My father delivered three axe heads to me recently. The shapes are remarkable – pure forms dictated by function and re-formed by decades of use. The shapes are a Dayton pattern, a uniquely shaped Michigan-style, and one that most resembles a Western Crown style, sometimes claimed as an ‘Ohio’ style axe.
The one above will most likely remain a family mystery. On it, my grandpa drilled into it’s cheek my father’s name, and the numbers 1930-73. My father was not born in 1930 nor 1973, and he has no recollection of this axe. It’s an enigmatic object forged into family lore. My grandfather used these the way they were meant to be – very hard. The middle axe, from the Plumb Company, has stood the test of time the best and with luck will be rehung on a handle Claire painted for me. I suppose there was a day when the nuances in axe heads were discussed like today’s video game controllers, or smart-phones user interfaces – though these tools have never gone obsolete. They remind me of a time when average problems were not solved with user names and passwords, but with gloves on. Their operating system is wood and steel, and their operator, – my grandfather.
