3 axes

T

Tote412

Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
23
Here are three axes I'm going to clean up. The larger double bit is a true temper, the single bit is plumb, and, I haven't found a mark in the smaller double bit yet.
4f39bf8d.jpg

303302dc.jpg
 
Nice group. Cool score on the cruiser size double. I've been looking for one of these but never find any. You'll have to update us with pics of the finished prodcuts.
 
It has a great feel to it. I've gotten some rust and dirt off but still can't find any markings.
 
9f7b26c5.jpg

0dabea9d.jpg

1ef22f40.jpg

9f2763ba.jpg

917d84ce.jpg

45072f39.jpg

eacff36a.jpg

Finally did some work on these. I'm merging the axe thread with the hatchet thread that I started also.
Work was done with a die grinder with
Various grits of sandpaper.
Took the notches out of the edges and cleaned everything up. Notice the crack in the boys axe.
I still plan on soaking these in vinegar. I have another hatchet head and two true temper double bits left to do. If one of them can be cleaned up with no pitting left, I may leave it shiny
With no patina.
 
Last edited:
Nice job, Dude. Keep up the good work. The crack in the boy's axe is no problem. That is where the forge weld met. It's pretty common even on brand new axes like wetterlings and GB's.
 
After the vinegar soak, I plan on maybe wrapping green scratch pad on a drill bit and trying to clean it out.
 
DrivebyTrucker said:
Is it possible to clean inside the eye?
Click to expand...

I have a very small wire cup brush with a 1/4" shaft that I use on a cordless drill. It will get the bulk of the inside of a single bit eye but can't get into the narrow side of the eye. From there I scrape with a screwdriver, small chisel or the end of a rat-tail file.
 
M3mphis said:
The crack in the boy's axe is no problem. That is where the forge weld met. It's pretty common even on brand new axes like wetterlings and GB's.
Click to expand...

I thought GB punched and drifted their eyes. That's what their doing in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E89nlVmPeeU

I didn't think any major axe manufacturers were still forge welding eyes.

Edit: Note the color chart on the wall at 8:45 in the video. The left side is the color of the metal at quenching temperatures. The right side shows the tempering colors.
 
Last edited:
Square_peg said:
I thought GB punched and drifted their eyes. That's what their doing in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E89nlVmPeeU

I didn't think any major axe manufacturers were still forge welding eyes.

Edit: Note the color chart on the wall at 8:45 in the video. The left side is the color of the metal at quenching temperatures. The right side shows the tempering colors.
Click to expand...

I agree with you. My thoughts there are incomplete and confusing. I should have thought through it more. I believe what happens on the GB's, Wetterlings, etc is that they punch the eye, then draw out the bit further with the drop hammers. As they draw out the steel into the bit, it pulls the two sides from around the eye. These pieces of converging steel don't always fully adhere which is okay. Here's a quick and dirty drawing of my theory:

eye%2520crack.jpg
 
That's possible. But I think the axe shown in this thread is indeed forge welded as you first suggested. I just think it's an older axe. A forge welded axe will sometimes have a slight cavity in the bit side of the eye. Maybe Tote could take a closer look at that one for us.
 
Looks like there's at least a seam visible in that eye. I still think it's forge welded but I can't be certain.
 
I have two heads coming out of vinegar tonight. What do I do with them when I take them out?
Do I have to wash them with something special?
Do I use scratch pads or just a soft cloth?
 
Tote412 said:
I have two heads coming out of vinegar tonight. What do I do with them when I take them out?
Do I have to wash them with something special?
Do I use scratch pads or just a soft cloth?
Click to expand...

I usually just scrub them with a synthetic brush under hot water, dry with towel, and then hit them with WD-40.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top