or so ago, the University of Missouri required the young wannabe foresters to have a double bit ax, for general use, but particularly for the upcoming forestry summer school/camp. My grandfather offered me an old wore out double that he had since the '20's, and I allowed I would be laughed out of the school with a double bit where the bits were half the size of a normal ax. So he took me to a local hardware store in rural Missouri and purchased this fine instrument, I forget the price, but my granddad was a tight old soul, so it could not have been much.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10007/ax.jpg)
A Collins Commander 3 1/2 pound. I used it that summer in camp. Also in the camp was a young guy from the Ozark hills that brought his ax. Looked just like the one my granddad offered me. This guy was an ax man, he used it like the rest of us used a knife and fork. He was the lead man on our survey crew, and we, the followers, had a clean tunnel to shoot our lines through, the guy was incredible, and never seemed tired.
Anyway, graduated, worked a while, went in the service, came back, worked a while, went to work for the Texas Forest Service and packed my stuff and moved down here, to Gods country. The ax came with me, seldom used, and eventually disappeared. Over the weekend I was cleaning out an out building, and there in the corner was my old friend. Some time before I put it up I had put a new handle in it, but the blade was a bit rusty, but not much. Apparently those older Collins axes had some very good steel in them, this one was still sharp.
So, Danny called my office a museum. It is now with my granddads crosscut and bucking saw. Looks right.
I love great stories of great tools! thanks for sharing! I bet it brought back some good memories!
well done Ranger. That instrument looks to be good for another hundred or more years!
Wow! What a great story. Thank you for sharing. Sure brought back memories. Some 40 years ago I went off to Paul Smiths for forestry. We needed a hard hat and an axe. Don't remember much about that but I do remember vividly it was the last time I saw my Grandfather. He was dying of cancer, proud as a peacock his boy was going off to college. He could barely move but made sure my grandmother gave me 10 bucks. Told me to tuck it away in my wallet just in case I ever ran short. I folded it up and it stays there to this day.
That is as fine an Axe as I have seen yet and with a story like that it comes alive for all of us to enjoye. :)
Good story. Thanks for sharing.
Time sure flies, doesn't it, TR? We had our annual Memorial Day picnic this weekend. We used to go canoe camping for a few days. One puppy 15 years ago is now worn out. We kept needing to protect her from our "puppy" who knocks her down. Yep. Time flies.
Cool, TR. Really cool.
My dad died four years ago. He left me at least $15, 000 worth of tools. When I went to start hauling them to my house the first thing in the truck was dads double bit axe. Im 53 and I dont ever remember him not having it. Thanks for jarring loose some good memories!
That's a fine looking axe AND a great story to go along with it. ;)
That axe could tell a story or 2. :)
POSTONLT40HD, yeah, some of them never to be told. 8)
Your office is a museum. You are in it :D.
Did someone say "Relic" ?? :D
I resemble that remark! 8) splitwood_smiley splitwood_smiley
How about Fossil? :D
Watches?
Great story TR! I never tire of listening to this type of history. My Grandfather was a blacksmith for the railroad in the 1920s - 1950s. He could make anything out of iron and steel. Axe heads, hammer heads, bullet moulds, saws, wrenches, etc. I still have many of the tools he made.
I have my grandfathers double bit ax, but it doesn't have any name on it so I don't know who build it. I put it up for good this year. Now I use a Stihl felling ax. Talk about a size difference. I've come to like the smaller ax, it does the job with a lot less effort.
Bringing back an old subject. My brother in law left the military in 1976, moved to Arkansas and bought a mountain to grow rice. It would probably help knowing that he was going to live off the land and rice to cleanse his body of the toxins he had ingested while in the Air Force. Anyway, there are hours of stories about his adventures, the end of the story he worked for NASA and the shuttle program, a bona fide genius with out a lick of common sense. Since my wife doesn't read the FF I can say it runs in the family.
Anyway again, he bought a lot of old tools to clear and till a rock mountain, the tools were in his shop when he passed and I inherited them. This little hatchet was there, rusted up and broken handle. I cleaned the rust to see if a name was on it, but no, and re handled it. It is a cast head, that holds a razors edge. Oh, we also inherited the rock mountain in Arkansas.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10007/aaa~3.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1547754580)
I need to axe you if you are going to be clearing some more of that rice mountain?