Thursday, August 8, 2013

Handle Manufacturer of the Past, Hartwell Brothers

Hartwell Brothers, Memphis, Tennessee
2499 Chelsea Ave, Memphis, TN 38108 (not at that location in 2011 per Google Maps)
1249 Fairfax St., Memphis, TN 38108 (group of abandoned industrial buildings in 2013 per Google Maps)
Hartwell also had a Laurel, MS plant. In addition to handles, they produced baseball bats and sold the Grey Gorge line of axes. One unique feature that Hartwell used on some hammer and hatchet handles was the "Vacuum Cup" as pictured below, intended to increase the grip.





7 comments:

  1. Long gone. Building Burned a few years ago. Sold out to IXL mfg. then to Ames which gutted the place and killed it.

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  2. My grandfather, Edward "Morris" Gill, worked as a designer and lathe machinist at Hartwell Brothers in Memphis from the early 40s till the 70s. I visited the plant many times and still get nostalgic when I see shavings or sawdust (grin).

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    1. Sidney Sims Jr. , work there and drove the Truck for Kit Avery , brother was Tom Avery , the Avery family was from Conn. , all gone by now, good ole days ?

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  3. Needed to re-handle my grandfathers old cruiser axe after the handle broke on a hard down stroke and I ended up stuck in the back by the flying double bit head! Pictures to prove it! Finally dug the head out of the scrap steel pile and started to clean it up, turns out it is a Hartwell Bros. Grey Gorge Saddle Axe, Cruiser, I would like to find a direct replacement handle. bottom opening in head is 2 1/4 X 9/16. Any suggestions?

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    Replies
    1. I would join the Facebook group Axe Junkies. They know all about axes.

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  4. Last fall after the RV (with all the camp axes) was stored for winter, I picked up a "Jewel" Hartwell Brothers ax handle $4 at a yard sale that I knew was an exact fit for my Dad's Vaughn camp ax. The handle on it was too short and loose to boot. Well it's May and the RV is out and I just got done fitting the handle using a old knife file cut in pieces for wedges. Some modern day epoxy and it's a really nice job. The ax dates from the '40s don't know about the handle.

    Steve Case - Milwaukee, WI

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  5. We're surveyors. We'd buy burlap sacks full of cull handles and use them for hub stakes in the field.

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