falling axe wanted

[Gologit]

I'm looking for an old west coast style falling axe. If you're from the redwood country you might have one of these gathering dust in the shop. A handle would be good but not absolutely necessary.

 

[Lawn Masters]

you talking a double bit axe? if so, I've got one of those with a handle, though it needs to be sharpened some, and have a few nicks worked out of the edges, but is in good shape.

 

[Gologit]

A west coast style falling axe is double bitted but the bit [axe-head] is a lot longer from edge to edge than a traditional double bitted axe. I'm probably not explaining myself very well but anybody with gray hair, worn out calks, and who knows what a spring-board is will understand. They were used to chop the undercut in redwoods and usually had an extra long handle

 

[Lawn Masters]

I have a good idea what you're referring to, how long is the cutting edge, and handle?

 

[Husky288XP]

They also had a bowed handle for when chopping in the apex of the notch, so as to not bust your knuckles.

 

[046]

how a pic for those of us that's never seen one?

 

[trimmmed]

They also had a bowed handle for when chopping in the apex of the notch, so as to not bust your knuckles.

A bowed handle on a double bit ax?, yes we need some pics

 

[redprospector]

Boboak,
Look on ebay under falling axe, there are 3 up for bids right now.
Andy

 

[klickitatsacket]

here is a 13" feller and a 10.5" cruiser. These are both in my personal collection. The offset handle I seen mentioned above was not on felling axes that I know of. Those were on the broad axes.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/klickitat/axes_1791.jpg

 

[046]

well it seems I've been collecting these type axes for some time. Here's a 10in beauty!

 

[Lawn Masters]

046, thats EXACTLY what mine looks like.

 

[Madsaw]

If you want a good read on the old way of logging and alot of old pics including the old falling axes go to this link.
Bob
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=4932&highlight=art+martin

 

[wagonwheeler]

My grandfather was a foreman for TVA when they were clearing land for the lake system. I've got a couple of his old double-bit axes but I don't think they're particularly unique. These were probably just some hardware store axes he bought for his farm.

I do remember him saying that the axes they used with TVA were 5lb and when they were sharpened down to 3 1/2lbs they bundled them together and sank them in the center run of the river. Govt wouldn't let them keep them and it made him real mad since they'd still last a farmer many years at 3 1/2lb. Absolute waste of good tools.

He also said his men (he had a crew of about 100) tried the two man chainsaws but they were too much work - wore his men out. They used two man crosscut saws and the double-bit axes for all thier felling and used oxen to drag all the timber out.

His crew cut about a 1/2 mile swath and there was a sharpener wagon that just made its way back and forth along the line swapping out sharp axes and saws for the dull ones.

Also a film crew came out to film his men working. Grandad said there was never a time that there wasn't a tree falling somewhere along that 1/2 mile line. Wish I knew how to find that footage.

Many of his men came to my grandparents 50th anniversary back in the 80's.

He died in '93 and there is so much I'll never know.

Chaser

 

[Dennis Cahoon]

Curved long handled double-bit axes were used to fell redwood. The purpose was to keep from skinning your knuckles in a huge undercut. The axe handle was also used to hold the cross-cut saws up while setting it in the back cut. Sager, Collins, Kelly, and Plumb, are just a few that made Pacific Northwest falling axes.

 

[klickitatsacket]

Thanx Dennis. I see 100's of felling axes a year up here but have never seen the bent handle. Maybe because I have seen lots of big trees but never Red Woods up here.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

My grandfather was a foreman for TVA when they were clearing land for the lake system. I've got a couple of his old double-bit axes but I don't think they're particularly unique. These were probably just some hardware store axes he bought for his farm.

I do remember him saying that the axes they used with TVA were 5lb and when they were sharpened down to 3 1/2lbs they bundled them together and sank them in the center run of the river. Govt wouldn't let them keep them and it made him real mad since they'd still last a farmer many years at 3 1/2lb. Absolute waste of good tools.

He also said his men (he had a crew of about 100) tried the two man chainsaws but they were too much work - wore his men out. They used two man crosscut saws and the double-bit axes for all thier felling and used oxen to drag all the timber out.

His crew cut about a 1/2 mile swath and there was a sharpener wagon that just made its way back and forth along the line swapping out sharp axes and saws for the dull ones.

Also a film crew came out to film his men working. Grandad said there was never a time that there wasn't a tree falling somewhere along that 1/2 mile line. Wish I knew how to find that footage.

Many of his men came to my grandparents 50th anniversary back in the 80's.

He died in '93 and there is so much I'll never know.

Chaser

Guys like that are a goldmine, if you can get them to talk! I'm still trying to pry info out of my father. Funny - he'll talk to strangers more than to family.

 

[Gologit]

Dean,thanks for posting the pictures of your axes...those are the real deal. Now I don't suppose you'd want to sell one? Anyway...in your business you probably have more exposure to the kind of people who might want to part with one. I don't have a lot to spend but the axe would be taken very good care of.

 

[klickitatsacket]

Those 2 are not for salw but I will see if I can dig you up one. It may be a while as we are in the middle of a move but check in with me from time to time if you do not find one.

 

[wagonwheeler]

My grandad loved to tell stories. I was fortunate to have spent many summers with him, but was young and always thinking about 'me'.

He just passed away too soon and now that I'm older I'm thinking of questions I never asked.

I can photo the axes and post 'em, but I really think these are just garden variety double-bit. He wouldn't use a single bit, though.

Chaser

Guys like that are a goldmine, if you can get them to talk! I'm still trying to pry info out of my father. Funny - he'll talk to strangers more than to family.

 

[Wolfcsm]

Found this small bit of information at:

http://www.vannattabros.com/saw5.html

Might be of interest.

Hal