Old video about axe making in Oakland Maine, USA

[scsmith42]

I stumbled across this video and thought that y'all would enjoy it.  This is a short film made by Peter Vogt in 1965 about axe making in Oakland, Maine. It documents the process of creating fine axes in the Emerson Stevens shop -- the last axe factory to operate in Oakland. Oakland was once a world-famous center of quality blade-making.

The video was made in 1965 and shows the last two employees that still made axes the old fashioned way.

The entire video is interesting, but in particular I enjoyed looking at the wooden beam trip hammers.  Gave me some ideas....

http://www.folkstreams.net/film,312

[Texas Ranger]

Neat

[goose63]

Thy are better made than most new stuff today

[beenthere]

Great old video.

As far as comparing with new stuff today, what would be the real difference in performance?

The old way:
Sharpens better?
Holds up better?
Cuts deeper?
Swings easier?
Lasts longer?
Looks better?

??

[Dave Shepard]

Thanks for sharing that. The blacksmiths at Hancock Shaker Village have been building a wooden beam trip hammer that is a copy of the one from the Mount Lebanon Shaker Village, Lebanon, NY, for about 20 years. It's become a multi-generational project. This pic is from '07. It's much more complete now, another 10 years should see it running. :D Just kidding, I hope.

[Peter Drouin]

Thanks for that, I think I have 1 or 2 of them

[Magicman]

That was very interesting to watch.  Thanks. 

[samandothers]

Really neat process.  No measuring, all hand eye and craftsman!

[Bill Gaiche]

That was interesting. American made with pride and craftsmanship. bg

[sandhills]

That kind of craftmanship is one thing which I had half the ability to do, a lot like what we see here in the woodworking threads,thanks for sharing.

[36 coupe]

My axes are all old ones.The new ones are a joke.Narrow polls, wacky shapes.My axes were handed down from my Dad and Uncle.They cut wood with axes and saws, no chain saws.

[Mooseherder]

I see Folkstreams has quite a catalog of Film titles.  You could get lost in there for a few weeks
Tom had talked about Folkstreams back in 2011 and others had posted links to their films before.
After watching the axe making video I watched one on Lawrence Older who was in the Logging Industry in the Adirondacks.
The film focuses on his music, talks about the Logging Camps with pictures around the ten minute mark and he also performs some old Logging songs towards the end.  Pete Seegar is in the documentary a couple times.


http://www.folkstreams.net/film,189

[mad murdock]

That was well worth the watch!! Thanks for posting it up!  I have been rediscovering old axes I have found around the treefarm here and in the woods at work. Getting a good collection. I lover returning old tools, and putting them back to work!

[Okrafarmer]

My mom grew up in Belgrade, Maine, which is right next to Oakland. She attended high school in Oakland. That's my ancestral stomping grounds, there!