A whopper of a chopper

[Zeddedhed]

Picked up this beastie the other day - it was sitting in an outhouse due for demolition.
The owner wasn't interested so I had it away into the back of the Landrover before the oiks could get their hands on it.

I doubt its rare or has any value. I reckon it'll be rather good for splitting up some firewood though.

 

[AndyT]

Well, seeing as how that style of axe is called Kentish, and that you presumably found it locally, I'd guess that the Seal is the village near Sevenoaks. You could do a quick search on census records etc and see if you can find a blacksmith named Wickham who worked there and might have made it!

 

[Sparky415]

Nice Axe, Great save!

 

[AndyT]

I've had a very quick look. The 1861 census shows John Wickham, master blacksmith, at Seal Chart with sons Richard and Alfred as journeyman blacksmiths. In 1871 John is still there but the older sons are elsewhere. Younger son Frederick is now an assistant blacksmith as is one Thomas Woodhams.
In 1881 I can't see any Wickham working as a blacksmith in Seal. The village still has a smith but his name is Edmund Exeter. Frederick is still in Seal but working as a coachman.

Now I'm not a genealogist and may well have missed something obvious, but I can say that Seal had a smith called Wickham at least in the years 1861 to 1871 so it's possible that your axe dates back to then.

If you don't want to keep it, I think there may be an active forum member nearby who has a liking for Kentish axes and (if I recall our walk round the village correctly) could show you where the smithy used to be!

 

[Zeddedhed]

Thanks for that Andy - I briefly tried to look up census info and couldn't find a site that didn't ask me to cough up some cash.
Where did you look?
It's nice to know the (probable) provenance of the axe.
I'll probably keep it - at least for now. I'll give the head a bit of a cleanup with a mild flapper disc and have a go at sharpening it up although I have no idea how to do that without using the Tormek and I'd imagine that with the long handle that could be tricky!!
The hand will just get a light sanding and then some Linseed or similar.

I'd love to know which website you used to glean the info if you don't mind.

Cheers

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Happy to help Pete - it's always nice to know something of the history of a tool, especially when it's as local as that one.

I used findmypast.co.uk but on a paid subscription. Afaik the only way to get census returns free is to go to a library where they have a subscription - many public libraries do.

As for axe sharpening, you can't carry a Tormek out into the woods! - so more basic, hand-held options are the norm. I expect the local resident could help you if you visit again, provided his dog stays still long enough!

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I urge you to hold off with the flap wheel ! Axes need not be shiny to work, and I cringe when I see those shiny polished things on ebay. I know that some would leave an over polished but otherwise good axe out in the rain to rust a bit as an improvement.

Just sharpen - possible with contortions and a Tormek - brush off loose rust and linseed the head too.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Thanks Andy - don't know if I'm ready to be raped by a dog again just yet but that's not a bad idea.

Tony, the idea was just to get rid of the 'live' rust. I'll heed your words though and hold back from the flap wheel and just a give it a quick brush with a brass brush.

 

[jimi43]

Thanks Andy - don't know if I'm ready to be raped by a dog again just yet but that's not a bad idea.

Tony, the idea was just to get rid of the 'live' rust. I'll heed your words though and hold back from the flap wheel and just a give it a quick brush with a brass brush.

Hi Pete!

What a WIMP! Guy ten time the size of poor little ALFIE too! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Yes mate...it's a Seal axe from the next but one village from me and just up 7 Mile Lane for you...and it would have been hand forged by Wickham but I'm not sure where the old smithy was...the one in Wrotham Heath is still there...behind the blinking PETROL STATION...(how smart is that!)..."PUT THAT *** OUT!"....but I don't recall one in Seal or Seal Chart.

Pop over and I'll sort the rust stabilization and sharpen it up for you...

You can keep ALFIE entertained while I do it!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[AndyT]

Thanks Jim - I thought you'd like this one!

Sorry if I have mentally merged two different villages - I should have checked a reliable map first: I think this one is about right, from 1871:

http://maps.nls.uk/view/102343519#zoom=6&lat=791&lon=6820&layers=BT

or this as it looks now - I reckon the old building set back behind the houses is in about the right place.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssGXADAidT6weWk772o9BpA!2e0

 

[jimi43]

Thanks Jim - I thought you'd like this one!

