Best but worst double bit axe ...

[Pindvin]

I've been going through my 3 double bits and decided to sell the "worst i got. When it comes to condition the worst was a noname brand with number 4 stamped on it. Although, when i cleaned the head i noticed that it's laminated steel ... i mean hard steal forged onto a soft spine.
I decided to grind it a little BIT (no pun intended :>) and it is some really hard stuff.

Heres where you can see how new steel begins.

Now the problem is that this axe was porbbaly used as an anvil of some sort and one of the sides is concave in the center.
I do not have the picture of it right now but it flattens the eye on one side by 1-1.5mm. On one hand the axe is probably great because of the two steels used but on the other side the flattened eye makes wonder if it can even get hung properly.
What do you suggest?

 

[300Six]

Older axes (namely 120+ years ago) used a tool steel bit inserted into a wrought iron head (steel was expensive and hard to get) during the forging process but the availability and price of real steel (thanks to Mr Bessemer's process) supplanted the old-fashioned way of doing things mostly by the turn of the previous century. One piece 'all-steel' axe heads were heat-treated in order to temper the blades and the head (portion with the eye and usually the poll too) thereby remained soft/pliable enough to withstand commercial use.
Merely finding a differential metal section on a no-name blade is no big deal. Not finding a temper line would be a cause for alarm on any axe head (whether it was stamped or not) since it might have survived a wild fire but consequently lost it's temper, which would then relegate it into the "paperweight" or 'collectors' bin.

 

[chuxwan]

Is your question whether or not you should try to hang it? If so, then absolutely yes. See if you can get it to hang straight, the eye doesn't looks that deformed. If it hangs straight enough, see how it cuts. If you like how it cuts, use it.

 

[Pindvin]

This is how the temper line looks like after soaking in vinegar for like 10mins.

 

[Square_peg]

It reminds me of my old Stiletto axe. Great steel. But the dimpled eye is a major problem. However seeing as you're in Europe where American-style double bits are uncommon you might want to work with this axe.

Do I recall that you do some blacksmithing work? Is there any chance you could acquire or make a drift for that eye? A drift could correct that eye in one heat. And if you had access to an induction forge then you could heat the eye without damaging the heat treat of the bits.

 

[Pindvin]

Since i got access to a primitive forge it would be problematic and time consuming to repair this axe.
You can see the oncave portion in the center in the 3rd picture from above in my first post. Maybe it is not very deep but it is present there.
Btw. how can i tell which end of the eye is the bottom end and the top end??

 

[Steve Tall]

...Btw. how can i tell which end of the eye is the bottom end and the top end??

Measure the eye opening. The top is usually larger to hold the head on the handle better when the wedge is installed.

Some double bits were designed to be "reversable", meaning they could be re-installed "upside down" after the toes get worn (like your axe looks here, like some damage was done that was filed away). I don't know whether the eye of a "reversable" head had equal dimensions top and bottom (with maybe a slight hourglass constriction inside?).

 

[Square_peg]

I'd bet that the shorter tips on that axe are the toes. It looks well worn. No harm in flipping it. And those cheeks are going to need some filing.

 

[Pindvin]

I used an angle grinder with a flap disc to remove the pitting and create a main bevel on the "felling side". Then i used a nylon abrasive wheel to smooth out the rough grind marks. For the handle i reused a handle from a Polish forged dbl bit axe (the only double bit you can buy in Poland except for ochsenkopf and GB). That's why the fitting is so poor. Yet, the handle does not move at all in the eye.

Here's a movie of me chopping with it:
Sorry for the quality. Something must have had blurred the lens.
[video=youtube;WSuV4hhMEiE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSuV4hhMEiE[/video]

 

[halfaxe]

Another old axe rescued from oblivion. Excellent! I like the laminated steel axes best and believe they are superior. That is not an inserted bit but was made by the overcoat method.

 

[Pindvin]

You are 100% correct, halfaxe!

 

[lmalterna]

Pindvin,
Well done on the save. Chopping looks effortless. Accuracy is always hardest off the left shoulder.

Bill