Axe restoration (2lb Dayton?)

[wdmn]

This is another axe head I just started working on yesterday.

Before bath/scrub:

After bath/scrub:

Not sure if I will put a fine polish on this head or not.

Check out the mark on the cheek:

I can't make anything of this. Anyone have a guess?

This looks like the Dayton pattern but also like the Yankee...? Head ways 2 lbs, was on a 19" handle when I found it.


Wdmn

 

[CedarEater]

I have no idea what those marks are but looks like you got a nice boys axe head thats in good shape. I would put it on a boys axe haft and have some fun with it.

 

[wdmn]

Thanks CedarEater, as soon as I can find a handle for it I definitely will put it to work.

 

[killa_concept]

Looks swedish to me. Flat faced and the light blue paint. Probably one unstamped by the manufacturer. Lots of them were imported over in the 80s with only "sweden" or the weight in kg/lbs stamped on them. I fixed one up for my grandfather here. Yours could be a GB - they used a similar paint color before they revamped their manufacturing process.

The stamping wasn't very deep and after the paint wore off, it's hard to make it out but I think it might say
"Made in
Sweden"

The bold being the side that stamped well enough to still make out

 

[wdmn]

Thank you k_c; that is a helpful hint, and I enjoyed reading about the restoration of your grandfather's axe.

 

[M3mphis]

Looks swedish to me. Flat faced and the light blue paint. Probably one unstamped by the manufacturer. Lots of them were imported over in the 80s with only "sweden" or the weight in kg/lbs stamped on them. I fixed one up for my grandfather here. Yours could be a GB - they used a similar paint color before they revamped their manufacturing process.

The stamping wasn't very deep and after the paint wore off, it's hard to make it out but I think it might say
"Made in
Sweden"

The bold being the side that stamped well enough to still make out

I think you can pretty well count on killa having this one figured out.

Nice looking head.

 

[wdmn]

Question about sharpening this axe:

there are some nicks on the bit at places where I don't really want to take more metal off. In order to even out the edge I will have to remove even more metal from the middle of the bit. When doing this what is the best technique with a file? Should I focus on the edge with a steeper angle, or bring it down more gradually with a gentler one?

thanks

 

[Square_peg]

Small nicks I will remove by filing at the angle I want the edge. Larger nicks I'll take out at the grinder before I go to filing. But it's very easy to damage the temper of an axe with a grinder unless you're very sure about what you're doing.

Do you have a vise for holding the axe while you file it?

 

[wdmn]

I would prefer to not use a grinder if possible. The nicks aren't that deep, but you can see them in the 2nd picture of the original post; there are three of them by the heel.

I've been using a c clamp and a 6 inch mill bastard. Maybe a larger size file would help?

Thanks

 

[Square_peg]

Yeah, a larger file. I like 10" and 12" files for filing axes.

 

[killa_concept]

Yeah, a larger file. I like 10" and 12" files for filing axes.

Pretty much this. A 6" file is going to be slow going, especially if you're wanting to do actual reprofiling and not just touch-up or sharpening. a 12" mill bastard is definitely the way to go if you're needing to remove material.

 

[SwampDude]

Small nicks I will remove by filing at the angle I want the edge. Larger nicks I'll take out at the grinder before I go to filing.

I'm working on a small axe and a hatchet with similar nicks, and I'm finding that using a 10" course file at a gentle angle is a very slow process. These are my first restoration projects.

Is it inappropriate to file at a steep angle to remove more edge metal quickly? After the nicks are filed away, work could commence at the desired final angle. It seems this approach would be more efficient, quicker and less damaging than the grinder.

By the way, what file do you guys use for the finishing an ax edge? I can't find a 'fine' file at any of our local stores.

 

[killa_concept]

Here's my process to help out any people who might just be starting off with restorations (since there's 2 people in this thread who seem to fit the description). I use a 12" Nicholson Mill bastard for the work. I used to have a US-made one, but that finally started to wear down. The ones they sell at hardware stores are now made in mexico. They still work very well, but will wear down after restoring 3-5 axes if you're doing a lot of reshaping/metal removal.

