Total Length 28in
Head Weight: 3lbs
The head of this axe is a Kelly brand Connecticut pattern, made sometime between 1909 and 1930. Although the stamp is hard to make out and information from this period is limited, it seems to have been made while production took place in Charleston, West Virginia and before Kelly Axe was purchased by American Fork and Hoe Company. This head is a rare piece and the only of its kind that I’ve come across. It’s in excellent condition and has been sharpened to a 20 degree convex and finished with a mirror polish.
A custom leather mask is made to protect both the user and the axe’s edge. Only a single snap is required to remove and replace the mask, making it easily manipulated with one hand and slim enough to slide into a pocket while the axe is in use.
With a head weighing 3lbs and sporting a balanced geometry, this axe thrives in felling and bucking tasks, biting deeply into wood with little effort. This axe is optimal for taking on any medium to large chopping tasks.
The handle was made from an ash tree that was traditionally felled, rived, and cured exclusively with hand tools. Each billet left to dry for two years before being planed into a board and cut to a rough form of the final handle.
Using a draw knife, the handle is then carved down to precisely fit the inside of the axe eye. Before the wedges are driven, the handle is baked to reduce its moisture content, ensuring a perfect fit that will only tighten over time as the wood absorbs ambient moisture and drinks in protective oil. A birch cross wedge is utilized to provide a secure fit and black walnut palmswell scales are affixed, offering a striking appearance.
Over a dozen coats of raw linseed and tung oil have been applied, protecting the handle from moisture and preserving it for generations of use. I hope this axe brings you the same pride I feel in having made it.
Tips for use:
When splitting, the safest method for the haft is to split from the side. This is done by propping up the wood at an angle, leaning it against another log underneath it. Stand on the opposite side and strike through the wood directly into the backstop. This mitigates chances of chipping the area of the handle directly beneath the head.
Total Length 28in
Head Weight: 3lbs
The head of this axe is a Kelly brand Connecticut pattern, made sometime between 1909 and 1930. Although the stamp is hard to make out and information from this period is limited, it seems to have been made while production took place in Charleston, West Virginia and before Kelly Axe was purchased by American Fork and Hoe Company. This head is a rare piece and the only of its kind that I’ve come across. It’s in excellent condition and has been sharpened to a 20 degree convex and finished with a mirror polish.
A custom leather mask is made to protect both the user and the axe’s edge. Only a single snap is required to remove and replace the mask, making it easily manipulated with one hand and slim enough to slide into a pocket while the axe is in use.
With a head weighing 3lbs and sporting a balanced geometry, this axe thrives in felling and bucking tasks, biting deeply into wood with little effort. This axe is optimal for taking on any medium to large chopping tasks.
The handle was made from an ash tree that was traditionally felled, rived, and cured exclusively with hand tools. Each billet left to dry for two years before being planed into a board and cut to a rough form of the final handle.
Using a draw knife, the handle is then carved down to precisely fit the inside of the axe eye. Before the wedges are driven, the handle is baked to reduce its moisture content, ensuring a perfect fit that will only tighten over time as the wood absorbs ambient moisture and drinks in protective oil. A birch cross wedge is utilized to provide a secure fit and black walnut palmswell scales are affixed, offering a striking appearance.
Over a dozen coats of raw linseed and tung oil have been applied, protecting the handle from moisture and preserving it for generations of use. I hope this axe brings you the same pride I feel in having made it.
Tips for use:
When splitting, the safest method for the haft is to split from the side. This is done by propping up the wood at an angle, leaning it against another log underneath it. Stand on the opposite side and strike through the wood directly into the backstop. This mitigates chances of chipping the area of the handle directly beneath the head.
