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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> Unexpected Discoveries >> Early Axe Head?

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Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 9:59:13 AM    Just Dig it Posts: 1357 Joined: 5/7/2007 From: The Whaling City Status: offline I found this  at a  house in middleboro mass that belongs to my  grandfathers girlfriend..the house itself was built in the 1850's but the recently  collapsed barn in the rear that is built into the hillside was built earlier   the previous owner of the house was  a family  decendant  to the original settlers and told doris (my grandfathers Gf)that  the  barn was used as a house until the family  could afford  to build a  house off the  money they made farming..the collapsed barn is being excavated and  this is  one of my  finds..she  said  i could take  anything i dig  up or  they  dig  up just be careful!...so i am thinking of sandblasting sharpening and  refirmishing this axe to give to my kids...im pretty sure its older then 1850 at least what do you guys think? (the small piece of  metal is  the  wedge for the  top of  the  axe ..it was held in place  by dirt and a  tiny  piece of severely rotted wood) _____________________________ My other cars a bottle... Post #: 1

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 11:07:37 AM    lobeycat Posts: 6697 Joined: 9/8/2003 From: RED SOX Nation Status: offline Nice broadhead Digger. Hand forged, probably used to shape the timbers of the barn. i wouldn't sand blast her, even glass beads would pit her. Take a wire wheel to it, slap a coat of oil on it and shuv a nice piece of ash into it. Sharpening it and making it look new would kind of kill it's charm. Unless of course your kids are going to hew timbers and rebuild the barn. Lobey. (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 2

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 11:41:14 AM    Just Dig it Posts: 1357 Joined: 5/7/2007 From: The Whaling City Status: offline Thanks for all the info Lobey..Glad i didnt  ruin her..i dont even have kids i was just saying someday the barn was built in the   mid -  late 1700's so thats  one old axe head! _____________________________ My other cars a bottle... (in reply to lobeycat) Post #: 3

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 3:32:25 PM    capsoda Posts: 9832 Joined: 11/15/2005 From: Seminole,Alabama, USA Status: offline Hey Eric, I agree with Richard. If you blast with sand or glass besides pitting it will imbed silica in it and paint won't stick well and oil won't coat either. If you want to make it look clean a wire wheel or blasting lightly with iron oxide will do it. _____________________________ Warren Diggin down in Dixie, USA Work is for people who don't dig bottles President, Panhandle Cruisers http://www.panhandlecruisers.org/ http://www.bornagainamerican.org (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 4

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 8:45:08 PM    GuntherHess Posts: 11470 Joined: 12/13/2004 From: Frederick Maryland Status: offline If you sharpen it dont grind the flat side. I see many in antique shops that people ruin by grinding both sides of the blade. _____________________________ FREE Online Medicine Guide - http://www.antiquemedicines.com/MedicineNexus/Nexus.htm Web Site - http://antiquemedicines.com Email : mknapp@antiquemedicines.com (in reply to capsoda) Post #: 5

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 11:06:50 PM    L C   Posts: 3441 Joined: 3/17/2007 From: Ohio Status: offline Matt, found this one several years ago. I was going to sandblast it as well, but talked myself out of it. Might try just taking a wire brush to it and leave it at that. The cutting edge measures 10 3/4" wide. Roughly 8 3/4" across the middle. Looks like it is stamped G. Cilley, Warranted Cast Steel.  I am not sure if I spelled the last name correctly or not, I can not read all of it clearly. I am not sure as to its age, but it is a nice piece. Attachment (1) < Message edited by L C -- 5/21/2007 11:08:51 PM > (in reply to GuntherHess) Post #: 6

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/21/2007 11:09:35 PM    L C   Posts: 3441 Joined: 3/17/2007 From: Ohio Status: offline Here is the stamp, do not know if anyone out there can see it better than me to check the spelling of the last name or not. Attachment (1) (in reply to L C) Post #: 7

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/22/2007 9:56:15 AM    Just Dig it Posts: 1357 Joined: 5/7/2007 From: The Whaling City Status: offline Yours Looks Looks Beautiful ! So Sharpen one side You Say? it appears  both were Sharpened  on this  one Just Checking i dont want  to boch it _____________________________ My other cars a bottle... (in reply to L C) Post #: 8

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/22/2007 9:57:18 AM    Just Dig it Posts: 1357 Joined: 5/7/2007 From: The Whaling City Status: offline sry  typed looks twice _____________________________ My other cars a bottle... (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 9

