"R.H." wrote in message
...

"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
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"Alexander Thesoso" wrote:
1022 Fireman's axe, hydrant valve wrench.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This could be right, but a couple of things make me wonder: 1.) The
valve stems on all the fire hydrants I have ever seen have five sides, to
keep people from opening them with ordinary wrenches. 2.) Firemen's
axes always have a demolition spike on the head--not a hammer head. 3.)
Since a firemen's axe is used to break into burning buildings, it is much
more aggressive looking: longer handle, handle has non-slip shape at the
free end. This one appears to be wedge-shaped at the end, which is
really puzzling.

Could this be for the kind of fireman who stokes a steam engine firebox?
The square hole might then be for a steam valve.


This tool isn't a fireman's axe, note the blade is not sharp but is
actually blunt, I read somewhere that it was manufactured that way. I
know who would use this hatchet, but I'm still researching to find out
exactly what the wrench was for and why the blade is dull.

Your post came through while I was typing this elsewhere.

"Look at page 104 of this pdf file of modern firefighting equipment.
Combination tool with axe head and hydrant wrench socket available with
square or hexagonal sockets to suit local hydrant designs.

http://www.ziamatic.com/PDF/Catalog07/07Catalog.pdf

1022 is an early version of what is still a modern tool."
--
Dave Baker
Resistance is useless (The Daleks)
Resistance is futile (The Borg)
Resistance is volts divided by amps (Georg Ohm)