AXE HEAD UN-BOXING & CRAFTSMAN COLLECTION

[@daleswier8429]

Nice collection. I have a number of Craftsman heads also. They are generally of real good steel. Just quality all the way around. I think my favourite Craftsman is a Bow Tie style double bit on a 36" original handle. Plenty of Craftsman double bits out in the wilds, but the Bow Tie style is fairly uncommon. I have a number of other real collectors vaxes, but that Craftsman doubler bit bow tie is one of my favorites in the entire collection. Some fine day I need to see how amnuy Craftsman axes are in my collection. Quite a few, I know that for sure.

[@Nsvens89]

I'm always happy to hear others who agree with me on loving the old craftsman axes! What style stamp is on your bow tie? It certainly does seem like a more rare pattern. I don't recall seeing one of those before let alone on an original handle. Sounds like a sweet axe! If you're on Instagram feel free to send some pics of it and the collection. I'd love to see. I'm @nsvensen89 on there

[@coreysheets4862]

What is a Bow Tie Style? I am just getting into collecting, actually probably more like hoarding, lol, but Ive always loved Craftsman. Thanks.

[@daleswier8429]

I think the bow tie style is a kind of of a catch-all phrase that has often and long been used in describing some double bit axes. Mainly, they are narrow at the eye and widest across the cutting edge of the bit. If you’d hold one up sideways, so to speak, it has the shape of a bow tie. These are not the style of double bit axes that have one side fairly or fully straight while the other side of the bit has the beard. Hope this helps.

[@Nsvens89]

It's slan I've heard used in reference to a number of double bit pattern. I believe this craftsman double bit is technically a Michigan pattern which is one of the more commonly pattern in single bits and double bits. I've clearly got an issue axe hording/collecting myself, so you're in good company.

[@johnmutton799]

The small ones they call pocket axes! Nice collection, we don't see many in the UK. All you need now is handles!

[@Nsvens89]

Thank you Sir! You don't see too many collectors or axe guys talking about them but they can definitely punch above their weight and are a joy to use. I've always got a need for handles haha. I believe I have 60+ heads at the moment in need of them. Plenty of fun and saw dust in the future.

[@_BigLife_]

Really nice head. I like the Yankee bevels. The Craftsman collection is nice.

[@Nsvens89]

Thank you Sir! I'm definitely a fan of them. I think a lot of collectors are sleeping on them.

[@ethicalaxe]

Probably the best Craftsman collection I've seen. I'm a big fan of them as well. Glad I got to see all these.

[@Nsvens89]

Thank man I appreciate it! I think they are significantly underrated, at least the old ones.

[@chriswasta7765]

Enjoyable video, thanks and best regards, Chris

[@Nsvens89]

Thank you Sir! I'm still getting a feel for the kind of content people enjoy. I'm not sure if they would rather watch just the work or enjoy me talking also. Thank you for watching!

[@dhkaminski1]

Very nice. I agree Craftsman axes don't get enough love. I've got a few and they're all great. Your next one should be a craftsman vanadium.

[@Nsvens89]

They really do seem to be quality heads! I'm always on the lookout so im sure a vanadium will work its way into the collection eventually! Glad to hear I'm not alone.

[@rogerrobinson4446]

Very nice. Sears sold alot of great axes over the years. I have a decent collection of craftsman's from the early part of the green paint era when they were still high center line axes. I have 3 Daytons of different weights, all with original handles. Sears maintained high quality, I'm always glad to add one to my collection. It would be interesting to know who the different manufacturers were over the years. I know it was Mann in later years, but I've also heard some of them were Vaughan.

[@Nsvens89]

Thank you Sir! That's awesome you have so many with original handles. I've got a few axes from other makers on the original sticks but they are certainly more rare and even more so when they are still in good enough condition to swing. I've yet to get my hands on some of the registered trademark stamp ones with the high centerline like yours. I will definitely be on the lookout though. From chatting with others I believe it may be any with the F# designation were made by Mann. My smaller mini hatchet does not have this stamp and I suspect it was made by Vaughn like you said. I wonder of they contracted out depending on the pattern and size, thus having multiple manufacturers for them at one time period. Thanks for watching! If you're on Instagram feel free to send some pictures of those craftsmans. I'm @nsvensen89 on there!

