Help with colonial axe head

[cellerfeller]

This is a recent find from a celler hole that dates back to the late 1700's. I have never found this pattern before - you can see how it was handl forged. It is 7 1/4" X 4 7/8" across the blade. It is unusual the way it folds back to make the eye. I had hunted this celler site many times but there is a heavy nail bed so I switched to a small sniper coil and was able to pull a new signal out to dig. Couldn't believe it when this came up. As always any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

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[Dug]

Here is one I dug up about 2 weeks ago but still working on cleaning it as it is deeply pitted. I'm told it is a felling axe that would date to the 1700s. Mine is larger but has the same shape and has the same seam as yours as defined by the line seen towards the blade end. Yours got busted in the rear likely from when they tried to use it as a wedge.

 

[ARC]

Here is one I dug up about 2 weeks ago but still working on cleaning it as it is deeply pitted. I'm told it is a felling axe that would date to the 1700s. Mine is larger but has the same shape and has the same seam as yours as defined by the line seen towards the blade end. Yours got busted in the rear likely from when they tried to use it as a wedge.

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You were told wrong.

Both of you have in your hands... Broad axes. Circa 1800.

IMO of course.

 

[ARC]

Here is one in a museum in Maine...

 

[ARC]

Op... cellerfeller... yours is a small version... which i think has its own name... but it eludes me.

 

[Dug]

You were told wrong.

Both of you have in your hands... Broad axes. Circa 1800.

IMO of course.

Works for me. I had Facebook experts ID mine

I know that mine has been an absolute PITA as it has a lot of stubborn black scabs (rust cancer) that are both vinegar and electrolysis resistant and I am having to play dentist with a dremel to address them before I can seal it.

 

[ARC]

Works for me. I had Facebook experts ID mine

I know that mine has been an absolute PITA as it has a lot of stubborn black scabs (rust cancer) that are both vinegar and electrolysis resistant and I am having to play dentist with a dremel to address them before I can seal it.

Welp... like the OP's... both are real "bute's"...

 

[cellerfeller]

Yes definitely very similar although the description date for the Alna axe was 16th or 17th century then down in the collection list it is circa 1800 so that is quite a big range and could still put it in the latter part of the 1700's. I got a 1747 Hibernia coin from the same site which is why I am wondering if the axe was closer to that period. The Alna axe was noted for the lack of a welded still cutting edge which was consistent with the lack of tools in the kit of the early Maine settlers. I seem to recall another pattern called a Wheeler which is similar. Broad axes generally have a single bevel - could be enough edge loss on mine so you can't see it but it does look like a double bevel style axe head - not flat on one side like a hewing broad axe.

 

[Dug]

Here it is finally. This was without a doubt the biggest PITA to clean of all the iron relics I have worked on. The axe was apparently made with layered iron folded over and pounded. The blade had started to delaminate from being struck against something hard. Of course the oxidation found it's way into the crevices as well as the interior handle area so a lot of tedious dremel work was needed as rust scabs were stubborn against both vinegar and electrolysis.