Axes as Art

The phrase "they don't make em' like they used to" might never be more true when talking about American axes.  We like to think of beautifully restored vintage axes as one would think of fine jewelry, or priceless works of art.  American Axes are one of a kind antiques that have a mostly undocumented and forgotten history.  

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Brief History of Axes

Axes have a rich and deep rooted importance in early America.  The golden age of axes took place in the United States between 1850 and 1960, starting at the end of the first industrial revolution and peaking during the second industrial revolution.  At the turn of the century there were more than 400 axe makers in business to satisfy the need for lumber production.

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Gone are the days when people needed an axe to survive.  In the golden age, axes were treated as a real performance tool.  Handles were made of the finest old growth American Hickory.  The head and bit were forged by skilled craftsmen from the finest and purest American steel the world would ever see.  Most Americans knew how to use and maintain an axe.

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One of the most intriguing things about the golden age of axes were the 100’s of colorful, and artistic designs.  Names like “Black Raven”, “Lumberman’s Pride”, “Jet Wing” and “Cock of the Woods” were products of creative marketing, designed to stand out in a competitive lumbering landscape.  Most of this detail is almost lost.  The libraries, museums and online repositories of our history have very little on file relating to axes and their manufacture.  Much of the known history of this golden age has been cultivated by the axe collector community through study and examination, going through old catalogs (very scarce) and from interviewing what’s left of makers and retailers with some knowledge of this history.

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About our Vintage Axes

We have a rating system for the condition in which our axes are presented for sale.  The conditions are explained below and axe has it's rating listed on it's specifications page.

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• As found: Sometimes axes are beautiful as they're found.  Maybe the axe has had light usage and developed the type of patina only time can create, or it may have the look of a well used tool.  The only modifications that "as found" axes may get, is the addition of a new handle.
   

• Rustically restored:  Rustically restored axes generally have had some work to lightly clean up mushrooming, nicks and other damage.  Handles may be sanded and re-stained or just fitted with a new handle.  You'll often see pitting and other beautiful imperfections in these axes.
   

• New old stock: New old stock means the axe is all original and has never been used.  These axes may look new or they may look old.  Some can have paint missing, stickers missing, or even be rusty and/or pitted.  However, they will never have damage from usage.
   

• Fully restored:  Fully restored axes generally look brand new, almost exactly like they did when they were for sale in a hardware store.  Stickers on these axes may be new old stock, or high quality, period correct reproductions.  Some fully restored axes may still have some imperfections from prior usage that would be detrimental to the integrity of the axe to try and fix, so we have a rating system for restored axes.
  
  Fully restored axes also have a rating of (1), (2) or (3).

An example of a (1) would be an axe that is absolutely mint condition, just like you would have originally found it on the hardware shelf, or better.  A (2) could be an axe that is mint or near mint condition, but could has a different handle than the original, or maybe just a slight imperfection.  A (3) will usually have some slight imperfections that could not be removed without compromising the axe, but at a glance looks new.

 

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All of our axes have been expertly finished to highlight their character and either provide some restoration to the axe, or suspend it in it's current state.  At Vintage Tool we understand materials, engineering and how to create a timeless piece that will be enjoyed for generations.  Our axes have a top quality restoration that you won't find anywhere else.  We take pride in creating unique and creative pieces of industrial art that are guaranteed to become an instant conversation piece in your home or office.

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Whether you choose an axe that is fully restored or as found, you're getting one of the finest and most historical pieces of three dimensional art available in the world today.  Unless specified, all of our axes feature the finest hand shaped hickory handles that are properly hung in the axe head.  A properly hung axe is a skill that is nearly extinct with the advent of disposable tools and an increasingly urban society.  

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All of our historical write-ups are painstakingly researched, taking into account existing information from various sources.  We start with the basics that are known about the history of a particular axe or company and then expand upon it with 100's of hours of our own research to fill in the gaps that are often missing.  It is our passion to contribute the most definitive and accurate historical information to piece together this important and somewhat lost history.

 

With all axes purchased, we include an 8.5"x11" frame-quality historical write-up about the specifications and history of the axe.