[@lancemillward2462]

enjoyed hearing about your knife on the fly

[@Nsvens89]

Thank you, man. I started collecting knives before I got into axes. Then my sharp steel addiction kind of shifted. I still have a good number of knives but haven't added too many new ones to the collection in a while.

[@ethicalaxe]

I've used a 7 ounce mini hatchet for carving and it's so fun. I felt like it's a fine carving hatchet. Can really get in on the curves.

[@Nsvens89]

I absolutely agree. They are light enough that you can carve a long time without getting fatigued and sacrificing accuracy. Something about them is just fun. I keep an eye out for more since Vaughn stopped producing them. They usually fetch a premium online though.

[@davidarwood6264]

Cool Craftsman heads . I think I only have one and it's not very old. I would love to find a Yankee bevel head. I guess I could buy one. I've only bought 3 axes in my life 😂 . None were vintage. I just hung my single bit Craftsman with the two lines on the sides. It's in great shape. It has just a little greenish blue paint on it . I know it's not super old . Do you know about how old it is ?

[@Nsvens89]

Hey David thanks for the subscribe and the comment. The =Craftsman= logo was the longest used marking from them by far. I've seen some stuff saying they started with that stamp a bit after WWII. If the got a high centerline chances are it's a bit older. If the cheeks of it are fairly flat it's likely a bit more modern. Craftsman axes are some of the harder ones to date.

[@ryanb1314]

Love those mini hatchets always thought those were salesman’s samples. Ethical axe may be right that bevel is more like the original kelly perfect bevels which I recall Kelly made axes for craftsman along with a couple other companies like mann. I have a cool double oval on the original handle with blue towards the butt end. Has a bit of a warp to it I’ve been meaning to correct.

[@Nsvens89]

The mini hatchets are a very fun little tool to have. I know salesman samples are a thing but it's my understanding that the ones you see made by companies like Vaughn and Craftsman were intended for use as a lightweight hatchet and not only for display. They are not perfectly scaled down versions of full size axes like you would see with salesman samples. I've also talked with some others about the bevels and I think you hit the nail on the head with them being Mann! Thanks for checking out the video!

[@ethicalaxe]

Wow that double oval with the bevels is crazy! I love when they have hard lines at the front of the eye like that. Reminds me of a collar. To my knowledge they're neither yankee nor phantom bevels. Yankee bevels are small and the phantom bevel patent is much more boring. I might be wrong though. That might be exactly what phantom bevels look like though I'm not great with remembering things haha. My brain is saying these bevels look like the kelly perfect patent for bevels.

[@Nsvens89]

They certainly could be Kelly Perfect bevels. From what I've read Sears/Craftsman typically farmed manufacturing so Kelly may have made this head. I'm also a sucker for those deep bevels that are pronounced around the eye like you described. I'm looking forward to cleaning this one up and using it.

[@Joey-L]

Nice collection. Craftsman is going to be on my radar now. The new boys axe looks like it would make a great little chopper. Any thoughts on a handle length for that one?

[@Nsvens89]

Thanks! The older craftsman heads are certainly worth snagging when you see them at a good price. I haven't given too much though as far as handle length yet. I've got a few boys axes I use, so perhaps a house axe handle will go on this one. What length would you go with?

[@Joey-L]

@@Nsvens89 Recently I hung a boys axe head on a slim 30 inch handle which came out to just under 29 inches overall. I really like the way it feels and I think the extra length helps increase head speed and makes it a better chopper. I use it when bucking smaller diameter wood.

[@Nsvens89]

I do have a nice slim killinger boys axe handle that's about 28". This may be a good pairing for that. I do agree the geometry on this looks like it will perform well. A longer handle will likely mean I'll use it for chopping more and not just splitting kindling.

[@brettbrown9814]

Interesting! Thanks.

[@Nsvens89]

Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching!

