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Forest Walker

Joined
Apr 4, 2005
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A few years ago I found a black raven double bit axe in the woods. The handle is shot and the head could use some TLC, is it a good axe?
 
May want to check out the bay on that one. If it's what you say it is, could be worth quite a bit of money.
 
What is the engraving in the center? That may be a real find worth investigating.
 
Cut off the handle. Vinegar bath for around 3 hrs then Windex & baking soda to neutralize the acid then wire brush either by hand or wire wheel on a drill. Then sharpen her up! Is there just a wooden wedge holing the handle in or is there also a metal wedge? Carefully make some drill holes in the wedge and then knock the wood out of the eye.
 
I gotta say, I'm not a fan of the vinegar bath. I find it destroys the patina on these older axes. I use a brass-bristle brush to get the heavy stuff off and clean out the crevices in the head, then work in some machine oil to the steel. I'm a fan of the rough-forged, antique look though.
 
I use a brass wire cup brush. Keeps the patina intact and removes the rust. Leaves an old axe looking great.
 
jpeeler said:
I gotta say, I'm not a fan of the vinegar bath. I find it destroys the patina on these older axes. I use a brass-bristle brush to get the heavy stuff off and clean out the crevices in the head, then work in some machine oil to the steel. I'm a fan of the rough-forged, antique look though.
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It depends on your intentions I guess. I'm not one that thinks a working tool needs to look antiquey. I think it should be brought back to as close to the condition it would have been used back in the day. If it's a wall hanger then I'd have to agree with you.
 
Definitely a valid point. I tend to look at old axes- even my working axes- like good silver. They get a polish, but I don't scrub away the earned patina of countless hours of work, and the badge of withstanding the years.
 
Hello! This is the first forum ive ever been a part of. I recently found a Kelly Black raven hatchet in my grandpas garbage pile of tools. It Looks like he never used it and has some surface rust with no pitting. Where on this forum should I go to inquire about its value and age? Thanks!
 
Dropzone: Take some pictures of your new hatchet, host them on a free service like photobucket, then start yourself a thread here with links to those pictures. Sounds like you've got quite a prize, can't wait to see it.

John
 
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