Era of Stubai Aschenbrenner Axe?

[Cpt.Caveman]

What years was this model in production\sale approximately.

 

 

Thanks.

[Mtguide]

I bought one of these at the Seattle REI in 1966,and I know they were still available in '69-'70.

[Rodchester]

Actually, I'd say by the angle of the pick and the teeth it is older. I could be incorrect, But I'd say the 1940s.

[scrubber]

Hey, I've got one of those! I found it at an antique shop out east. It was probably bought by someone as a souvnier or decoration for their house because it's literally never been used. Not a scratch. Go figure... now it's on my mantle.

[rbw1966]

I'm with rodchester on this one. I have a similar axe hanging in my office and I'd be willing to bet its at least 60 years old.

[Thinker]

This website seems to have some decent info on the old Stubai axes. You may need a little help translating it, though.

http://plaza.across.or.jp/~suwabe/Stubai/S3.htm

 

So did you get the axe out of one of Fred's old gunny sacks full of gear?

[Cpt.Caveman]

You need the localized (by language or all of them) fonts installed to view the text properly.

 

I don't speak - read - or write Japanese.

 

Anyway yeah it's one of Fred's old axes. I'm just unsure of the era. Asking him is like something he's not interested in or cares about. I think he'd rather talk about boobs and women's underwear instead.

 

Thanks,

-RB

[Rodchester]

Cpt. Cavie:

 

I just spoke with a Japanese speaker in my office. He did a QUICK review of the linked page. If the axe has Stubai stamped on the head inside a mountain, it is newer (post WWII). If the axe has Stubai stramped inside of a triangle, it is older (usually 1950 or older).

 

So: Triangle or Mountain?

[Bronco]

You guys really think it's that old? Looks state of the art to me. I think I saw Mark Twight sending m10 with one of those not too long ago.

[Cpt.Caveman]

If he's correct I got an old model.

 

If that is true then I am thinking of restoring it a little for longer term. What are some good suggestions for the wood and metal? I could green pad some metal with small amounts of wd-40 and shit but am not too savvy about the wood.

 

Thanks Rod.

 

Edited March 4, 2004 by Cpt.Caveman

[Dru]

varnish? shellac?

[Off_White]

I know in vintage guitars refinishing runs down the value quite a bit, but I have no idea if there even is a criteria for vintage ice axes. You might want to wait a bit and look into it before you buff off the patina gained over the decades.

[mattp]

I'd say tread lightly. I have a friend who restores furniture, and he spends a lot of time and money NOT to refinish or even truly scrub things. It is a simple item, so I bet you could clean it up without messing with the original finish and without destroying the petina, and I bet that'd be maximum value.

[cj001f]

I wouldn't touch the shaft, but if you want to get rid of the rust on the shaft, try a little steel wool (lightly!) then cover it with some clear lacquer.

[jja]

If that is true then I am thinking of restoring it a little for longer term. What are some good suggestions for the wood and metal? I could green pad some metal with small amounts of wd-40 and shit but am not too savvy about the wood.

 

Don't do it ray. These guys say so.

 

[ScottP]

If he's correct I got an old model.

 

If that is true then I am thinking of restoring it a little for longer term. What are some good suggestions for the wood and metal? I could green pad some metal with small amounts of wd-40 and shit but am not too savvy about the wood.

 

Thanks Rod.

 

I have a similar model with the triangle but no words.

I sanded the well-used shaft with 100 grit paper to reduce the incidence of splinters and buffed the metal parts with steel wool and rubbing compound. I then treated the shaft with danish oil (to bring out the nature of the grain) and the coated it with several coats of polyurethane, lightly sanding with 220 grit paper in between. The metal parts I treated with 3-in1 oil to reduce oxidation. The metal has since reverted to a well used, but not overly-oxidized look. Over all, it looks pretty good.

 

Yours being of a more historically known and significant origin, I would dispense with the sanding and polyurethane and just treat it with some tung or danish oil to preserve the wood as is. Buffing of the metal with a light petroleum product (3-in1, WD-40, gun oil) does preserve and enhance without messing up the aged nature of the metal.

[jja]

Seriously Ray, if this thing has any collector value or even the potential of having collector value DO NOT reconditon it. Refinishing the metal or wood will ruin it's collector value. MattP's right, collector's love the old time petina and distressed wood look.

 

It's funny as shit watching that antique show on pbs where some rube had a $50k piece of victorian furniture that's now only worth $10k because they stripped the old paint off and stained it

[Cpt.Caveman]

I would like it to be contributed\given to a place where it belongs. Then maybe they can deal with it.

 

What are some ideas?

[cj001f]

What are some ideas?

 

The American Mountaineering Museum (@ the AAC Headquarters)

 

Neptune Mountaineering?

They've got the knife

Edmund's boots

And a whole bunch of other stuff.

 

Shame I don't know of something in this neck of the woods.

[Rodchester]

The reality is that there are many of these old axes laying around. I have a pretty rare one that is a WW II German mountain troops actual issue with the German Army serial number clearly visible on it.

 

I have another Stubai that I believe is from the early 1930s (based on some research) that is only 50 cms in length. The short axes are VERY rare. back then everything was long, walking axes.

 

My pint is that these tend to run between $100.00 for a standard old axe and up to about $500.00 for a VERY rare axe.

 

In the years to come, assuming you can authenticate that it was used by old Fred, it may be considered rare. But overall these axes are more interesting pieces that you hang on your wall, as opposed to a museum wall.

 

Does anyone know of a Cascade Climbing museum, or mountaineering historical society? Do the Mountaineers have anything like that? Others?

 

 

I have been trying to find an old hemp rope....that is very hard to find.

 

That said, I agree with most here...don't touch the wood shaft.

[Ducknut]

I believe the Mazamas have a historical collection associated with their library. I don't know if they collect stuff from outside of the club (although I think Beckey is an honorary member) or how one would make a donation.

[Thinker]

How about auctioning it on Ebay to finance another FA with Fred....

 

...or to finance an outlet for his obsession with "boobs and womens underwear"?

[russ]

I've got one that looks like this,

except the scripted "Nanga Parbat" is underneath the mountain logo. The head has some rust, but would clean up nicely.

 

Thought I was hot shit when I bought it well used in 1973 for $10. I'll bet there still a lot of these models stuffed in the back of closets.

[Rodchester]

I think Russ is correct thatthere are many old axes laying around in garages and closets. That is a perfect example of Stubai stamped within a mountain, meaning it is not that old. I'll bet its a 1960s model...interesting adze.

 

That is in great shape.

[Alasdair]

I would like it to be contributed\given to a place where it belongs. Then maybe they can deal with it.

 

What are some ideas?

 

Ray, although this axe by itself is probably not worth more than about $50 -$100, it is an axe that has real worth just by its history. Althought I hate to see it go out of the northwest, the American Alpine Club has a museum in CO. Another option, if you could talk Fred out of a couple of more items would be to approach the Museum of Hisory and idustry into an exibit on northwest moutnaineering. I am sure there are several people on this board with enough items to start a nice exibit at a local museum.