160 years old and as useful as ever

[Hickory n Steel]

I few years ago a member of another forum where I get to discuss axes had posted lot of his latest miscellaneous finds, and  of the various tools was this hatchet head.
It's a style that you don't see too often and I knew that being a very common pattern to the era it could potentially be from the 19th century.
Expecting it to likely turn out to be an abused reproduction from India I gambled on a $37 offer just in case, and I really lucked out.


This belt axe was hand forged by the J Yerkes works on December 23 of 1864 before he partnered with Fayette R Plumb who would later buy him out and become extremely successful major player in the axe industry.

[goodfellow]

excellent save! Great artifact and a cool conversation piece.

[Hickory n Steel]

excellent save! Great artifact and a cool conversation piece.

I actually use it occasionally too.
It doesn't get abused,but was made to be used and was already abused enough that somebody had sold it for scrap before it found it's way to me.
I can think of no better way to appreciate it than to use it as intended, it survived who knows how many years of use after all.

[Uncle Buck]

What a cool story and tool!