Author Topic: Plumb axe education needed  (Read 1540 times)

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Offline moparthug

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Plumb axe education needed
« on: May 12, 2019, 08:49:52 PM »
Just picked up this Plumb Victory hatchet and I have a couple questions. Is this called a hewing axe because it's flat on one side? And I heard the Victory name started during or just after the end of WW2, when did they stop making the Victory line? Thanks guys, as always your info is greatly appreciated!
Rogue River, OR.

Offline Bill Houghton

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Re: Plumb axe education needed
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2019, 10:24:05 AM »
If it's a hatchet, it's not an axe; it's a hatchet.

Side hatchet, broad hatchet.  I've never heard "hewing hatchet," but I suppose it would work.  The pattern can be very handy for wasting off wood from the width of a board when you're working by hand, and the amount to remove is more than makes sense for a plane but not enough to get out the ripsaw.

Offline lptools

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Re: Plumb axe education needed
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2019, 02:46:06 PM »
     Hello, Moparthug & Bill. I have always been told that you swing an axe with 2 hands, and a hatchet with one. Hatchets typically have shorter handles. What I believe you have is a Yankee Pattern Side Axe (from Ron Barlow's Guide). With a short handle you would swing with one hand. Keen Kutter lists a Broad or Bench Hatchet (also in Barlow's Guide) , similar to the Yankee Pattern Side Axe. Barlow's also shows a Keen Kutter broad axe shaped Hatchet with a Hewing Blade. I am betting it is not a Hewing Blade until you get up over 6" on the blade width. I make no claims for accuracy in the above statements, just did a little bit of book research on a rainy day, and not trying to be a pain in the axe. :grin:Regards, Lou
Member of PHARTS-  Perfect Handle Admiration, Restoration and Torturing Society

Offline international3414

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Re: Plumb axe education needed
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2019, 03:51:21 PM »
for plumb info, yesteryears tools,if i knew how to do a link i would

Offline lptools

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Re: Plumb axe education needed
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2019, 04:59:24 PM »
Here is the link you mentioned. Regards, Lou              http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears%20Tools/Plumb%20Co..html
Member of PHARTS-  Perfect Handle Admiration, Restoration and Torturing Society

Offline moparthug

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Re: Plumb axe education needed
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2019, 07:47:59 PM »
I could never get a square answer about axe nomenclature. My Boy Scout leader when I was 12 years old called any one handed axe a camp axe, and a two handed axe just an axe. If he called for a hand axe we knew to grab the small one. Maybe it's a regional thing, I just didn't hear axes being called hatchets in Southern California growing up in the early 1980's. Then, to confuse things even more, I was told kitchen cleavers were just fancy hand axes. I know there are actual woodsmen cringing at this idea, but this was Los Angeles in the 80's and we had plenty of other issues to deal with.  :grin:
Rogue River, OR.