A proto-American boarding axe?

M ELEY · 8th January 2025, 04:28 PM

The whole item with haft-

CutlassCollector · 9th January 2025, 12:39 PM

Hi Mark,

I can see what you mean it does have a similarity to American boarding axes. Possibly it was an early version or a private purchase copying the government models. It certainly looks as though it was designed for dragging and it has an axe blade (I think) and a good spike.
On the downside it looks on the heavy side, looking at the thickness of the metal of the teeth. It certainly is a strange one and I cannot think of another use for those teeth. I would have given it a miss as well.

But not as weird as the 'rake' axe. And Jim is surely right - no way is that an ice axe!

I have checked my axe and tool books and although there are hundreds of axe types, there are no examples that help with either of these ones.

The 'teeth' on American boarding axes has always intrigued me as they would not seem to increase the dragging capability by much. Perhaps they were designed to make it more fearsome in the face of the enemy. There is no doubt that the teeth denoted, without doubt, a US design and not copied from the Brits!!

Interested Party · 9th January 2025, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CutlassCollector

But not as weird as the 'rake' axe. And Jim is surely right - no way is that an ice axe!

I have checked my axe and tool books and although there are hundreds of axe types, there are no examples that help with either of these ones.

Have we considered that ice ax is not a piolet but is an ice ax. The teeth could be for chipping large amounts of ice.

M ELEY · 9th January 2025, 02:35 PM

Hello CC! Great to hear from you!

Thanks for your information! For once, I am glad for the disappointing news that it is probably not a boarding piece! As you pointed out, it would have been great to have the dimensions and weight on this item, but the auction house never replied with that information! From the pics, it does look a little 'thick'. I've learned the hard way that size with trade/frontier/tool axes mean everything! A hammer pole ax in a picture can appear as big as a sledgehammer and vice versa. I appreciate you taking the time to look through your thorough resources as well. It seems there are a lot of strange tool-axes out there!

Hello Interested Party,

This odd 'rake axe' also caught my eye when this auction started (they had a big 'lot' of some great original spike tomahawk axes and pole axes. This one is just so weird, I don't even know about the design and I can't even venture a guess. As far as the original one I posted, if it is a heavy axe with thick proportions (which we don't know the specs!), I guess it could be an ice axe for splitting and dragging ice blocks. However, for such laborous work, I'd expect a thicker, heavier haft. This one has a smaller handle. Maybe it was for separating flax!

Yep, I'm kidding!

Interested Party · 13th January 2025, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

This odd 'rake axe' also caught my eye when this auction started (they had a big 'lot' of some great original spike tomahawk axes and pole axes. This one is just so weird, I don't even know about the design and I can't even venture a guess. As far as the original one I posted, if it is a heavy axe with thick proportions (which we don't know the specs!), I guess it could be an ice axe for splitting and dragging ice blocks. However, for such laborous work, I'd expect a thicker, heavier haft. This one has a smaller handle. Maybe it was for separating flax!

Yep, I'm kidding!

Haha the flax thing crossed my mind for a second as well. My only guess is chipping ice. It would not drag well. Sorry I thought that this was the one you were writing about originally as it came up in the link.

Once I saw the one you were speaking of I could see the similarities to a boarding ax.

M ELEY · 15th January 2025, 03:14 AM

Yeah, they are both very odd axes and being that they are in the same auction, perhaps they were collected from the same place? Although the flax was a semi-joke, I see the 'rake-type' as maybe something for lashing through grain or some such. Ice axe is still in the running, I guess...

Richard G · 21st January 2025, 03:08 PM

This is current auction, so if the moderators wish to take it down I fully understand. I put it up, with no comment, other than it's resemblance to Mr Eley's example.
Best wishes
Richard

8th January 2025, 04:28 PM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,158	Another full view The whole item with haft- Attached Images

9th January 2025, 02:35 PM	#4
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,158	Hello CC! Great to hear from you! Thanks for your information! For once, I am glad for the disappointing news that it is probably not a boarding piece! As you pointed out, it would have been great to have the dimensions and weight on this item, but the auction house never replied with that information! From the pics, it does look a little 'thick'. I've learned the hard way that size with trade/frontier/tool axes mean everything! A hammer pole ax in a picture can appear as big as a sledgehammer and vice versa. I appreciate you taking the time to look through your thorough resources as well. It seems there are a lot of strange tool-axes out there! Hello Interested Party, This odd 'rake axe' also caught my eye when this auction started (they had a big 'lot' of some great original spike tomahawk axes and pole axes. This one is just so weird, I don't even know about the design and I can't even venture a guess. As far as the original one I posted, if it is a heavy axe with thick proportions (which we don't know the specs!), I guess it could be an ice axe for splitting and dragging ice blocks. However, for such laborous work, I'd expect a thicker, heavier haft. This one has a smaller handle. Maybe it was for separating flax! Yep, I'm kidding! Last edited by M ELEY; 9th January 2025 at 09:16 PM.

21st January 2025, 03:08 PM	#7
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 411	This is current auction, so if the moderators wish to take it down I fully understand. I put it up, with no comment, other than it's resemblance to Mr Eley's example. Best wishes Richard Attached Images

9th January 2025, 12:39 PM	#2
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 357	Hi Mark, I can see what you mean it does have a similarity to American boarding axes. Possibly it was an early version or a private purchase copying the government models. It certainly looks as though it was designed for dragging and it has an axe blade (I think) and a good spike. On the downside it looks on the heavy side, looking at the thickness of the metal of the teeth. It certainly is a strange one and I cannot think of another use for those teeth. I would have given it a miss as well. But not as weird as the 'rake' axe. And Jim is surely right - no way is that an ice axe! I have checked my axe and tool books and although there are hundreds of axe types, there are no examples that help with either of these ones. The 'teeth' on American boarding axes has always intrigued me as they would not seem to increase the dragging capability by much. Perhaps they were designed to make it more fearsome in the face of the enemy. There is no doubt that the teeth denoted, without doubt, a US design and not copied from the Brits!!

15th January 2025, 03:14 AM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,158	Yeah, they are both very odd axes and being that they are in the same auction, perhaps they were collected from the same place? Although the flax was a semi-joke, I see the 'rake-type' as maybe something for lashing through grain or some such. Ice axe is still in the running, I guess...