LG's eBay score for 1/19/13: The Berghaus Axe!

[lbgradwell]

I rarely bid on stuff on eBay any more as shipping to Canada makes it uneconomic unless the item is substantial. That said, I still have many searches that hit my Inbox every morning and I duly check out the item for research, if nothing else...

But last week, something caught my eye & I noticed it was located in Beamsville - about a 30-minute drive from me - so I emailed the seller & asked if I could collect the two items were I to win. He said I could, so on Saturday I won one & was out-sniped on the other! I drove out to collect it today.






Yes, yet another un-needed Swedish felling axe is now in the LG Museum of Nordic Über-Coolness!

This thing is NOS, but it has not been stored with loving care over the years, as evidenced by the surface rust. However, that awesome decal has survived!




The seller had a bunch of these that he had picked up somewhere locally, but had sold them at gun-trading shows and another few on eBay. He said the person he'd bought them from said they were from the 1940s since he knew where they'd been since 1950! It amazes me that something like this could have been sitting around for so long...

But the time frame seems to mesh with what I've been able to learn about Paul Berghaus & Co. They appear to have been a sporting goods wholesaler operating in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden from 1927 to around 1973. They were liquidated in 1983.

If any of you are avid fishermen, you will doubtless recognize the famous ABU name as a maker of reels, etc. Paul Berghaus & Co. sold an exact copy of the ABU Record under their own Pebeco name. (I also understand enough Swedish to see that "Pebeco" came from "P.B. Co."!)




Now, there's not much chance that Paul Berghaus & Co. actually manufactured this axe themselves, but there are no other clues as to who the real maker might actually be, so if anyone has any insights (or even good guesses), please don't be shy...

The axe itself appears to be of high quality and the handle has almost perfect grain. It will take me a bit of time to clean up that surface rust and get a nice, sharp edge on her, but it will be a labour of love.

All in all, a fine buy for $26!

[john k]

I'd give it two thumbs up for being a fine axe.   Then add in the possibility of Swedish steel, the label, and a great handle, and you STOLE it!   Well a good price anyway.   I bet that could be polished to a mirror finish,  and was only 30 minutes away, was this the last one he had then? 

[rusty]

A small obsession? hehehe

A full color label in the 40's was fairly expensive. You didn't put it on junk....

A case of axe's unused for 6 decades....makes you wonder.....

Very nice ;)

Oh, and, yes, paying what the handle alone is worth, ya stole it ;P

[lbgradwell]

...was this the last one he had then?

It was. He said he had 10!

And I plan to polish this to a nice mirror finish, so I guess I need a buffing wheel for my grinder..? Anyone have any advice on how to get the best result? And what is the best method to protect that decal?

The other item I bid on but failed to win was a lovely hatchet from a local maker who is now long gone.








The Welland Vale Manufacturing Company was once Canada's largest maker of axes & edge tools before ending up under the control of True Temper. The name True Temper along with Welland Vale appeared on products from 1950-52 before switching to True Temper alone thereafter to when the plant was closed in 1965. So this means the above example is from 1950 or earlier, which gives additional credence to the claim that these axes really had been sitting around since the 1940s!

I missed out on this awesome little hatchet with that excellent label, but when I was speaking with the seller I asked if he had any more. He replied that he had a handful remaining, but that none of the remaining items had decals and were in rougher condition. Still, I took a look and gave him another $14 for this rough customer!






This will require some effort (which has already begun) to revive. It has lived a hard life for something never used! Apart from the significant rust (now gone), it was in a fire at some point too as can be seen (and smelled) on the scorched handle.

The fellow had sold a nice example of this hatchet earlier, so I know this is a "The Huronne Axe" and it once looked like this:








The handle has now been washed and sanded, but some of the scorching remains. Not sure whether I should press on to get rid of the rest of the burning or leave it... The head spent some time being rubbed with steel wool and then being pressed against a belt sander this evening so it is now nice & sharp and I will buff this to a polish too before re-applying the black paint (I think). I believe I'll not re-paint the handle, but just give it a good rub with linseed oil or some such...

I LOVE these old decals!

[Branson]

I'd just give that Huronne handle some linseed oil.  I'd mix a 50/50 solution of linseed and turpentine for the first couple of coats so that the linseed would penetrate more deeply into the wood and feed it well.

Well done!  I have a special affection for axes and hatchets, and those you got are just really tops.

[lbgradwell]

I'd mix a 50/50 solution of linseed and turpentine for the first couple of coats so that the linseed would penetrate more deeply into the wood and feed it well.

OK, will do. Thanks for the tip!

What do you fellows recommend for polishing the head? Should I be looking for a special buffing wheel? What about some type of compound?

[lbgradwell]

Oh, and, yes, paying what the handle alone is worth, ya stole it ;P

Back on December 5th, I bought another axe locally for $25. It was a nice German Iltis OCHSENKOPF Large Felling Axe.

The OCHSENKOPF axe (that is, "Ox-Head") is a well-known and highly-regarded brand made in Remscheid since 1781 and this model sells at Lee Valley for $95.






This axe is probably only ~5 years old and while the axe itself is very nice, the quality of the handle is terrible!

The 60+ year old Berghaus is on the left in the shot below, while the modern Iltis appears on the right:




The grain on the Berghaus handle is tight and could hardly be better aligned to the tool, while the Iltis handle is almost 90 degrees off - that is, nearly perfectly mis-aligned. No comparison; we just don't make trees like we used to! ;)

[lbgradwell]

And this is what about 2.5 hours has wrought...

The Huronne Axe - Before & After!




It's not perfect, but it's much, much better; very sharp and ready for work!

I decided to leave some traces of the former paint on the handle along with the remaining charring as "character". There are about 4 coats of linseed oil on it now (with more to come) and, in spite of the looks, it is quite an excellent handle. Feels very nice in the hand...

[Branson]

Lookin' good.  You might want to give the handle a bit of rest before putting on more linseed oil -- let what's there oxidize.  That's a fine hatchet.

[1930]

What did you coat the steel with? Looks nice, I see what looks like traces of air bubbles in the clear substance and am curious what you used

[lbgradwell]

You might want to give the handle a bit of rest before putting on more linseed oil -- let what's there oxidize. 

Good to know. This is the first time I've revived an old handle & I took your earlier advice and bought both boiled linseed oil and turpentine. Did 3 coats of 50/50 solution, followed by two of pure linseed oil. I let it dry and gave it a good rubbing with a cloth.

How long should I wait and does it even need more?

[lbgradwell]

What did you coat the steel with? Looks nice, I see what looks like traces of air bubbles in the clear substance and am curious what you used

I painted the rear (obviously) in black, but the business end is pure, uncoated steel!

It was dark (and cold) last night so I had to take an indoor shot. Maybe I can take a clearer shot outdoors today (or soon)...