[@jaybarnett211]

What years are the double oval stamp range from.? Nice collection

[@Nsvens89]

Thanks for checking out the collection and the video! From me reading and research my best estimate is after 1936 sometime and ended sometime in the late 40s. The single oval was the stamp that was used before the double oval and that was seen on craftsmans golden jubilee stamp that's dated 1936.

[@campcrafter4613]

Nice!

[@Nsvens89]

Thanks! I appreciate it. Eventually I'd like to do some videos of some of my other brands I've collected.

[@matthewpuryear8009]

What would be your go to craftsman head for splitting? Looking to get one

[@Nsvens89]

My go to splitting axe in general would be my rafting pattern. If we are speaking out of my craftsman heads only I'd look for as heavy of a Dayton or Michigan pattern craftsman as I could find. One of my Michigan's is around 4lbs so that would probably be my head of choice. That said if you're splitting fairly clear straight grained wood most of the heavier heads should do pretty well. If you get into some twisted, stringy, or stuff with knots you will probably want a maul or some wedges and a sledge.

[@hardstylelife5749]

Interesting video, May I ask what would you take into consideration for understanding if you’ve got some good steel in front? Especially if the axe (tool) is old and badly preserved

[@Nsvens89]

As long as the axe hasn't had its temper ruined the rusting or pitting should not impact it. The things I would look for over pitting are making sure the heel and toe are not excessively worn. That there are no huge chips out of the bit. Then lastly if you can take a file to it and see if the steel feels like it's tempered well. My best description of that is after you get through the rusty oxide layer (which is usually very hard) make sure the file bites into the steel and cuts but does not do so very easily. This will tell you the the bit still has a good temper to it. Hopefully that explanation helps 👍

[@hardstylelife5749]

@@Nsvens89 most helpful, thanks a lot for your insight, much appreciated! If I may bother you with a further question: Is there a way to “quantify” how “deep” the temper goes in the steel, or checking with a file is the only reliable way to do so? I was wondering that after seeing somebody changing the shape of a blade removing big chunks of steel and going deep in polishing the metal; having no idea how much temper would’ve been left on the steel. Thanks again, it was very kind of you!

[@Nsvens89]

It's my understanding that the temper should be completely through the bit for the portion that is actually hardened. It can get more complex when you get into axes that have inlaid and overlaid high carbon steel bits. Most of the more modern but still vintage axes are a higher carbon steel throughout and have a hardened bit. If you don't care about preserving the patina, you can give it a soak on vinegar or evaporust and see the line where the bit is hardened to. But that only shows on the surfac. That should tell you that you've got hard steel all the way back to that point. It gets tricky when you see guys grinding on and polishing heads because all of those power tools can generate enough heat through friction to spoil a temper. But if the head is cooled regularly or not allowed to get too hot, it should not impact temper.

[@hardstylelife5749]

@@Nsvens89 that was very helpful, thanks pal! I’ll be sure to keep this comment handy for future reference

[@Nsvens89]

@Hardstyle Life No problem at all man! All these things are easier to show with examples. Perhaps a good topic for a video down the road!

[@kendion4597]

Craftsman doesn't manufacturer any of their tools they buy from top makers this goes.for all their tools

[@Nsvens89]

I'm not as familiar with all of the older vintage craftsman tools but your statement certainty holds true for the axes. I suspect they manufactured by a couple different makers including MANN and Vaughan. I am not sure about the newer models from them but I'm definitely a fan of the older ones. Thanks for watching!

[@ericglasgow1616]

Has anyone herd of a red rover. From kelly works 2lb axe

[@Nsvens89]

Hey thanks for watching and commenting. It looks like a line of axes produced by TrueTemper with the Kelly branding. If you're curious you can read more about it in the link below as well as see an example of the stamp. From the sound's of the weight it's likely a boys axe or house axe but hard to tell without seeing pictures. I have yet to come across a red rover so neat find!

[@ricardoescala9209]

I have axe market star

[@Nsvens89]

Very nice. I know some lines from plumb were marked with a star touch mark on the opposite side of the stamp. Or is yours a larger etching?