Sater 7 Axe???

[stubby99ca]

My father picked up an old axe head at an auction sale. It is stamped Sater 7 and made in Sweden. It is a fairly large broadaxe. My father thinks it may be worth something. Does anyone know anything about the Sater company. I found some info about a Sater Banko company but this axe seems to be just Sater.

Any thoughts???

[Wild&Free]

http://www.knivestoolsandart.com/201...r-axe.html?m=1

It seems like the factory that made those axes was founded in the late 1800s and ran until 1960 before shutting down. From the article above, they started using the Sater-Banko stamp after 1920. That axe head is most likely over 100 years old. As for value, eBay has vintage axes from 10-20USD. Great find though, restore it and use it imo.

[Redneck 7]

Great find! I'd put a 28" axe handle on it and say welcome to the family.

[calgarychef]

I found an ax head laying in a dirt road when I was about 12 or so, I put it in a Hadley and it's been my ax ever since, I'm 48 now and it's never let me down.

[Dog_River]

It sounds like you got a gem there ! be sure you down use any grinding tools on it and leave marks in it. research how to restore an old axe from a reliable source not just utube.

I need some real good quality axe handles. I cant stand the cheap one at Home Hardware etc.

Does anyone know where I can source them ?

Thanks, Dog_River

[silverdoctor]

Originally Posted by Dog_River

It sounds like you got a gem there ! be sure you down use any grinding tools on it and leave marks in it. research how to restore an old axe from a reliable source not just utube.

Yep, that goes for anything antique afaic. Drives me nuts to know that antique dealers mechanically clean any old iron, axes hanging on the wall with a beautiful shine to them. Too many people take the fast way out.

[CaberTosser]

I've never heard of a Sater, but I did just restore an old axe myself. This old double bit axe was in the garage when I bought my home, and the handle had a major bend in it. With the rust on it I couldn't make out any markings but for some reason thought it was an Oxhead and I ordered a handle for it under that impression. When I chemically stripped it in a tub of Evapo-Rust it revealed the markings visible in the attached photo: "Berghaus Sweden". Looking that up didn't reveal much save for another fellow curious about his single-bit axe by the same maker. What I found of particular interest is the distinct coloration lines you can see in the axe head, to the best that I can tell these lines are because it is different steel types forge-welded together. The darker edge steel is distinctly harder and takes an edge very well, and one can see chipping along the edge from where someone would have been hammering on it during a previous re-handling job. The centre steel is softer and also bears marks from re-handling, but it is malleable and the marks reveal it was being deformed rather than chipped when struck. I think the color and hardness differences are too great to be explained by the quenching following heat-treatment, but I might stand to be corrected by someone with metallurgy knowledge. I had to order a single bit axe handle from Lee Valley as all that I could find in stores were single-bit handles. The OxHead handle I got was significantly oversized and it took lots of whittling down to achieve a good fit, and I used cushion blocks when pounding the handle off and on during fitment so as not to further damage the head. I put fresh edges on it with a 1" benchtop belt sander that I scored off of Kijiji and it easily equals my Wetterlings in terms of sharpness. This photo is from before the sharpening, I'll have to snap a pic of it finished and post that in a follow-up.

[Dog_River]

I would love to see the finished product ! I have an Adze I am working on now and I made the handle myself because the head was an odd size. I will post a photo when I am done.

