PLUMB Axe

[alsg]

This sadly neglected axe belonged to my grandfather, who gave it to my dad. It's now mine. It's been sitting in a shed for long time and looks rough. I know there are some pretty sharp axe experts on this forum, what can you tell me about it? The only markings are on the head. It says "PLUMB" with the number "32" above the name. The total length is 28.5" Is this worth sharpening up and doing some restoration work on the handle? The head seems to be firmly attached to the handle and the handle, despite its appearance, seems sound. Is this an appropriate axe to take on on a canoe trip?

 

[dougd]

I'm not a real axe guy so I googled it and came up with this: http://www.yesteryearstools.com/Yesteryears Tools/Plumb Co..html. I hope someone can answer your question(s). Nice looking axe!

 

[alsg]

Thanks for that link. It seems that my axe head is attached with a red epoxy called Permabond, and that dates this axe to no earlier than 1956. Younger than what I would have expected.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Sounds like a great family Heirloom ! Worth restoring and passing on!
Maybe one day an offspring will say "This ax belonged to my Great Great Grand Dad" that would be cool !

Jim

 

[Mason]

I remember them from the 1970s, perhaps later, with the epoxy attachment.

 

[Guest]

that's plumb wonderful

 

[Guest]

Lots of Plumb information on the Blade Forums

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/plumb-manufacturing-thread.1066763/

 

[Odyssey]

At 28.5 " long it seems a bit too much axe for a canoe trip, though from where I'm standing it's hard to tell how much it weighs. Maybe 2-3 lbs? A bit heavy for tripping. With a well secured handle and the family history I'd absolutely recommend restoring this to its former glory, and if having an heirloom accompany you on a trip, no matter the size and weight, I'd say find a special place for it lashed to your canoe pack. Blades are a personal thing, you're lucky to have your grandad's / dad's axe. Please show us how the restoration turns out! And if it takes a canoe trip with you, please provide pics!!

 

[lowangle al]

The handle doesn't look bad, I'd replace the head.

 

[alsg]

Well, the first step is underway Four hours in an Evapo-Rust bath and here's the result. You can see the remnants of a sticker that must have been there at one point. But I am a little disturbed to see that the heat treated area (darker area toward the edge) doesn't extend the whole length of the bit. Maybe this is a clunker?

 

[alsg]

Well, I've learned from the Blade Forum that Mike McRea mentioned that the axe "3 2" marking means the head is 3&1/2 lbs. I'll weigh the whole thing at some point.

Folks at the Blade Forum seem to think there's nothing wrong with the head or heat treatment, so I'll try to sharpen it up. Having no experience sharpening anything other than chisels and plane blades, this will be interesting.

As for the handle, I'm undecided on how much to try to restore it. The original red paint/dye has chipped off in many places leaving a vague pink color. I could take it down to bare wood and re-stain it. Or I could give it a light sanding to remove anything loose, and just apply some pure tung oil to protect the exposed wood. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Odyssey]

Yeah I'd be careful bringing a pink axe on group trips.

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

I rec'd a Plumb hand ax for Xmas when I was 16. Good balance,easily packable and held an edge. 20 yrs later it disappeared during a work related move. United Van Lines wouldn't replace it because it wasn't specifically listed on the item inventory. Still fondly remember that little ax. .

 

[Canotrouge]

To answers a few question, yes I would bring that on a trip but wouldn't let any one use it... Second if the head and the handle are solidly attached together then I would leave it. Regarding the heat treatment, axe are usually done that way, that is why you should not use an axe as a sledge it could deform the eye and then get the head loose. Look like a good axe!

 

[Iskweo]

I would use that baby in a heartbeat. Good size for tripping. I have cleaned up way worse ones than that.

 

[Boreal Birch]

My father bought me a double bit Plumb cruisers axe of that same vintage, when I was in the sixth grade. It was a great axe, l limbed many cords of trees with it. Those older axes were well made as chain saws were relatively new back then and were very heavy, axes were still used a lot in the logging industry. I also built some wonderful log "Forts" with it too. My first camping & canoe trips were taken with that axe, I didn't know about single bits until I was older. I would still be using it, but it was lost, when my childhood home burned down about twenty-five years ago. A friend of the family dug a big hole with his D-8 cat, shoved the burnt husk of the house in the hole, then covered it with the dirt from the hole. There is a nice stand of white spruce growing there now.

 

[OCDave]

With birhday money from my grandparents, I bought a myself a small Plumb hand hatchet at the local Coast to Coast iwhen I was 12 or 13 (Late 70's ). I am pretty sure it would have been on the cheap end of the spectrum. I still have it but never really loved it.

 

[Jim Dodd]

BB brought back some Great memories for me !
As a kid in the early 60's, my best friend and I built a "Fort", on some, near by vacant land that was over grown with Ash.
We each "Borrowed" our Dad's hand axes. I Loved that small hatchet ! I could easily fell a 6" Sapling !
We used Stripped bark from the Ash, for lashings. Stored Stolen green apples in the Fort. Cooked Cambells soup in a Folgers Coffee can, and Fried up our first Barn Pigeon, in bacon grease.
The pigeon was harvested with our Daisy pump BB guns. All on a Sterno Stove !

That was Camping !

Jim

 

[Boreal Birch]

I wonder now, "What were the poor people's children doing for fun?" We were so wealthy back in those days that we could save those great memories for the future. I bet you forgot to mention smoking those corn silk cigarettes or maybe you experimented with Kinnikinnick the traditional Native American smoke in a pipe like we did.
One of the neighbor farm boys found a ragged tarp that had blown off it's load into the ditch. We moved that tarp around to different "forts" in a nomadic fashion depending on the season, with primitive tump line, each kid trying to outdo the others in how far we could portage a that heavy tarp. Wonderful memories of speared pike, suckers & sheepshead dinners baked on a plank. In season we feasted on roasted sweet corn. In the Autumn we hunted grouse with single shot .22's. Steven's Favorite being the rifle we all coveted.

 

[Robin]

I'm not sure where I got this Plumb but I use it to help out when cutting firewood. Not that I ever pinched a bar, but in case I do I'm told it's good to have an ax handy. Not sure of the weight but it's a 27" handle. I ground the head back to square.