Above shows the obverse side of this Type III American Federal Navy Boarding Ax specimen that most likely saw shipboard service from the early 1800s thru the War of 1812, Mexican-American War of the 1830s, and up to the Civil War. Note the shortend haft or handle so that it can be used as a common hand ax or hatchet, the nearly square later-styled spike peened back to be used as a hammer. These two modifications were most likely done at the New York Navy Yard in the 1830s during refurbishment. Note that this later produced specimen does NOT have the blade and spike socket welds that appear on most/all of the earlier thinner tapering or oblong type spikes. This specimen also has 3 polished/sanded rivets securing the two langets to the sides of the haft or handle

Above are obverse and reverse photos of the later style Type III Modified US Navy Boarding Ax currently in the collection of The Pirates Lair. Note that the original 26" handle has been in-service shortend to 16". Most Type III's in existence today all have the shortend handle, only a very few still retain the original 24" to 28" length, which leads us to believe that shortening the handle was done while it was still in-service, most likely just prior to the Civil War, possibly even as early as the Mexican-American War of the 1830s.

Above are the reverse and obverse sides of the boarding ax head showing the top of the split socket with each side of the socket being part of the langets that are fitted thru the socket.

As noted above, on all Type III American Boarding Axes the langets are not integral to the socket or eye of the head, but are part of the rounded cap you see sitting on top of the socket. It appears that the American Navy took some of the features found on both the British and French Boarding Axes and combined them to form its own unique weapon.

Above are the standard arsenal marks and stamps as found on the American Federal Navy Type III Boarding Ax.

Found in 3 lines: U.S. for United States, N.Y.W. for Navy Yard Washington, J.T. for John Tarbell a Navy Captain Inspector stationed at the Washington Navy Yard during the War of 1812. Tarbell's initials have been found on various naval ordinance items during this period including boarding pikes! All of the letters were struck with individual dies making the markings to appear ragged and uneven.

Above is a closeup of the in-service modification attempting to take the boarding ax and making it into a more useful mid-19th century shipboard tool as opposed to a no longer needed weapon

RARE American US Navy Type III Boarding Ax This speciment has the later Arsenal Modifications most likely performed at the New York Navy Yard (NYNY) with the spike peened back hammer-like along with handle or haft shortened to function more like a hand ax. Spike is the later square style with thicker 1/4" width. The last true boarding ax of the US Navy and used from the War of 1812, Mexican- American War, and lastly in the Civil War. This particular boarding ax is in very good condition and properly arsenal stamped and marked.

Click Photo!

Length: 13.5" long Head: 8.75" long Blade: 2.75" wide Modified Peened Spike: 2.50" long.

Not For Sale

Private Collection of TPL

Authentic 100+ Year Old Nautical Antique Trunks The Real Deal! Fully Restored Antique Trunks Like Sea Chests, Pirate Chests, Treasure Chests!	Click Here To Review Sample Engravings	The Largest Selection of Antique Trunks on the Net to Choose From!
OPTIONAL - Trunk Wood Engraving Examples and Prices Custom Designed, Handcrafted, and Hand Lettered in Caligraphy on your Antique Chest	Click Here To Review Sample Engravings	Personalize Your 100+ Year Old Antique Trunk in Perpetuity!
Antique Trunks as a Shadow Box and Storage Chest! Customer Photographic Examples of our Antique Trunks Being used as a Military or Naval Retirement Shadow Box and Storage Chest!!	Click Here for Sample Shadow Box Photographs From Customers	Why just get a shadow box or a newly made trunk with no history! One of our 100+ Year Old Nautical Antique Trunks can be used for both a Shadow Box and Storage Chest for your Uniforms, Photograph Albums, and Memorabilia!

The Pirate's Lair
Division of DataCity, Inc.
78 Canterbury Drive
Stafford, Virginia 22554
Phone: 540-659-6209

Click Here and Return to The Pirate's Lair Home Page www.thepirateslair.com
"Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business"
Or
Email the-pirate@thepirateslair.com



Or Click HERE to return to The Pirate's Lair Home Page and Gangplank!