5160 or O1 for small camp axe/hatchet

C

chad2

Joined
Sep 2, 2011
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ok so i need some help i want to make the axe from 5160 because i love working with it but i can only buy a peice big enough to make an axe head which would have to be bolted to an inch thick g10 handle.

But i could buy some O1 which i can get big enough to do a full axe/hatchet out of, but i have never worked with O1 so i do not know how it reacts to hitting a nail while chopping through a 2x4 :D.

My only concern is not that i think g10 being bolted to a 5160 axe head would be strong enough for hard use. But that the g10 would get in the way when splitting wood or chopping through somthing.

Is O1 a good enough choice to use as a small axe / hatchet? Or am i thinking into the design to much and i should just go with the steel i want to.

Another reason i ask is because there are a couple of small axe's out there where the axe head is bolted inbetween to slabs of g10 and i think "ok it can work" but then i have never used an axe designed like that so i dont know it limitations. Would it be a waste. Or should i just go with a O1 full tang axe?
 
If i was to use 5160 the style of axe would kind of look like an american kami axe not exactly but the same concept.
 
You might also give Aldo a holler. He can get other sizes than what's listed, special order, if I recall correctly. I'm assuming you're wanting to do an integral or something like that?
 
If im correct I seem to remember that jk knives
As well as scott gossman both made hatchets
That were full tang and made out of O1 ! Im sure
If you ask them or search their sub forums you
May get some information your looking for ?...
Hope this helps

Frank
 
Can 52100 be used as a good axe steel or is it to high in carbon? I am still leaning towards O1.
 
chad2 said:
Can 52100 be used as a good axe steel or is it to high in carbon? I am still leaning towards O1.
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Personally, I think O1 and 52100 are over the top for axe material. Mind you, they CAN be HT'd for axe use and if that is the easiest material to obtain, go for it. All I'm saying is that if you can get your hands on something under .84% carbon like 1060-84 or 5160, the steel would suit the task better.
 
Aldo has some 6" wide 1084 and 1075 that should work well for what you need. Amtek Tools carries wide 01 if you want to go that route.
 
I'm thinking about the same thing. Very similar in fact, because I also would like to use 5160 but can only find it as wide as 4" right now. I'm considering getting the 4" 5160 from Aldo and then forging the blade out from that to make it wide enough, I figure I can get it out to probably 5.5" wide without compromising the head design.
 
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