Forged Spike Hatchet?

[mgolab]

Hello:

I would appreciate any comments on this spike hatchet in my collection.

The head is 9.75 inches and overall length is 14 inches. Weight is 1.5 pounds. From the images, you can see that the head appears to have a marker's mark "LT" but my research has been unavailing.

I know that the nail notch is pre-1880 given its shape for pulling square nails.

Thank you for any insight.

[fernando]

Can you show us the whole piece, mgolab ?

[mgolab]

additional photos. thanks

[fernando]

Isn't this a 19th century boarding axe ? :o.

[kronckew]

Could be, haft either a short replacement or it's been shortened. Could be a fire axe. They had shorter hafts. languets may have been removed...
Lots of fakes and modified axes out there.


See also https://tatcalite.tripod.com/id73.htm


they have a question answering topic there, you can ask them, with an attached photo.

[CutlassCollector]

Isn't this a 19th century boarding axe ? :o.

I don't think so. It has more the shape of a working hatchet with the nail puller slot and no langets. Although as Wayne has already noted they could have been removed.
But hatchets generally have a hammer poll which is a lot more use than a spike and a lot less dangerous to one's person if carried in the belt.
The spike does seem unusual on this type of axe. Could the spike have been reformed later - hard to tell from the pictures.

Spike axes are generally weapons, boarding axes or fire axes.

I don't think the tatcalite site is still active for a response!

[Interested Party]

mgolab, here is another hatchet thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28106

Ater post #31 it deals with spiked hatchets, boarding hatchets and hatchets for retrieving beaver traps. I posted on that thread old catalogue pictures from archive.org. I would take a look there and see if you find information on the model and purpose of your hatchet.

[mgolab]

Thank you for the feedback. I will take a look at the thread. Wonder who "LT" was...