My lovely wife bought me an axe for my birthday. Can you ID it for me?

[bhofmann]

Tomorrow is my birthday, but since I won't be home (working away) we celebrated my birthday this morning (mostly for the kids to share it).

My wife bought me an old axe at a car boot. She got it for a song - £3.50. She is excellent at finding bargains!

It looks well made (I am a novice so really have no idea). The wedge is pinned in place with two metal "staples". The head has no markings other than "DSI" above what looks like an eye or fish symbol and then 21/2 written below that.

I've not yet taken a file to it, but clearly it's not seen one in a very long time.

Can you help me identify this axe, and for bonus points, tell me whether it's any good?

 

[robin wood]

Don't know the particular maker but have used vary many axes of similar type and vintage and am sure it will be a good one. The metal wedges across the wooden wedge are fine and it looks in pretty good nick. Quick sharpen up and it should be ready to work.

 

[krung]

It is made by Dansk Stålindustri (DSI - Danish Steel Industry). I don’t know much about them and the internet isn’t so helpful.

My father had a small scout’s axe made by DSI. It is a rather common brand for older Danish axes.

From the Danish Wikipedia article on hammers, I know that DSI was producing hammers around 1924.

- Kasper

 

[Tengu]

its a great axe

2 1/2 would be the weight in pounds

 

[bhofmann]

Thank you so much for the information Kasper and Tengu. I took a file to it earlier, and although I don't have the edge I want yet (had to do other stuff) it seems like good steel. As Robin said; it is sound and will probably make a nice axe.

 

[Peter_t]

i use a DSI axe at work.
its a different design to yours, has a much thicker profile which makes it a great splitting axe. this is all i use it for so i cannot comment on quality of steel.


yours looks well designed, the profile isn’t too thin and has a gentle slope to the edge (i personally don't like GB axes which are thin with a sudden steep bevel).
the curve on the edge (corner to corner) isn't too rounded which is good as this can make it inefficient when felling or chopping logs to size.

i would be very happy with it


pete