a representative picture of the Norlund.
Mine is a bit surface rusty but I want to clean it up nice.


Some of them have light rust and I'm looking for the best non-harmful ways to remove it. Naval Jelly, or something else?

No problem.

A falling axe is for felling trees. Typically the undercut was cut into the tree with a crosscut saw (misery whip) of a falling pattern which is narrower and thinner than its cousin, the bucking saw. Then the undercut was chopped out using a falling axe.

The "western faller" pattern is the most common here on the west side of the country. Its a little short from tip to tip and flared on top and bottom. A Puget Sound pattern is unique to the PNW, a little of BC and western/northen ID and Oregon. Its similar to the western but the top of the head is straight across and is MUCH wider. They were used with a longer 40"+ handle to get into the heart of 6' plus diameter trees.


You will find most patterns of axes all over the country but the Puget Sound pattern is a rare find anywhere else and not seen much around here anymore either. The wider the head the better. I have some that are over 14-15" wide.

This is a Norlund Hudson’s Bay pattern commonly referred to as a tomahawk. It’s waiting for me to love it up a little and dress it in fresh hickory.

LC I’ll address my process in another post.

Norlunds are very collectable and bring good prices. Which is odd as they were not a high quality axe or very expensive when new and have no history behind them. They are more "trendy" I suppose.

The one in your pic has been molested IMO. Its been belt sanded so severely that the stamping is very light now. Compare the depth of the letters to the one I posted. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so the owner may love that finish and that's all that counts.

Some folks will sand them and polish them, some will soak them in vinegar and have a fresh etched surface that even exposes the harder bit steel to soft poll steel junction.

I prefer to use a flapper sanding wheel to clean the edges back to crisp corners and remove and excess mushrooming of the poll and then I use a wire wheel to clean the surface. I will use the wire wheels rotational direction to push some of the grime over the edges and spots that I cleaned with the flapper. Almost like a rusty/grime polishing compound that will leave that nice worn black/blueish steel color afterwards.

I like an axe that looks like it has been in use since the day it was made. Not rusted and neglected and not polished like chrome, but well used and cared for with a nice handle that has been stained with the sweat of hard work and bark dust.

Another Hudson’s Bay patter Collins. It is a branding hammer used for stamping logs. It’s wearing its original handle and is in excellent shape.

Great thread! I have my dads old double bit axe out in the garage. I should dig it up and see if there are any markings on it.

Very cool.

There’s history in that metal!

I had a feeling you would start this thread. And Speaking of Norlunds. This is the one that really got me started in axe collecting.
My dad found this in a hunting camp with a broken handle. Then years later I learned it had a bit of a value. So I cleaned it up and hung it on a new handle. It’s not a mirror polish. But it is very shiny.

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I had a nice older Norlund that I decided to take up to my property a few years back to split some rounds, well that was until' someone decided to help themselves to it out the bed of my truck while I was at a gas station on the way up. I bought it at a yard sale for $20 and it looked like it had only seen wood a handful of times.

Currently I am using a Fiskars X27 to split all my rounds.. One day I will by another Norlund, one day.

To keep on the DIY topic here is my setup for working the edge on an axe.
I have a heavy strip of plastic (you could use wood ) running through the eye. And clamps on both ends.
I’ll hand file then sand the cutting edge with a sanding block. This is a Kelley Woodslasher, cruiser. No polish.
Just wire wheel and oil.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tls/d/vintage-craftsman-vanadium-double-bit/6784567392.html

Not mine but doesn't seem like a bad buy.