[ArfinGreebly]

Pretty obvious what it is.

Points are only awarded for a) naming the brand (which I do know), and b) guessing the age (which I don't know) -- (hint: there are NO markings of any kind on the hatchet).

Steel is evidently high carbon. Handle is evidently rosewood.

With scabbard -- leather, brass snap, brass rivets:
http://noisyroom.net/pix/thr/2008_0119-Knife/Smaller/2008_0119-Knife-005.jpg

Close-up of the scabbard:
http://noisyroom.net/pix/thr/2008_0119-Knife/Smaller/2008_0119-Knife-006.jpg

Close-up of the head -- notice the edge:
http://noisyroom.net/pix/thr/2008_0119-Knife/Smaller/2008_0119-Knife-007.JPG

Close-up of the handle
http://noisyroom.net/pix/thr/2008_0119-Knife/Smaller/2008_0119-Knife-008.JPG

The edge has been professionally refinished. It is mirror polished, convex ground to perfection. Shaves hair off my arm.

And, yes, it's from a second-hand store.

So . . . anyone?

[Skofnung]

Looks like an older Estwing with a home made handle.

Age? no idea.

Good find either way.

[Timthinker]

I own an older Estwing that belonged to my late father and the configuration of the hatchet certainly resembles it. You might e-mail Estwing with your pictures and they will give you a response. If it is a privately customized job, the Estwing reps should be able to let you know. Their customer service department has treated me very well in the past, so that is why I make this recommendation. Incidentally, that is one beautiful hatchet.


Timthinker

[ArfinGreebly]

Yup, it's clearly an Estwing.

There is no indication that the handle is home-made.

Or, said differently, if it was home-made, that's a hell of an artisan. There is no wiggle at all. Solid as a rock. Brass pins same age as those in the leather. Completely symmetrical. Furniture-smooth.

Well-balanced, a joy to hold. Some denting and a little chip on the "hammer" side of the head.

The pitting leads me to believe this is pre-stainless steel. Somebody wire-brushed the pitting and then polished it, so there is no active corrosion.

I'm tremendously pleased with it.

In the same store I also found an old wood carving knife by Iisakki Järvenpää oy. Handle is just a block of wood with the tang laid in, and the sheath is a similar block of wood with a snap-in spring to hold the blade. And a Buck "55" mini hunter, virtually unused for about half price (less, actually).

That store has a whole tool section, with woodworking tools -- some over two feet long -- and a rack of old lathe tools in great shape (some rust to remove, but solid and sharp). Old carbon steel butcher knife, carbon steel bolo, and other fun stuff. There are more than a dozen reasons for me to go back on a regular basis.

[spiroxlii]

Fisher Price from 4000 B.C.