A tired Plumb head, traces of old gold paint and one of the most unusual axe handles I’ve had on the workbench.
Sometimes I buy an axe because of the maker. Sometimes it’s the pattern, the condition or a stamp I’ve been chasing. This Plumb came home with me almost entirely because of its handle.
At some point in the axe’s working life, somebody has grafted an enormous palm swell onto the heel using a timber that contrasts noticeably with the main handle. It is oversized, unusual and certainly not something that left the factory that way. It also gives the axe more character than half the perfectly restored examples I’ve seen.
The head itself has had a much harder life. Heavy pitting covers the steel, the Plumb maker’s mark is barely visible and the bit needs considerable work before I’d call it a usable edge. Hidden deep in the pitting are also tiny traces of what appears to be old gold paint, only really noticeable when the head catches the sunlight.
This will not become a pristine axe.
I think it will become a very interesting one.
THE FIND
There isn’t a grand picking story behind this Plumb. Like many axes I find, this one started out on Facebook Marketplace. I contacted the owner, had more photos sent, but due to the distance I was unable to get out there to have a look at it. Around a month later I shot him a message to see if it had sold as I noticed the item was removed from marketplace. We had already negotiated a price, the trouble was finding time to go out for a look. He mentioned he was heading down my way late one Tuesday night and we arranged to meet up, where I got a good look at the unusual handle and decided I had better rescue it.
The axe is fitted with a particularly long handle which, given my height, actually suits me rather well. Then there is that palm swell. A large piece of contrasting timber has been grafted onto the heel and shaped into a substantial knob that is almost impossible to ignore.
Why was it added? Was the original heel damaged? Did the owner simply prefer a much larger swell to lock the axe into his hands? At this stage, I don’t know.
What I do know is that someone went to the trouble of modifying the handle rather than throwing it away.
That alone makes me want to preserve it.
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
The Plumb head is heavily pitted across both cheeks and has clearly spent a considerable amount of time exposed to corrosion. The maker’s stamp is still present, but only just, and will need to be treated carefully during cleaning. There will be no attempt to grind the pitting away. Doing so would remove far too much steel and probably take the remaining stamp with it.
Interestingly, traces of an old gold-coloured finish remain deep within some of the pitting. In normal light it is easy to miss, but turn the head in the sun and the occasional gold shimmer appears across the steel. I’ll investigate this more closely during cleaning and preserve whatever remains where practical.
The bit requires considerably more work. Unlike the Hults Bruk currently on the bench, this edge won’t simply need refining and polishing. The existing profile needs to be assessed and carefully brought back to a sound working edge while retaining as much steel as possible.
The handle is undoubtedly the most interesting part of the axe. Before sanding begins, I’ll inspect the grafted palm swell carefully to make sure the joint remains sound. Assuming it is structurally suitable for use, I intend to keep the handle and the modification exactly as I found them. The timber will be cleaned and sanded before being treated with Forgotten Steel Workshop Oil and finished with Workshop Wax.
I could replace the handle and make the axe look considerably more conventional.
But then it would just be another old Plumb.
This one has already spent years becoming something else.
CLEANING, EDGE & HANDLE WORK
Workshop update coming soon.
The next stage will be carefully cleaning the heavily pitted head, investigating the remnants of the old gold finish and seeing how much of the Plumb stamp can be revealed without damaging it. The unusual handle and grafted palm swell will also be inspected before the timber is cleaned and refinished.
Then there is the bit.
That may require a little more persuasion.
This article will be updated as the work progresses.
Restore it. Use it. Pass it on.