I use two C-clamps to pin my work down like so and just flip it as needed:

The first step, which I'll skip if the shape is good, is trueing up the edge and taking the nicks out. If a head got a lot of abuse in its future life (usually caused by glancing or missing and the bit ending up in the ground/rocks), it'll be a bit more circular from uneven wear at the toe or heel of the bit. Making the bit straighter will make it more efficient and less prone to glancing:

Next I'll put the basic ~20 degree edge back into it, very blunt without much convexing.

Lastly, I take material off the cheeks to thin it out and allow the bit to bite deeper. I usually do something similar to a banana grind to keep the toe and heel more robust.

Here's the latest axe I restored, showing the sort of grind I end up with. A jersey pattern True Temper Kelly Perfect that I rehung on a 35" straight haft:

By the way, what file do you guys use for the finishing an ax edge? I can't find a 'fine' file at any of our local stores.

Usually after the main work is done with the file, you'll have a wire-y edge. That's actually good enough if you're just using the axe for felling/limbing, but if you're OCD or want a finer edge for detailed work, you'd use a lansky puck or other stone to finish up the edge. I personally use DMT credit card sharpeners (great for this job as well as being very portable sharpeners) followed by stropping on a leather belt.

 

[SwampDude]

Thanks, killa. Your step-by-step illustrations are helpful to understand the restoration process in a conceptual way.

As a beginner, learning to work the edge to a specific shape seems almost impossible without precise measurement tools and magnification devices. I'm thinking it takes lots of practice and experience to get beyond where I am today, which is "Gosh, that edge feels sharp and looks good".

 

[wdmn]

Thanks killa for the very helpful post.

 

[M3mphis]

Is it inappropriate to file at a steep angle to remove more edge metal quickly?

I guess it's pretty well covered, but it is quite common to file straight down on the very edge to get the shape you want. I do it all the time.

 

[wdmn]

Today I got access to this old 10 inch bastard file:

It seemed to be in good condition. The brand is "Globe" which was a Canadian company bought up by Nicholson at the start of the 20th century, so this file was likely made in Canada (or the U.S.):

With it I was able to remove material from edge, but thinning the cheeks proved a difficult task:

The edge isn't very sharp, nowhere near sharp enough to filet paper or shave with. I know other people go to stones after using a file, I'll probably stick emery cloth to a plane of glass, though I'd like to do a better job reshaping first.

Still looking for the right sized handle (about 20 inches).

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Square_peg]

Filing a good axe can seem impossible until you learn a few tricks. About 60 RC hardness is the limit for what you can cut with the best files. A good axe can easily be in the mid to upper 50's RC hardness. Additionally, the outer oxidation layer can be several points harder than the underlying steel. A good well-hardened axe is near the limit of what a file can work.

But here's a trick, get through the oxidation layer in one small patch. Then work out from there. The file's teeth will get under the oxidation layer and lift it with the slightly softer steel below. If necessary clear a small patch with a stone to get started.

The axe needs to be held firmly in a vise or clamped to your bench. The axe should be at about the height of your navel for most the ergonomic filing. Varying the speed and pressure applied to the file will change how it cuts. Experiment and find the speed and pressure for your axe. If the file is sliding over the steel or squeaking/chattering then you need to change what you're doing. That will only dull the file.

Ideally the axe is clamped by the poll and eye area. The flair of the bit should stretch out over the jaws of the vise. This way the axe can't be pushed down no matter how hard you bear down on the file.

If necessary use a hardwood shim to level the poll/eye area with the vise.

Put a guard on your file as shown in the first photo and wear sturdy leather gloves. You will be pushing your hands forcefully toward a very sharp edge. Be extremely cautious.

 

[Square_peg]

Another image of an axe in the proper filing position. Note how the flair of the bit stretches out over the jaws of the vise. You can really bear down on an axe held this way. And there's nothing sticking up above the axe to get in the way of your file.

 

[wdmn]

Thanks Square Peg.

Do you have to file pushing towards the bit or can you file pulling towards yourself from behind the bit?