Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this Marbles safety axe for a while now, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey.
First off, I got my hands on a couple of these bad boys – both No. 5’s. One’s an original, and the other’s a reproduction I picked up somewhere along the way. I even dug into Arni Dunathan’s book, “The Encyclopedia of Marble’s Knives & Sporting Collectibles,” to get some background info. It is very interesting.
My Soaking Process
I decided to give my Marbles axe some love. I started by soaking it in vinegar. Yep, you heard that right, vinegar! After that, I gave it a nice, long oil bath. I heard someone talking about using linseed oil for this kind of thing, and since I was already using it on some other tools, I figured, why not?
I went ahead and doused the ‘marbles’ in linseed oil, along with a few other tools I had lying around. It felt right.
Safety First
Now, let’s talk safety because, let me tell you, axes can be nasty if you’re not careful. I’ve heard some horror stories, and trust me, you don’t want to be part of one. Safety first, people!
- I always made sure to keep my axe dry and off the ground.
- Kept it away from dirt, sand, and any open flames. You know, common sense stuff.
- I learned the hard way not to use it for prying things open or hammering. It’s for cutting, scraping, or whittling wood, food, or rope—not for messing around with rocks or metal.
Using It
When I was actually using the axe, I made sure to use proper technique. I kept one hand near the axe head and the other at the tail end. Then, it’s all about that smooth swing. Feels pretty good when you get the hang of it.
Back to Marbles
So, back to Marbles. Apparently, this guy Webster started the whole safety axe thing way back in 1898. His company was called the Marble Safety Axe Company. They made a bunch of different models, like 11 of them, from 1911 until the mid-1970s. That’s a lot of axes!
Anyway, that’s my little adventure with the Marbles safety axe. It’s been fun, a bit educational, and definitely a reminder to always, always be safe when you’re handling these things. Stay sharp, folks!
