12 inch long Axe Head

[PlanMan]

I found a 12" long axe head just outside an old field at the "old place" as my mother calls it. Her family was a logging family as for back as she can recall.
She had never seen one like this but that doesn't mean much, she was the cook! Not sure how old but it's pretty rust and was about 6" down. Going to clean it up and let it soak for a while.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[muddpuppy]

Awesome Artifact. you don't find those everyday!! Keep Swinging!!

 

[Ahab8]

Wow that's a monster. I know they were pretty big back in the day but I'm not sure on the age of yours. This is a colonial felling axe that I found. I believe it's about 10". Somebody will likely know about yours

 

[Plumbata]

Nice find, it looks like a "turpentine" axe to me. I may well be wrong, but I think long and rather narrow-edged axes were needed to create the "pockets" inside the trunks of the turpentine pine tree trunks, where the sap would collect and then be ladled out when enough accumulated.

 

[PlanMan]

Found it in south Mississippi where we do have mostly pines these days. My grandfather logged pines and hardwood. That side of the family has been loggers since my mom can remember. My uncle is the only one still logging. I'm going to ask him next time I see him if he recalls ever seeing this.

 

[park pirate]

Cool...

 

[Ahab8]

Found it in south Mississippi where we do have mostly pines these days. My grandfather logged pines and hardwood. That side of the family has been loggers since my mom can remember. My uncle is the only one still logging. I'm going to ask him next time I see him if he recalls ever seeing this.

Let us know if you find out. Always like learning something new on here

 

[RockRaven]

Very unique, I collect axes and I have not seen anything quite like this. Even better that it is part of your family history. Great find!

 

[PlanMan]

So for from what I've researched it appears to be a turpentine axe or either a mortise and tenon axe which look to be basically the same shape except that I would think a mortise and tenon axe has a straight edge. May be why this was discarded? Thanks ya'll. Especially plumbata for the lead! I'll post some pictures once it soaks for a bit and I get it cleaned up a little. I am curious as to the age. I'm going to also ask some of my family if they remember anyone talking about turpentine and/or log cabins.

 

[Limitool]

Very unique, I collect axes and I have not seen anything quite like this. Even better that it is part of your family history. Great find!

Hey RockRaven.... Any idea on this one. Found in woods on top of a ridge here in Middle Tennessee. It was about 7" down. (Grandkids actually found it playing with an OLD Whites MD from the 70's.)

 

[PlanMan]

http://ww2.valdosta.edu/turpentine/tools_and_techniques_videos.htm

Here is a link to a site that has some good videos. This seems to be a "box axe" by their terminology aka turpentine axe. Dead on. I also have the "old bush axe" looking head shown in the bottom row middle, that video is called axe heads. I'm not sure what it was used for though...maybe just skinning bark. This box axe was used for making slots to drain pine rosin. I talked to my mother and she remembers seeing old boxes around that had pine rosin in them. From the video these were used in late 1800s early 1900s so it would have been before her time. Pretty cool to find two different style axe heads. This might explain also a weird looking blade I found not too far away sharpened on one end and blunt on the other.

 

[Plumbata]

Nice find on those videos, it's always good to hear what the 'ole timers have to say. I just poked around and also saw suggestions that axes like yours were "mortise and tenon" axes, but think this is incorrect as the working edge is far too broad/large for most timber-frame construction applications.

Turpentine axes like yours would have been used most commonly before external tins (or boxes or whatever) for catching sap were cheaply and widely available, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's from the middle of the 1800s.

Regarding the "bush axe", are you talking about the one that looks like this:



If so, I guess they go by a bunch of different names (Bush hook, billhook, brush axe, kaiser blade/axe, sling blade/axe, etc) and would have been used to clear woody brush, bushes, brambles, etc (go figure, heh). I buy all the decently priced old hand-forged ones I can get my hands on (with or without handles) and fix them up. They are pretty menacing and medieval looking, but also very useful tools. I keep one by the door in the event that anyone decides to barge in unannounced. All but the most hardened criminals would likely crap themselves and run away screaming well before I'd be forced to take the first swing .

 

[PlanMan]

Same bracket and general shape except the hook part is not as long as the picture you are showing. It makes the bend and goes about half as far I'd say. It's in rough shape and I haven't done anything to it. I'll get a picture today and post it for reference. Pretty interesting stuff. I also found some kind of blade that no one can identify. 16" long and sharp on one end past a hand made hole, blunt on the other end past that.

 

[PlanMan]

Here is the old bush axe.

This is the old bush axe I found maybe 30 yards or so away from the box axe. I actually broke a piece off the top ring on accident/being stupid. I'm going to knock the dirt off and let it soak a while.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

From my research, you have a Hewing Axe, with a poll, to shape logs into beams, as would a broad axe that is typically used for that purpose.
It may have been made as a Mortise Axe, to be struck on the poll by a heavy wooden mallet. You have a specialized tool - great find!
I used "a Museum of Early American Tools" by Eric Sloane and also "Axe Makers of North America" by Allan Klenman

 

[JrMack]

nice axes< recently read an article on building the Williamson road in PA during 1792 that the axes were quote "nine Pound axe" That's pretty heavy! like to find a couple of them this year!

 

[stefen]

Great find.

Should clean up fairly well.

Being similar to the flat-sided offset chisels, used for mortising, the flat-sided axe was primarily used for squaring timber for structural beams, planking and other uses.