Axe heads heated for deep cold weather

[serotina]

S serotina -- the info is out there if you feel interested enough to just Google it. A key term is "ductile to brittle transition" and, as previously mentioned, it's a well-documented and -researched phenomenon to the point of there being steels formulated specifically for industrial uses in low-temperature applications.

Yes, at this point that is obvious.

I've no doubt this is well researched somewhere, but the paper squarepeg linked doesn't fit the term "well documented" (read it please). It is a senior project - undergrad work that the advisor probably didn't read closely. As I said, though flawed it does illustrate the phenomenon, so it was useful to read.

S serotina

S serotina

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Yeah it's really the first handful of chops that are the risky ones with a freezing cold head. Once you get working, it might still be cool to the touch from the air leaching off the surface layer but it'll be much warmer than it was after resting in the cold.

 

[junkenstien]

Got them Swiss surplus axes so I didn't have to worry about chipping my old ones,chopped some old dead maple without warming them up after they sat in the garage for three weeks when it was below zero.It was 9 below the day I used them and they didn't chip.

 

[Square_peg]

Those who don't believe it prudent to warm an axe in cold weather are free to use their axes as they please. Seems simple enough.

 

[junkenstien]

Yes sir,I would on anything I cared about.Metal and wood are brittle in brutal cold.

 

[Canadian Mojo]

It's an expression. What they mean is steel possessed with an internal temperature that would produce frost - i.e, below the freezing point of water.

Sadly, I know people who don't realize this is just an expression. What's even sadder is that they are welders, and in one case, a weld shop supervisor.


...and having hung out on a welding forum or two I know my experience is far from unique.