Post by Steve Jajo on Jul 27, 2010 19:29:25 GMT -7
This belt axe with original or period handle (possibly maple)
weighs a grand total of 10.4 ounces. The head measures
4 3/4" x 2 7/8" wide cutting edge. Overall length with handle
is 12" long. Both the cutting edge and the hammer poll have
laid-on steel added. One unusual feature on this is the drilled
hole in the blade and two saw cuts made to make a keyhole nail puller. Very unusual to collect one with a period handle. By the way, one reason why I do not say original handle is because for one thing the trade axes/tomahawks never came with handles at all and the buyer was expected to whittle his own. And if it did originally come with a handle it would be impossible to prove that it was not a slightly later replacement since handles were often worn out before the blade. So using the word 'period' handle tends to describe it more accurately.
One other dating method is to look at the nail pulling notch and if it is square or V-shaped. V-shaped pulled the round wire nails easier and not the square. It wasn't until 1887 that steel became cheap enough using the Bessemer Process to make wire nails profitable and it wasn't until 1890 that round nails began to exceed square nails. This particular axe appears to be for square nails although it tapers very slightly. Nail pulling notches usually are an indication that a white man used it also. And yes tomahawks and belt axes did also double as tools. Does that mean all tools are tomahawks? No. Some hatchets made as tools have been found in Indian burials & thought to have been used as weapons however, it would be silly to look upon ALL old hatchets as tomahawks or belt axes without provable provenance. Otherwise, it is just another tool with no known history or provenance & worthless as an "Indian trade item"
From Fur Trade Axes & Tomahawks website. Check out the website it's very interesting.
furtradetomahawks.tripod.com/index.html