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/22/2007 10:00:44 AM    GuntherHess Posts: 11470 Joined: 12/13/2004 From: Frederick Maryland Status: offline A hewing ax should be flat on one side and a bevelled edge on the other side. That big marked broadhead ax is nice. If they get too pitted its hard to do much with them. _____________________________ FREE Online Medicine Guide - http://www.antiquemedicines.com/MedicineNexus/Nexus.htm Web Site - http://antiquemedicines.com Email : mknapp@antiquemedicines.com (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 10

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/22/2007 1:24:19 PM    L C   Posts: 3441 Joined: 3/17/2007 From: Ohio Status: offline This is a hewing axe. It is flat on one side, so the side that has the bevel is the side that needs to be sharpened. I am leaving well enough alone on this one. Do not want to take the chance of messing it up. < Message edited by L C -- 5/22/2007 1:26:06 PM > (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 11

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/26/2007 9:34:55 PM    bottlebum   Posts: 15 Joined: 5/25/2007 Status: offline Hey, nice find. The best thing that you could do with it is to clean carefully with a wire brush and then coat with parrafin wax, this will give it a good layer of protection and can be easily removed if need be. (in reply to L C) Post #: 12

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/26/2007 9:43:28 PM    bottlebum   Posts: 15 Joined: 5/25/2007 Status: offline Oh, forgot to mention cleaning with a mild soap and water solution before coating with the melted wax. Good luck on your future hunts! (in reply to bottlebum) Post #: 13

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/27/2007 12:38:51 AM    bottlebum   Posts: 15 Joined: 5/25/2007 Status: offline Hi again, In case you were interested in my method of preservation, I thought that I should better elaborate on the waxing step. The easiest way to do it would be to...... #1) find an old cooking pot big enough to hold enough water to  completely submerge the object. #2)bring the water to a rolling boil #3)run a wire through the handle hole of your axe head #4)place the head into the boiling water and let it get good and hot #5)after it is hot, take some parrifan wax(available at the grocery stores, used for canning) and drop it into the water #6)when the wax is melted it will stay on top of the water, grab the wire and slowly lift the object out and hang to cool. The wax will coat the object as you are removing it. The slower you pull it out, the thicker the coat of  wax will be. The faster you lift it out, the thinner the coating will be. To remove the wax, put the object in boiling water until it heats up, turn off the heat and let the water cool with the object in it. You will find that the wax has come off and returned to it's solid form, on top of the water and can be reused. Trappers use this method to wax their traps. It protects the traps from getting too rusty and keeps the trap from freezing up during the winter. The wax is a great preservative for old iron. Hope this helps. Bill < Message edited by bottlebum -- 5/27/2007 12:42:43 AM > (in reply to bottlebum) Post #: 14

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/27/2007 12:25:53 PM    Just Dig it Posts: 1357 Joined: 5/7/2007 From: The Whaling City Status: offline Thanks Bill thats a very indept informative preservation tactic i will deffinatley not right it off when it comes  time thank you all for your input......Eric J _____________________________ My other cars a bottle... (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 15

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/27/2007 1:29:43 PM    L C   Posts: 3441 Joined: 3/17/2007 From: Ohio Status: offline Thanks Bill, I read your post on how to coat an item with wax, made a copy of it to keep. Never thought of using wax as a sealer. Plan to try it on something small here soon to see how it works. < Message edited by L C -- 5/27/2007 1:31:21 PM > (in reply to bottlebum) Post #: 16

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/27/2007 2:23:10 PM    bottlebum   Posts: 15 Joined: 5/25/2007 Status: offline Glad to help Eric, Could probably even  use a furniture spray wax? Oh well, keep us posted on those great finds. (in reply to L C) Post #: 17

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/27/2007 11:16:11 PM    Just Dig it Posts: 1357 Joined: 5/7/2007 From: The Whaling City Status: offline Roger that.! _____________________________ My other cars a bottle... (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 18

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/28/2007 2:04:18 PM    cc6pack   Posts: 1161 Joined: 7/12/2003 From: Mableton, Ga. Status: offline Eric If you want to try a simple electrolysis method I can send you instructions. (in reply to Just Dig it) Post #: 19

RE: Early Axe Head? - 5/28/2007 2:28:00 PM    bottlebum   Posts: 15 Joined: 5/25/2007 Status: offline Hi Eric, Thanks for the offer but I am already familiar with the  use of electrolysis for cleaning and If I might add, have gotten  some amazing results. Thank You, Bill (in reply to cc6pack) Post #: 20

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