Turpentine Axe and Old Bush Axe

PlanMan · Jan 27, 2015

Found these two axe types about 30yards apart on some old family land. My mom's family has been in the logging business for as long as anyone can remember. The "box axe" is 12inches long and was used to make notches in pines I believe to draw sap out. I believe the bush axe was just an old bush axe! Both are pretty cool!

I also found this blade nearby and have cleaned it up since. Cannot for the life of me figure out what it could be. It's 16" long and sharpened on one end. There is a single hole about 6" from the sharpened edge and past that it appears blunt. It is tapered in width from end to end however. I have checked to see if it matches old mule plow pieces and other old farm stuff but no match. I thought it was some sort of sword at first but it really doesn't resemble anything. I'm thinking it's a homemade job from some piece of metal. But the fact that it's tapered so well really throws me off. If anyone has any ideas about it I'd love to hear them!

Minas man · Jan 28, 2015

Nice finds as far as your mystery find it could be some sort of Log Dog . Study it to see if it has signs of hammer marks on where it would be pounded into a log. The hole would be for a ring or chain. There are different types of log dogs.
Looks like one hole is broken at the end and the other is filled with dirt so that portion of the object could have had a handle and if so it is not a log Dog or yarding dog.

Minas man

coinman123 · Jan 28, 2015

It looks like there was heavy logging activity where you found it. Your finds look to be 1800's, I'm guess that the lumberjacks might have dropped a nice relic, maybe even a coin or two. It looks like you are at a good location.

Coinman123,

Plumbata · Jan 28, 2015

That's a nice bush axe, thanks for posting it. I'd be half tempted to clean it up and put a handle on it were it in my hands.

That long "blade" does indeed look like a home-made job, and may well have been a "cane knife", "corn knife", or more generally speaking a machete made from scrap steel scrounged up somewhere. I'm not sure what your ancestors grew/farmed, if anything, but for cutting corn stalks for silage, or sorghum stalks for syrup/sugar processing or just chopping weeds any 'ole decent-sized blade would do. Hard to say more really, because homebrewed blades were made from all sorts of items (files, leaf springs, etc) and the practical folks making them wouldn't be too worried about having its appearance conform with mass-produced and standardized blades.

Anyway, with tools like these getting lost around the property, I wouldn't be surprised if some old coins wound up in the soil too. Hope you find some more goodies to share!

CMDiamonddawg · Jan 28, 2015

Interesting logging relics Planman . The box axe is one that you don't see too often . I have a similar tool from a tar kiln site . Pine pitch had many uses back in the early days before baseball. Have fun

PlanMan · Jan 28, 2015

Thanks ya'll. It's been fun and addictive. I had been wanting a detector for years and my wife finally brought me one for christmas - an academy store-bought one but that is all I need until I figure out what the hec I'm doing. I grew up on some property that had an old bording school with a dormitory, a church, an auditorium, a ag building, a theatre building and a barn "complex" (all demolished and gone now but I do have pictures and locations). I KNOW there are some good things in the ground. I believe maybe relics mostly. Maybe some good coins too. That is on my Dad's side. On my mom's side is where I found all this good stuff. They were loggers as far back as anyone can remember. Also she found all kinds of arrowheads in the area so I'm hoping to find something regarding that as well. Now, there is also a story of 'buried gold' floating around as well!! Ha. That's always in the back of your head when your digging that hole... .... this is the LAST one, I have to go. BEEP. Okay...this one LAST one..... BEEP.... alright this one is on the way out so maybe just this one. BEEP....damnit I'm turning this ******* off. After this hole. DARK SETS IN. Which way did I come from?