My boarding axe...

M ELEY · 5th February 2010, 03:50 AM

Less than perfect pictures (too crunched-up, makes it look much more squat, short and broader than it really is. Oh well)

M ELEY · 5th February 2010, 03:57 AM

Note the 4 sided pick head, heavy thick blade, langets with "grips" at tope of haft, etc. Total length of piece 17", bearded blade edge 3 1/4", edge to spike 8 3/4". Note the thickened eye, similar to Brit axes, blade and spike similar to French boarding axes...

M ELEY · 5th February 2010, 06:23 AM

The top of the eye where the haft passes through the head has an odd cross pattern with 4 small circles on it evident in one of the pics (6th pic) . Does anyone know what this represents? Is it from the wood lathe? A design?

M ELEY · 6th February 2010, 10:24 AM

After a little research, it seems I was right. Apparently, this cross and dot pattern has something to do with lathe marks for setting the axe head on properly. I thought this mark might help in the country of origin or perhaps date, but the lathe has been used since ancient Egypt, so maybe not. I know colonial Amer furniture was made on lathes like this. Anyway, one mystery solved, but others remain...

broadaxe · 15th February 2010, 11:32 AM

Intersting axe. As you have stated, I would also call it a hybrid of the Brtish and the French boarding axes, though I think the spike is more of the Brit tradition and the flaring blade has a French taste.
Having some experience with such items, it is very hard to tell when the late boarding axe ends and when the early personal fire axe begins. Both have shared some amount of service period along each other.

M ELEY · 15th February 2010, 05:12 PM

Hello and thanks for responding. Yes, this one definitely does have characteristics of both the French and British forms. You will note the forward and rear-facing langets so common on French pieces. You are right on when it comes to the whole transition from boarding axe to fire axe. You have probably heard me rumble on about the need for someone to write a book about so-called private purchase items. The govt naval examples are documented, but the vast majority of merchant examples are left to question...

5th February 2010, 03:50 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,097	My boarding axe... Less than perfect pictures (too crunched-up, makes it look much more squat, short and broader than it really is. Oh well) Attached Images

5th February 2010, 03:57 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,097	More... Note the 4 sided pick head, heavy thick blade, langets with "grips" at tope of haft, etc. Total length of piece 17", bearded blade edge 3 1/4", edge to spike 8 3/4". Note the thickened eye, similar to Brit axes, blade and spike similar to French boarding axes... Attached Images

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5th February 2010, 06:23 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,097	The top of the eye where the haft passes through the head has an odd cross pattern with 4 small circles on it evident in one of the pics (6th pic) . Does anyone know what this represents? Is it from the wood lathe? A design?

6th February 2010, 10:24 AM	#4
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,097	After a little research, it seems I was right. Apparently, this cross and dot pattern has something to do with lathe marks for setting the axe head on properly. I thought this mark might help in the country of origin or perhaps date, but the lathe has been used since ancient Egypt, so maybe not. I know colonial Amer furniture was made on lathes like this. Anyway, one mystery solved, but others remain...

15th February 2010, 11:32 AM	#5
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 332	Intersting axe. As you have stated, I would also call it a hybrid of the Brtish and the French boarding axes, though I think the spike is more of the Brit tradition and the flaring blade has a French taste. Having some experience with such items, it is very hard to tell when the late boarding axe ends and when the early personal fire axe begins. Both have shared some amount of service period along each other.

15th February 2010, 05:12 PM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,097	Hello and thanks for responding. Yes, this one definitely does have characteristics of both the French and British forms. You will note the forward and rear-facing langets so common on French pieces. You are right on when it comes to the whole transition from boarding axe to fire axe. You have probably heard me rumble on about the need for someone to write a book about so-called private purchase items. The govt naval examples are documented, but the vast majority of merchant examples are left to question...