Campbell Bros axes

As I am preparing to split some of my oak billets, I took a look at my axes.
I have this hewing head I picked up years ago, in need of a haft (handle)

It was a gift from one of Heather's in-law from the small island of Whitehead New Brunswick, itself just off the bigger island of Grand Manan in the Bay of Fundy.
You get there with two ferries, a big one from Black Rock NB on the mainland (near St-John NB) then a small 8 vehicles one to Whitehead.

The ferry terminal in Whitehead

Me practising early retirement on the island, circa 2005

Just off the bigger island of Grand Manan is the island of Whitehead

This is where my axe came from

Blake knew I collect tools, so he kept an eye out in his travels and brought me some once in a while.
This is how this hewing axe came to me.

The single bevel side

and flat reverse side, makes this a hewing axe

Pics as received in 2012

I long ago cleaned it and picked up a suitable (?) haft and wedges kit to put it back into service but I never got around to it.
At my local seasonal outdoor flea market in Wilmot, there is often a guy who makes and sell all sort of handles for tools: Axes, mattock, pick, shovels etc.  He just happens to have an old working handle offset lathe to make them.  Here is one example, I do not know how his machine look like.

I just brought my head with me and this is what he sold me

This is what it would look like, if I ever installed it.

Look like I got it set for a lefty... :-)

The wedge kit came with a large wooden wedge 

and two metal wedges to lock it in place.

The kit says for heads from 2-1/4 to 4 pounds

So how much does my head weigh??

Ouch, 5 pounds.  Maybe I need a bigger wedge kit??

Yes Dear, breakfast is almost ready :-)

It has lay about ever since, mostly in my unheated garage, time to bring it in and show it some love...
This is what it looks like today, after all these years of neglect.

It is stamped clearly

CAMPBELL'S XXX TOOLS

ST. JOHN N.B.

and further down 

C

XXX

C

The bevel side fared well

The flat side, not as good :-(

Compare to picture as found above.

Remedial actions are needed

The head is 10 inch long

It definitively shows signs of being hand forged

The poll is 4 in wide

The bit (cutting edge) is 6 in wide

The typical hewing form

Single bevel cutting edge and flat on the other side

Lets have a look at Campbells of St. John New Brunswick.

The company was formed under the banner of Campbell & Fowler in 1863, in St John NB
In 1879, it became simply W. Campbell, then Campbell Bros in 1893 until dissolved in 1926

At this point, I am not sure if the Fowler was Joshua Fowler who came from Maine and established himself in St John NB. It would seems quite a good fit.  He is quoted has having operated in St John from 1860 to at least 1922, while the Canadian record indicated 1873-1920 (see both links above) for his solo company.

The odds of having two different Fowler, making axes in St John NB

 at roughly the same time, seems remote

If J Fowler Co Ltd started in 1873, that is about the time Campbell & Fowler changed name to W Campbell.

Back to our Campbell:

Label from Canadian Forest Industries 1916

Text under label reproduced below

Quote: Campbell's XXX single and double bit axes are made from the best material by skilled workmen who are paid an extra price for the best goods that can be produced.  Every axes is properly heated in forging, carefully tempered by an expert, grounded true and thin to a keen edge which it will retain.
This axe has been on the market for 12 years with increasing demand each season.  Lumbermen appreciate axes, which they can rely upon to stand up to all conditions. Unquote

That would indicate it was made by Campbell's Bros since 1904 (1916-12=1904) and that the XXX markings indicate their best steel and products.
At the time most Maritimes axes and edge tool makers used mostly steel imported from Britain, presumably Sheffield. Canadian steel making will be concentrated in and around Ontario, near water ways (St Lawrence river, Great Lakes etc) Hamilton On being an early center of steel making in Canada.

Pic from book axe maker of America

The cancelled stamps read Apr 1902

Pic from auction site Vance Auctions 

Canadian Forest 1916

See the faint arm raised with hammer logo on this adze

I believe this was a latter logo in the 20th century until their closure in 1926

Pic from a woodforum

Blenkhorn's Chief from nearby to me Canning NS was one of their fierce competitor.

They were both reputed to make the finest axes

All this to say, I believe that this axe was manufactured between at the earliest 1893, latest 1926
I think somewhere in the early 20th century.

Bob, cooking breakfast with the mother of all "chopper" :-)