Axe help

R

running bird

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Sep 29, 2015
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I bought this old axe a few years ago from a yard sale and just found it again while cleaning up the garage
https://imgur.com/a/1drcu

First I was wondering if anyone knows who the manufacturer could be, I don't see any markings on it though.

Second my rock well testil files scratched until 45RC, If that seems low ( I'm not an axe expert, my plumb axe comes is around 55 when I test it so this just seems low to me) I think I have a pretty good idea of how it happened. A while back my dad gave the axe to his freind to sharpen and, well, he put it up to a stone grinder and didn't give it any time to cool while working it. I cringed watching him do that but I was only 12 at the time and was afrade to sound disrespectful to ask him to keep it cooler. Thinking back I feel like I should have said something. If 45RC seems low then should I re- heat treat the head? If so what kind of quenching medium should I use? I use canola oil on my knives would that be proper for this axe? And what should I temper the head back to?

Third I do remember the head on the axe being very loose but now it seems very snug. Should I try and fit the head better or leave it be?

Thanks for the help,
Kevin
 
Sounds really soft ( you did file the bit not the poll right ? ) does the head have eye ridges ?
Probably no way to determine the maker of an unmarked generic dayton head other than that.

You could try to seat the head further, but if you have a better axe that's not so soft I'd just hang this on a Wall.
 
A considerable amount of blade has been worn or filed off of this (what I think is an) oldie, based on what 'fresh' axe heads usually look like. It may well be it's worn past the temper.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Sounds really soft ( you did file the bit not the poll right ? ) does the head have eye ridges ?
Probably no way to determine the maker of an unmarked generic dayton head other than that. . .
Click to expand...

I think this question might be important to the OP about who the manufacturer was: Why do folks here ask if the head has eye ridges?

I was hoping an answer would come from the "Axes with eye ridges...." thread, but nothing yet. :(

Thanks,

Bob
 
rjdankert said:
I think this question might be important to the OP about who the manufacturer was: Why do folks here ask if the head has eye ridges?

Thanks,

Bob
Click to expand...

Lucky I live in Canada and was spared from the allure of budget brand eye-ridged axes that were being flogged everywhere else during the 70s and 80s. This was a marketing gimmick (I think) but it sure did spotlight the instigator. And this now-defunct feature does help in determining the who/why/when and how of quite a few axe questions on this forum.
 
i have several Boys axes with ridges and a small hatchet with ridges. none stamped or have any markings. not bad steel or heat treat from what i can see.
i don't know anything about them, like where or who might have made them. collecting axes and bits and handles and such for years , i've forgoten where most of these tools came from or where i got them. lol
 
From what I understand, the most likely brand of axe for eye ridges, with no markings (and sometimes red paint) would be a True Temper Woodslasher. They came with a foil label. I've had some that had stellar HT and others that were iffy at best, yours looks to have been worn down a fair bit so it may be past what steel was hardened. These are monosteel axes though, so it may be possible to get re heat treated.
 
the head dose not have any eye ridges.

I very lightly etched from the edge of the axe about 2" deep in some enchant
https://imgur.com/a/vJYcR

To me it looks like it's iron or low carbon with a higher carbon core. Dose this help identify the manufacturer?

Also I did notice some very tiny holes on parts of the head that seem to snake around a bit inside the metal, it look like a worm burrowed inside. I haven't seen these before on an axe or knife before, could it have been severely rusted at one point?
https://imgur.com/a/eCNjw
( picture might be bad, very hard to get the hole focused)
 
300Six said:
Lucky I live in Canada and was spared from the allure of budget brand eye-ridged axes that were being flogged everywhere else during the 70s and 80s. This was a marketing gimmick (I think) but it sure did spotlight the instigator. And this now-defunct feature does help in determining the who/why/when and how of quite a few axe questions on this forum.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say it was completely a gimmick. It does reduce motion within the eye which reduces wood abrasion inside the eye. This means that an axe will stay tight longer.
 
It would help if you etched back further. I'd like to be sure whether this is insert bit with high carbon steel remaining at the bit (which I suspect it is) or an overlay where the softer body steel is exposed at the bit. My guess is that this is a very old axe made by the insert method. With no stamp it might have been a lower end axe and not that hard to begin with. I suggest just loving it and using it as is.
 
Thought I should update on how the axe is comming along.

I re-heat treated the head, heated it up to critical the quenched in warm canola oil. I'm tempered it in my oven at 475 for an hour and my RC testers have it a little under 55rc. Definitely happier with it there than at 45rc.

The stock was a little loose so now I have to adjust it a little to keep the head from falling off. once I'm all done I will post some pictures of the finished product.
 
Square_peg said:
I wouldn't say it was completely a gimmick. It does reduce motion within the eye which reduces wood abrasion inside the eye. This means that an axe will stay tight longer.
Click to expand...

Not to mention that a lot of us have had very good luck with these axes. I have never had an issues hanging one, and never had one come loose either. Some of my favorite axes are likely Kelly TT Woodslashers, red paint, eye ridges, and same shape and size as Kelly stamped axes.

running bird said:
Thought I should update on how the axe is comming along.

I re-heat treated the head, heated it up to critical the quenched in warm canola oil. I'm tempered it in my oven at 475 for an hour and my RC testers have it a little under 55rc. Definitely happier with it there than at 45rc.

The stock was a little loose so now I have to adjust it a little to keep the head from falling off. once I'm all done I will post some pictures of the finished product.
Click to expand...


Might I ask how you went about heating it up? I have a small hatchet head that needs to be hardened. The edge takes damage if it touches dry hardwood and a dull file bits in and removes material like it's nothing. I'm pretty sure it was never hardened from the factory. Anyway no forge so I was looking for home HT ideas for an axe. Good to know you were able to step up the hardness on yours!
 
I have a gas forge, I used that to heat it up. If you have or know some one with a strong enough blow torch I'm sure you can use that and keep a steady flame on the edge until critical. That might take longer but if you don't have a gas or coal forge that would be the next best option. Then just temper in your oven between 450-500 for an hour.

You also have to make sure the hatchet is made of a hardenable material. You can do that with a spark test, the more fuzzy and yellow the sparks look the more carbon in the steel. If the sparks look long and red than it probably won't harden much
 
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