the green tomahawk of the Rogers Rangers?

kronckew · 5th August 2022, 09:50 AM

A "Rodger's Rangers" tomahawk replica, it would have looked more like this:

M ELEY · 5th August 2022, 11:28 AM

I'm afraid Wayne is correct. This is a common shingling ax. Although some of these tool types certainly date back to the Revolution, this specimen would probably date at latest to mid-19th. It is a cast piece with a notch for pulling nails. Sometimes, these notches were wide and used as a beaver trap chain pull, but this example has the more common nail slot.

Rogers' Rangers would have most likely carried a spiked ax/tomahawk type, but it should be noted that the so called hammer pole axes were also popular with the 'mountain men'. Contrary to popular belief, these early hammer pole axes were not used to hammer nails! The 'hammer' end was to balance the blade when swinging it.

kronckew · 5th August 2022, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

...hese early hammer pole axes were not used to hammer nails! The 'hammer' end was to balance the blade when swinging it.

A hammer poll is also useful for driving tent stakes.

Interested Party · 5th August 2022, 02:25 PM

Sorry to agree. It is a carpenters framing hatchet. I've owned a few. It is a much more common tool than the much more effective carpenters shaping hatchet which had a chisel type bevel on the blade and a symmetrically shaped head so that it could be flipped for a right or left hander. Both relics of time before power tools were common. I used both a lot working in areas without power before battery tools and very light portable generators. If you work much on old houses, you can see the marks of these on the framing members where material was "hogged out," removed rapidly and coarsely to make things fit.

I am going to slightly disagree, maybe more clarify MELEY's statement on this particular poll. It is a hammer head and a very effective one. The blade serves as a poll and really drives a nail. If you are in attentive you can lose your fingers. With this shape poll I would bet on pre-1950 manufacture. Look on old tool forums and you can find more info. There is proball a stamp on the side of the head under all the gunk.

JoeCanada42 · 5th August 2022, 08:37 PM

hi thanks everyone for your comments and interest so far.
to clarify it was sold as an antique hatchet, no attribute to rogers rangers, this is only my fantasy,.
I did think this axe could possibly be old enough, I have come across many old old tools locally.
apparently this form of axe was popular circa 1760
how does one tell if it was cast or forged?
the hammer poll on my axe is cylindrical not octagonal like many I see.
is there any difference in the 19c vs 18c ones?

I found this YouTube video very informative

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHyZhRFWsUs

at 10:10 he talks about my form hatchet.

also I think its likely there was a wide variety in the styles of hatchet the rangers carried, and possibly they had carried this form. he had members from all backgrounds,
I thought this hatchet could possibly date to the fur trade and been used by a "coureur de bois".

Hotspur · 6th August 2022, 12:14 AM

Old style roofing/shake hammer/hatchet.

If I may clarify, for trimming and nailing cedar shakes.

CutlassCollector · 6th August 2022, 11:27 AM

Hi,

Prior to the last quarter of the 19th century nails were made by hand using hand tools and were of square cross section. Mass produced nails came along around 1880 with machines designed for that purpose. Nails then became round in cross section.

A 'vee' shaped nail puller is not suitable for square nails.

Up until the 1850/60s axes were made of iron with a small amount of steel to form the hard edge forge welded to the end of the blade. Steel was much more expensive and hard to come by. Unfortunately it is hard to tell the difference between the two without specialist equipment or a grinding wheel (different sparks), so this is not a useful way to confirm a date.

Seam lines are often visible in very old axes not only at the edge but between the two halves where the iron has been folded over to form an eye and then hammer forged into one piece. However the best made axes will not show a seam

I agree with the other comments - your axe is modern and most likely made in a factory in the 20th century.

5th August 2022, 09:50 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,216	A "Rodger's Rangers" tomahawk replica, it would have looked more like this: Attached Images

5th August 2022, 02:25 PM	#4
Interested Party Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: Eastern Sierra Posts: 495	Sorry to agree. It is a carpenters framing hatchet. I've owned a few. It is a much more common tool than the much more effective carpenters shaping hatchet which had a chisel type bevel on the blade and a symmetrically shaped head so that it could be flipped for a right or left hander. Both relics of time before power tools were common. I used both a lot working in areas without power before battery tools and very light portable generators. If you work much on old houses, you can see the marks of these on the framing members where material was "hogged out," removed rapidly and coarsely to make things fit. I am going to slightly disagree, maybe more clarify MELEY's statement on this particular poll. It is a hammer head and a very effective one. The blade serves as a poll and really drives a nail. If you are in attentive you can lose your fingers. With this shape poll I would bet on pre-1950 manufacture. Look on old tool forums and you can find more info. There is proball a stamp on the side of the head under all the gunk. Last edited by Interested Party; 5th August 2022 at 02:35 PM.

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5th August 2022, 11:28 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	I'm afraid Wayne is correct. This is a common shingling ax. Although some of these tool types certainly date back to the Revolution, this specimen would probably date at latest to mid-19th. It is a cast piece with a notch for pulling nails. Sometimes, these notches were wide and used as a beaver trap chain pull, but this example has the more common nail slot. Rogers' Rangers would have most likely carried a spiked ax/tomahawk type, but it should be noted that the so called hammer pole axes were also popular with the 'mountain men'. Contrary to popular belief, these early hammer pole axes were not used to hammer nails! The 'hammer' end was to balance the blade when swinging it.

5th August 2022, 08:37 PM	#5
JoeCanada42 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Canada Posts: 259	hi thanks everyone for your comments and interest so far. to clarify it was sold as an antique hatchet, no attribute to rogers rangers, this is only my fantasy,. I did think this axe could possibly be old enough, I have come across many old old tools locally. apparently this form of axe was popular circa 1760 how does one tell if it was cast or forged? the hammer poll on my axe is cylindrical not octagonal like many I see. is there any difference in the 19c vs 18c ones? I found this YouTube video very informative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHyZhRFWsUs at 10:10 he talks about my form hatchet. also I think its likely there was a wide variety in the styles of hatchet the rangers carried, and possibly they had carried this form. he had members from all backgrounds, I thought this hatchet could possibly date to the fur trade and been used by a "coureur de bois".

6th August 2022, 12:14 AM	#6
Hotspur Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Nipmuc USA Posts: 510	Old style roofing/shake hammer/hatchet. If I may clarify, for trimming and nailing cedar shakes.

6th August 2022, 11:27 AM	#7
CutlassCollector Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Scotland Posts: 343	Hi, Prior to the last quarter of the 19th century nails were made by hand using hand tools and were of square cross section. Mass produced nails came along around 1880 with machines designed for that purpose. Nails then became round in cross section. A 'vee' shaped nail puller is not suitable for square nails. Up until the 1850/60s axes were made of iron with a small amount of steel to form the hard edge forge welded to the end of the blade. Steel was much more expensive and hard to come by. Unfortunately it is hard to tell the difference between the two without specialist equipment or a grinding wheel (different sparks), so this is not a useful way to confirm a date. Seam lines are often visible in very old axes not only at the edge but between the two halves where the iron has been folded over to form an eye and then hammer forged into one piece. However the best made axes will not show a seam I agree with the other comments - your axe is modern and most likely made in a factory in the 20th century.