David R, thanks for the example. No seam visible do you think it is a punched eye? That wide opening at the back would make it harder to break the handle where it meets the head. Where was this ax? from? Is it an ax in scale or closer to a hatcher? M Eley would you call this an early poll design?
kronckew, that was just mean
From what I heard these were oiften made them from crosscut saw blades. Corn knives, tobacco knives, and cabbage knives in order of size were also made from sawblades. Later for smaller cutting tools mechanical hacksaw blades were the gold standard, higher carbon, a very hard temper, abrasion resistant but very brittle. My guess if these blades ever existed, they became the above-mentioned tools, then butcher knives and small belt knives, scrapers, and finally rust. As I said before I would love to see one with providence.
Fernando, I think it has been a productive exception. I learned how valuable a ax or hatchet was in the late 19th and early 20th century. Both by the variety of specialized designs and in cost. In poorer parts of the US in the period of the Montgomery Ward catalog 15 cents (there is a change in times there isn't even a cent symbol on a modern keyboard) was a common wage for someone using this tool. At that rate this half hatchet took 15 hours of work to buy. Now for a roofer, carpenter it would take 1 or 2. For some reason I thought this forum went to 1920. 1900 is a much rounder number though. In the Ethnographic category it seems based on a cultures technological level?