Colonial Belt or Trade Ax

[Triple555nickel]

About a month ago I found this ax in Edison, NJ and just took it out of electrolysis yesterday. I've never found one before but I think it's a colonial belt ax or maybe a trade ax. It measures just over 5" long by 3 1/8" wide and the 'hammer' end is almost 2" fat.



It's clearly hand forged. At the cutting edge where some of the outer steel rusted away you can see the core is a better grade of steel which I understand was common to do back then.

Does anyone know how I would go about getting a fairly accurate date when this was made?

 

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I pulled these from other TN threads...

United States Department of Agriculture
A Practical Ax Manual Brief History of the Ax. Here are a few pictures - a bunch more on the website

Axe Head (Mar 18, 2010)

Hammer (Better Pics) (Feb 20, 2008)

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[Triple555nickel]

Looks like great info, Thank You!

 

[cudamark]

To me, it doesn't look like any of those on the charts.

 

[Triple555nickel]

I saw that too. Being hand-forged there are probably countless varieties, clearly too many to list. I'm thinking that triangular shaped hole for the shaft is a bit unique which may make it a little easier to date. I honestly just don't know where to start, I'm hoping someone on this site would be able to point me in the right direction.