Dog_River

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

I've never heard of a Sater, but I did just restore an old axe myself. This old double bit axe was in the garage when I bought my home, and the handle had a major bend in it. With the rust on it I couldn't make out any markings but for some reason thought it was an Oxhead and I ordered a handle for it under that impression. When I chemically stripped it in a tub of Evapo-Rust it revealed the markings visible in the attached photo: "Berghaus Sweden". Looking that up didn't reveal much save for another fellow curious about his single-bit axe by the same maker. What I found of particular interest is the distinct coloration lines you can see in the axe head, to the best that I can tell these lines are because it is different steel types forge-welded together. The darker edge steel is distinctly harder and takes an edge very well, and one can see chipping along the edge from where someone would have been hammering on it during a previous re-handling job. The centre steel is softer and also bears marks from re-handling, but it is malleable and the marks reveal it was being deformed rather than chipped when struck. I think the color and hardness differences are too great to be explained by the quenching following heat-treatment, but I might stand to be corrected by someone with metallurgy knowledge. I had to order a single bit axe handle from Lee Valley as all that I could find in stores were single-bit handles. The OxHead handle I got was significantly oversized and it took lots of whittling down to achieve a good fit, and I used cushion blocks when pounding the handle off and on during fitment so as not to further damage the head. I put fresh edges on it with a 1" benchtop belt sander that I scored off of Kijiji and it easily equals my Wetterlings in terms of sharpness. This photo is from before the sharpening, I'll have to snap a pic of it finished and post that in a follow-up.

[Dog_River]

You fellow smay enjoy this video. I have watched it many times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22tB...layer_embedded

Dog_River

[Redneck 7]

Watch "Wranglerstar" on you tube. He restores all kinds of axe heads and old logging tools. Even makes his own handles. He will give you lots of tricks, dos and donts.

[stubby99ca]

Thanks everyone for the information and feedback

I informed my Father of what info I got here and he was pleased.

[CaberTosser]

Heres a few pics of the restored axe, I opted to relieve some of the blemishes left by the previous re-handling job. Some might not like the 'character' removal, but hey, it is my axe . The handle got two or three coats of linseed oil and I rubbed a bit of wax from a new toilet seal on the metal for rust protection. I went to 320 grit for the sharpening belt; I have much finer grits, but it is an axe after all, not a straight razor.

[Dog_River]

Nice work Caber ! I am in the market for a double bit if anyone comes across a nice one.

Where did you get the handle ?

Dog_River

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Heres a few pics of the restored axe, I opted to relieve some of the blemishes left by the previous re-handling job. Some might not like the 'character' removal, but hey, it is my axe . The handle got two or three coats of linseed oil and I rubbed a bit of wax from a new toilet seal on the metal for rust protection. I went to 320 grit for the sharpening belt; I have much finer grits, but it is an axe after all, not a straight razor.

[CaberTosser]

The handle I ordered from Lee Valley Tools and its hickory, I went there as they carry the OxHead line of axes and I initially thought this was one. I lucked out as I encountered a staffer who knew even knew the inventory with cobwebs on it and knew where to check for oddball inventory. The handle is actually a bit wider than the axe head along the slim profile, I may shave it back a bit, though really that part won't get buried in a log anyways.

DogRiver: I'm assuming you're looking for a vintage double bit, but if new suits you there's always these to choose from @ Lee Valley. Curious that the Iltis/Oxhead material notes the handles are ash rather than hickory:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...24&cat=1,41131

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/p...28,45794,20129

[bang_on_sk]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

The handle I ordered from Lee Valley Tools and its hickory, I went there as they carry the OxHead line of axes and I initially thought this was one. I lucked out as I encountered a staffer who knew even knew the inventory with cobwebs on it and knew where to check for oddball inventory. The handle is actually a bit wider than the axe head along the slim profile, I may shave it back a bit, though really that part won't get buried in a log anyways.

DogRiver: I'm assuming you're looking for a vintage double bit, but if new suits you there's always these to choose from @ Lee Valley. Curious that the Iltis/Oxhead material notes the handles are ash rather than hickory:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...24&cat=1,41131

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/p...28,45794,20129

Hmm, shaving it down sounds like a great excuse to buy a spokeshave from lee Valley!

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by bang_on_sk

Hmm, shaving it down sounds like a great excuse to buy a spokeshave from lee Valley!

A cabinet scraper with a good edge will do nicely, but I like where you're going with that.

[Berts_Garage]

Hey @CaberTosser did you ever find out anymore info on the history of your axe? I just got the same one and can't find much on the internet.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Berts_Garage

Hey @CaberTosser did you ever find out anymore info on the history of your axe? I just got the same one and can't find much on the internet.

FYI - the last post on here was in July ........... 2015

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by EZM

FYI - the last post on here was in July ........... 2015

I think Caber is still around though.....