Bearded hatchets

[I'mSoSharp]

Some bearded hatchets thought you might like to see, the largest top one a Viking style one that I forged, a mild steel wrap with a spring steel bit left with a forge finish.
The two smaller ones are cut down flea market heads, the last one with a homemade handle, both ferric acid etched.

(I know the grain orientation is wrong, it's just the wood I had! ).

 

[Hacked]

Nice work on those, I wouldn't worry about the grain orientation in the least bit. It's importance is well overstated especially for a smaller axe. I really like the smaller two, do you have any before photos?

 

[300Six]

(I know the grain orientation is wrong, it's just the wood I had! ).

Absolutely nothing wrong with that handle! In fact the way you've got it there should be a perceptible 'spring' or 'give' to it when swung hard. As well it's hatchet length which is subject to less stress than an axe length handle, and your design (plus the wood you selected) goes straight through from front to back with virtually no 'runout'.

 

[I'mSoSharp]

do you have any before photos?

Only one before-

Complete with nasty weld that I ground out & re M.I.G'd with the edge in water, it became this one-

I like the way the ferric acid shows the line of the hardened sections as on both of the modded heads.

Thanks for the handle comments, kind of what I thought so my comment was a pre.empt to the usual internet "you should have.......

Now waiting for someone to point out I should have left some handle proud of the head to allow for shrinkage

 

[Hacked]

That's neat it looks like an old slip fit style head that is popular in South America. Way to take something abused neglected and make it cool and useful again!

Here is an example of the style of axe I'm talking about restored by COTS, worth going through the whole project.

I perfer to leave my handles proud of the eye, but it's a preference not a necessity.