Sorry if I have mentally merged two different villages - I should have checked a reliable map first: I think this one is about right, from 1871:

http://maps.nls.uk/view/102343519#zoom=6&lat=791&lon=6820&layers=BT

or this as it looks now - I reckon the old building set back behind the houses is in about the right place.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssGXADAidT6weWk772o9BpA!2e0

Indeed it does interest me and in fact...Seal Chart is a little closer to me than the actual village of Seal itself.

It is now a rather exclusive hamlet with a few huge houses...and I would be very interested to know where the forge was.

I think the distance between Seal and Seal Chart...even today with motor vehicles...would have been great enough for them to have warranted two blacksmiths...the latter being near a farming area outside the village and the hamlet would have consisted the farm owner and worker's houses and the required work on farm implements.

Does the census actually say Seal chart because that is here:

SEAL CHART

Cheers

Jimi

 

[AndyT]

Nearly there now...Thanks again Jim for paying more attention than I do! Yes, Wickham may have marked his axes with just SEAL but appeared in the census at Seal Chart, which I had overlooked when I went looking for him. Your local knowledge pays off!

Here is a smithy in what might be the right place:

All being well, that link should take you to a map with the smithy in the middle and with a slider control where you can swap to the Google satellite view of the same place. There's not such an obvious outbuilding as there is in Seal, but there could be something behind the hedge.

It does all go to prove why "Smith" is the commonest name - they were in every village!

 

[bugbear]

I'm not sure where the old smithy was...the one in Wrotham Heath is still there...behind the blinking PETROL STATION...(how smart is that!).

That's very common. The smiths had mechanical and metalwork skills, so when cars appeared, they were the people who provided the services, as they had for bicycles a couple of decades earlier.

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

Nearly there now...Thanks again Jim for paying more attention than I do! Yes, Wickham may have marked his axes with just SEAL but appeared in the census at Seal Chart, which I had overlooked when I went looking for him. Your local knowledge pays off!

Here is a smithy in what might be the right place:

All being well, that link should take you to a map with the smithy in the middle and with a slider control where you can swap to the Google satellite view of the same place. There's not such an obvious outbuilding as there is in Seal, but there could be something behind the hedge.

It does all go to prove why "Smith" is the commonest name - they were in every village!

OK Prof!!!!

I'll see your map and raise you two pictures of the actual smithy today with a clue to my correctness...despite Google's attempts of anonymity!

The SMITHY AT SEAL CHART today...

...and the "bit of a giveaway" evidence on the partially obliterated house sign....

How's that for sleuthing Pete!!?

Nice one Holmes!!! =D>

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Result!

And to my shame, I looked at that house sign, wondering if it might help, saw that the lettering was blurred and gave up. How did I miss the picture in the middle!!

Teamwork rules.

 

[jimi43]

I did have a bit of a brainwave when my entrepreneurial spirit of olden times kicked in...

I was thinking..how about walking up to the door and knocking on it and when they say "hello...what do you want" we say "do you want yer axe back mate...£100 and it's yours!"

Then...I had a bit of a rethink...from the other side of the window so to speak...

Old lady making cup of tea hears knock on the door...looks outside and sees huge bloke with scratches up both legs wielding a gigantic axe standing next to a midget with a big grin on his face....

NOPE...not a good plan!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[Mr_P]

If you decide to go maybe leave it in the car, Stormtrooper helmet not a good idea either.

Guy ten time the size of poor little ALFIE too!
Jimi

Too tall to be a stormtrooper ?

ps I used to work at an ex-smithy and that was a car repair garage before my boss bought it. I even found the wall plaque stating it was a reserved occupation during the war.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Guys, I am seriously impressed with the detective work on this. You seriously RAAWK as my 10 year old would say.

I think showing up at the house as described would probably mean almost certain overnight incarceration by the local plod, although I have it on good authority that local lock ups do a better class of breakfast in the morning . When I were a lad you just got a lukewarm cup of something, probably full of copper p*ss!

It's great to know more about the origins of an old tool and nice to know that I'll be able to "resurrect' it as it were and give it another useful few years. Well done Mr Wickham sir, your axe was truly built to last!!

I'll take you up on that offer Jimi. I'll get the trousers thickened up first though, and then splash on a bit of "Eau de Postie" - that should liven things up a little.
By the way, the little German woodie is being put to great use - Sam is making huge piles of wafer thin shavings for no other reason than it's fun.
Tonight his Mum asked him if he wanted to watch some animated film or other with his little sister but she couldn't drag him away from planing.
What a great intro to woodworking.