STRANGE AXE HEAD

Rick · 12th September 2009, 10:59 PM

I asked a tool savvy friend and he posits that this may be for the scoring and splitting of ice blocks in the old days .

Chip the score line with the axe and a few well placed blows from the pointed end would make the fracture .

http://www.howellfarm.org/farm/crops/ice/ice.htm

M ELEY · 13th September 2009, 05:08 AM

An ice cutter is, of course, possible, but they typically had "duck-billed" blades that were convex and of lighter proportions. Having seen the new pics of the thickness of the blade, I'll disgard my earlier theory that the blade was a flattened down hammer. The edge doesn't look particularly sharp, does it? So, we know it was an industrial tool, but for what???

broadaxe · 16th September 2009, 03:42 PM

After seeing the cross section photos I say once more this is a tool meant for stone work of some sort. For ice harvesting it looks an overkill; however it may be good for working with frozen wood or trees.
BTW, in western cultures stone dressing tools are of axe shape, in middle eastern cultures such tools are of adze shape - edge in right angle to the haft.

fearn · 16th September 2009, 07:11 PM

hi Broadaxe,

While I like the idea of using it on stone or something hard due to the edge bevel, the shape would be painful to use, because if you hit a rock with that axe edge, the chips spray back at you. Not good. Most of the stonemason's hammers I've been looking at are flat bladed, and I think that's for safety as much as anything.

Another issue is the relative lack of wear, which doesn't go with use on stone.

I'm tending to think of it as some sort of ice axe, but one used to open streams up so that livestock can drink. Therion arms (link) sold an antique axe built for this purpose, and while it's not that similar to this specimen, I can see this specimen being used on ice. My guess, actually, is that it got remanufactured from a more standard axehead at some point.

Best,

F

12th September 2009, 10:59 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	I asked a tool savvy friend and he posits that this may be for the scoring and splitting of ice blocks in the old days . Chip the score line with the axe and a few well placed blows from the pointed end would make the fracture . http://www.howellfarm.org/farm/crops/ice/ice.htm Last edited by Rick; 13th September 2009 at 12:02 AM.

13th September 2009, 05:08 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,154	An ice cutter is, of course, possible, but they typically had "duck-billed" blades that were convex and of lighter proportions. Having seen the new pics of the thickness of the blade, I'll disgard my earlier theory that the blade was a flattened down hammer. The edge doesn't look particularly sharp, does it? So, we know it was an industrial tool, but for what???

16th September 2009, 03:42 PM	#3
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 334	After seeing the cross section photos I say once more this is a tool meant for stone work of some sort. For ice harvesting it looks an overkill; however it may be good for working with frozen wood or trees. BTW, in western cultures stone dressing tools are of axe shape, in middle eastern cultures such tools are of adze shape - edge in right angle to the haft.

16th September 2009, 07:11 PM	#4
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	hi Broadaxe, While I like the idea of using it on stone or something hard due to the edge bevel, the shape would be painful to use, because if you hit a rock with that axe edge, the chips spray back at you. Not good. Most of the stonemason's hammers I've been looking at are flat bladed, and I think that's for safety as much as anything. Another issue is the relative lack of wear, which doesn't go with use on stone. I'm tending to think of it as some sort of ice axe, but one used to open streams up so that livestock can drink. Therion arms (link) sold an antique axe built for this purpose, and while it's not that similar to this specimen, I can see this specimen being used on ice. My guess, actually, is that it got remanufactured from a more standard axehead at some point. Best, F