Few tools carry the same weight of history, symbolism, and sheer practicality as the fireman’s axe. It’s more than just forged steel and hickory, it’s a badge of service. A continual link between generations of firefighters who have swung it through walls, roofs, and history itself.
Origins of the Fire Axe
From ancient Rome to the Great Fire of London, axes were used not just for cutting wood but for tearing through barriers to rescue others. When American volunteer fire brigades emerged in the 1700s, the axe became standard issue. A versatile tool for entry, ventilation, and overhaul.
As cities sprawled and fire departments professionalized through the 19th century, so too did the design of the fire axe. Iron gave way to steel, heads were reshaped for purpose, and handles lengthened for leverage. By the late 1800s, the pickhead axe had emerged.
The Rise of the Pickhead Axe
The pickhead design features a chopping blade on one side and a pointed pick on the other. It certainly became a defining tool of modern firefighting. The flat blade could force doors and cut through roofs, while the pick punctured walls, pried open roofs, and dug into metal.
This was the era when firefighting tools became specialized, standardized, and symbolic. One particular axe would rise above the rest.
The Seagrave Axe: A Legend Forged in Fire
In the early 1900s, the Collins Company, a pioneer of American toolmaking founded in 1826, introduced what many regard as the first modern pickhead axe: the Seagrave Axe.
Named for its association with the Seagrave Corporation, which outfitted its fire trucks with Collins-made tools, the Seagrave Axe stood apart in both form and function. Its distinguishing features: a longer head, thinner blade, downward-cast pick, and diamond-shaped eye, gave it great balance and demolition power.
Stamped with “Manufactured by Collins & Co. Expressly for the Seagrave Corp.”, the Seagrave became an instant classic, carried by generations of firefighters and revered today as a collector’s treasure.
The Seagrave’s story is one of craftsmanship meeting innovation. It was born in Collinsville, Connecticut, a community literally built around the Collins Company forge. For over a century, Collins tools armed workers, explorers, soldiers, and firefighters across the globe. When the company closed in 1966, its spirit didn’t vanish. It carried on through those who still believe in American forged excellence.
The Pickhead Axe Today: Still Forged, Still Trusted
At Council Tool, that legacy is alive and well.
For over a century, Council Tool has forged tools for those who serve from the forest line to the fireground. Every pickhead axe that leaves our forge continues a constant lineage dating back to Collinsville: American steel, American craftsmanship, and a relentless drive to build tools that last a lifetime.
Our Pickhead Fire Axe, available on a 6lbs head, is drop-forged from high-quality American steel, heat-treated for strength and edge retention, and paired with either a traditional American hickory handle or durable fiberglass for today’s demanding conditions. We even have a new patented Dual Grip handle design swinging to precision on the job.
The Grind That Sharpens the Axe
“A sharp axe doesn’t just come from the forge, it comes from the hands that bear it.”
Firefighters have long taken pride in caring for their axes: cleaning, filing, oiling, and tuning them after every call. That ritual of maintenance is a reminder: it’s the grind that sharpens the axe, just as challenges sharpen the firefighter.
Forged in Tradition. Built for the Fireground.
From the Seagrave to the Council Pickhead, the form may evolve, but the spirit never changes. It’s the same spirit that drives the firefighter’s courage, the blacksmith’s precision, and the American craftsman’s pride.
At Council Tool, we’re proud to carry that torch forward, forging the next generation of axes right here in the USA for those who still answer the call.
Forging for service. Trusted by generations. Made in the USA.