What kind of “axe” is this?

[fireman32]

Friend of mine saw it and was curious. Handle is about 3 feet long.

 

[Duff]

Got me. Following

 

[The Original Rooster]

Just guessing but some kind of mortise axe maybe? Only thing I could think of with that narrow blade.

 

[ilbcnu]

That my friend is an ice harvesting axe from the late 1800s and quite valuable.

 

[RedHills]

That my friend is an ice harvesting axe from the late 1800s and quite valuable.

Cool...

 

[ilbcnu]

You would think how an ice ax ended up in the south but they were in rail yards and meat packing plants all over. I have 5 gallon buckets full of axe heads gathered from the scrap yards over the years and that head plus the old boy scout axes are the only 2 that keep alluding me. Hope you're friend got his hands on it. A rare find.

 

[fireman32]

You would think how an ice ax ended up in the south but they were in rail yards and meat packing plants all over. I have 5 gallon buckets full of axe heads gathered from the scrap yards over the years and that head plus the old boy scout axes are the only 2 that keep alluding me. Hope you're friend got his hands on it. A rare find.

Good to know and it seems like a great find, any idea of its monetary value?

 

[ilbcnu]

Good to know and it seems like a great find, any idea of its monetary value?

I've seen them online up to 300 bucks for that exact style and that one seems to be in great shape

 

[fireman32]

I've seen them online up to 300 bucks for that exact style and that one seems to be in great shape

Thanks, I’ll let him know. Never know what folks will find next.

 

[fireman32]

The man that found it works in Americus, if he buys it and wants to sell it I’ll let you know.

 

[Big7]

You would think how an ice ax ended up in the south but they were in rail yards and meat packing plants all over. I have 5 gallon buckets full of axe heads gathered from the scrap yards over the years and that head plus the old boy scout axes are the only 2 that keep alluding me. Hope you're friend got his hands on it. A rare find.

Grandparents had an ice box in the well house.
Mule drawn wagon came by and sold big blocks of ice. Big so they wouldn't melt as fast.

PaPaw born 19- 2
Mama born 19- 8

 

[The Original Rooster]

Ok, I don't know anything about an ice axe so why does it have a rounded blade? I guess the spike is for grabbing blocks of ice?

 

[fishfryer]

Grandparents had an ice box in the well house.
Mule drawn wagon came by and sold big blocks of ice. Big so they wouldn't melt as fast.

PaPaw born 19- 2
Mama born 19- 8

Is that 1902 and 1908? My father 1906 momma 1915

 

[Big7]

Is that 1902 and 1908? My father 1906 momma 1915

It was always pronounced out.

nineteen two
nineteen eight

NINT- teen- more like it ?

 

[fishfryer]

It was always pronounced out.

nineteen two
nineteen eight

NINT- teen- more like it ?

You ever heard nineteen aught six or nineteen aught 2

 

[gawildlife]

Ok, I don't know anything about an ice axe so why does it have a rounded blade? I guess the spike is for grabbing blocks of ice?

Just guessing here but on wood a long narrow round edge cuts deeper and has more reach into deep cuts, see puget sound axes used on the big western timber. Also I would think that in extreme cold square corners as found on a jersey pattern would be more prone to fracture or brittleness.
But this is just a guess.

There was also a specific saw used for ice and it looked much like a silage saw.

 

[Duff]

Cool!

 

[The Original Rooster]

Just guessing here but on wood a long narrow round edge cuts deeper and has more reach into deep cuts, see puget sound axes used on the big western timber. Also I would think that in extreme cold square corners as found on a jersey pattern would be more prone to fracture or brittleness.
But this is just a guess.

There was also a specific saw used for ice and it looked much like a silage saw.

That makes sense.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

My dad has the old home place ice box. Seems they would hold either 50 lb. or 100 lb. blocks. They covered them in sawdust to slow down the melting. I have the old tongs somewheres. I’ve never seen the axe…thats really something.