Speaking of electrolysis... When we cut up the large maple tree at my son's house a few weeks ago I used my bark spud to peel the poison ivy vines off the tree. The spud was my grandfather's originally... Unfortunately the handle broke. It was riveted into the head and it turns out it was rather rotten inside the head. Many years ago it had also received my father's favorite preservation technique... Namely the head and handle were sprayed with rattle cans. After removing the rivet I discovered that it was a replacement handle... I found there was a piece of another handle deep in the socket. I dug out what I could but corrosion held onto bits of the wood. With that I subjected the head to electrolysis. The paint came off with the corrosion. I was able to remove the rest of the handle and while carding it off with a brass brush I discovered that the head was stamped... "Staatsburg." Yup... it was made in Staatsburg, NY. Upon investigation I also determined that despite it being kept with my grandfather's logging tools for the 67 years since his passing it wasn't a bark spud at all. It also could be well over 100 years old...
Staatsburg Tool company made ice tools. Such tools were used in the harvesting and warehousing of ice cut from the Hudson River and elsewhere. The best I can tell what I have is a light summer chisel. Such a tool was used in the ice houses to separate blocks of ice in the summer so they could be removed and shipped out for sale. It has a slight curve to the blade that would facilitate prying blocks of ice apart. From the literature I found on-line they were made from "fine tool steel." From what I see of this tool I have no doubt it was a good quality of steel. The edge shows no abuse and the corrosion was trivial considering it sat in unconditioned space in a shed for many decades.
It makes for a dandy bark spud, and I'm unlikely to harvest ice, so I'll keep using it as a bark spud.
About centered in the middle of the main blade is the Stastsburg stamp.
View attachment 1145031
Note the slight curve in the blade.
View attachment 1145032
buddy has a couple of Harmon pellet stoves. Really likes them. The co is about an hour north of us and we went to a guys place that worked there for sometime to buy parts. He ended up buying a prototype stove the guy had and parts. I think he shelled out about $1,000 and told he me just the parts were worth that. I see used stoves pop up on marketplace and Craigslist for 2-3 grand. I'll keep an eye out for gas ones.
! When I built my house, I hired a local guy to hang drywall on the ceiling. Big guy, he put up 4' x 12' sheets of 1/2" drywall by himself. I never could have done that.
its a secret, but I'll give you a clue!
Or laziness.
