Can anyone help me identify this axe?

vanwag44 · Jul 13, 2015

Hi, Can anyone help me identifying this axe? I found it in a local antique shop covered in rust. No markings at all. It was red in color underneath the rust. I'm a basic memeber I could only upload two pics. Sorry.

Square_peg · Jul 13, 2015

Not enough there to go on........

vanwag44 · Jul 13, 2015

Thanks Square, I appreciate the reply!

Twoinch · Jul 14, 2015

are there ridges in they eye?

like square said, not enough to go on with just a shape.

maybe a top down shot may help.

vanwag44 · Jul 14, 2015

Hey Two, thanks a lot! I will take a top pic today. There were no ridges inside but it did flare way out on the sides at the bottom and was pretty narrow at the top it was tough to get a home depot handle to fit.

Twoinch · Jul 15, 2015

those home depot handles need a bunch of material removed to get the head to seat properly on the shoulder of the handle. get yourself a 4 in hand, aka, a four sided rasp for fitting heads to handles. makes life much easier.

a proper seat(imo) is about an inch lower roughly compared to how you have it seated in your first pics. as long as the everything is tight, its fine. i am a stickler on appearance tho.

vanwag44 · Jul 15, 2015

Thanks Twoinch, I really appreciate the feedback on the heft, its only my third. I couldnt even fit a wedge in there because it was so tight. See pics. Thanks for all the great help! Im very appreciative!

Square_peg · Jul 15, 2015

That eye is deformed from being beaten on while used as a splitting wedge. And with no proper wedge in the kerf I'd be amazed if that axe lasted thru a single day of serious work. Sorry to rain on your parade but that one has seen better days.

vanwag44 · Jul 15, 2015

Square_peg said:
That eye is deformed from being beaten on while used as a splitting wedge. And with no proper wedge in the kerf I'd be amazed if that axe lasted thru a single day of serious work. Sorry to rain on your parade but that one has seen better days.

I was afraid you would say that, so there is only a quarter inch on each side of the metal wedge, do you even recommend a re-heft or is this one a lost cause?

300Six · Jul 15, 2015

vanwag44 said:
I was afraid you would say that, so there is only a quarter inch on each side of the metal wedge, do you even recommend a re-heft or is this one a lost cause?

You've already devoted a lot of time to this so trying to reshape the eye is not a lost cause. The blade will be tempered and hard but the eye and poll are soft steel and should be pliable enough to pound back into shape without breaking. I've never done this myself so I can't speak from experience but there are folks on here that have done it successfully.

vanwag44 · Jul 15, 2015

Thanks 300Six, your right, a lot of time in this axe. Would love to make it right, I'm not going to let it be finished improperly.

Square_peg · Jul 15, 2015

vanwag44 said:
I was afraid you would say that, so there is only a quarter inch on each side of the metal wedge, do you even recommend a re-heft or is this one a lost cause?

I don't recommend fixing it. But if it has become personal for you and you want to see it hung right then you can fix it good enough with a bit more effort. Here's what I'd do in your place. Get a MAPP gas torch. Tie a wet rag around the bit of the axe about 1-1/2" from the edge. Then heat one side of the eye only of the with the MAPP gas torch until you see a blue temper color in an area that has been sanded or filed shiny. Recall that this axe eye deformed cold. It can be pushed back in at moderate heat with only slight weakening of the steel. Heat it. Hammer it. Go ahead and quench it. You won't make the eye brittle because you never it got it up to the critical temperature for hardening. And you won't ruin the temper of the bit because the wet rag is protecting it.

Once one side has been hammered in, flip it over and do the other side. Heat & hammer. The cold side of the eye won't deform because the hot side will absorb the blow. Metal moves easiest where it hottest. A beginner can do a decent job of repairing an eye in this manner.

300Six · Jul 16, 2015

Square_peg said:
I don't recommend fixing it. But if it has become personal for you and you want to see it hung right then you can fix it good enough with a bit more effort. Here's what I'd do in your place. Get a MAPP gas torch. Tie a wet rag around the bit of the axe about 1-1/2" from the edge. Then heat one side of the eye only of the with the MAPP gas torch until you see a blue temper color in an area that has been sanded or filed shiny. Recall that this axe eye deformed cold. It can be pushed back in at moderate heat with only slight weakening of the steel. Heat it. Hammer it. Go ahead and quench it. You won't make the eye brittle because you never it got it up to the critical temperature for hardening. And you won't ruin the temper of the bit because the wet rag is protecting it.

Once one side has been hammered in, flip it over and do the other side. Heat & hammer. The cold side of the eye won't deform because the hot side will absorb the blow. Metal moves easiest where it hottest. A beginner can do a decent job of repairing an eye in this manner.

Good explanation and in your case well worth giving it a shot! But this is not something I am going to write down or memorize as long as there are still lots of decent heads around to be had. As a totally non-nostalgic buddy of mine always says about seemingly disposable goods: "C'mon man, give it up. They make new ones every day".

vanwag44 · Jul 16, 2015

Guys thanks so much for your time and help! Im going to think it over and see if I can find a new axe head in the meantime. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with a newbie!

Twoinch · Jul 17, 2015

vanwag44 said:
Thanks Twoinch, I really appreciate the feedback on the heft, its only my third. I couldnt even fit a wedge in there because it was so tight. See pics. Thanks for all the great help! Im very appreciative!

you must remove a ton of wood both on the outersection of the wood eye, and once you get it seated fully into the ax head, you must remove the head again, and cut the kerf to the proper width and to the proper depth and trimming and thinning the wedge to proper dimensions. when hanging an ax, you will pound the head on and off anywhere from 5 to 20 times, test fitting, making adjustments, test fitting, repeat, repeat, etc... to get a good looking and functional hang, it takes practice and small steps, a precise fit.

steel wedges arent for hanging axes. use only a properly cut, and sized/trimmed wood wedge.

when seating the head onto the handle, you hit the bottom of the handle, not the top of the ax head. hold the ax handle with the head pointing at the ground, with the head suspended in mid air, and smack the handle end with a wooden mallet, i prefer a 2 or 4lb deadblow. this causes the head to climb up onto the handle with no hitting the ax head. tap the bottom side of the ax head to remove it to keep rasping and trimming.

Twoinch · Jul 17, 2015

i suggest leaving that ax for a wall hanger in your shop. find a couple heads with intact eyes and learn on them. trying to reshape an ax eye without proper tooling and heating equipment will be frustrating at best. i probably wouldnt attempt it, not because its not possible, but because the work/benefit ratio is not good IMO

garry3 · Jul 17, 2015

With them nice bevels on the cheeks and rounded bit, it very much reminds me of a Plumb but no way to know for sure.

I would take Squarepegs advice and straighten it out. Won't cost you a thing but time.

cityofthesouth · Jul 17, 2015

I think you've gotten some good advice .... now .... that garage looks like it is home to a hot rod to me.

vanwag44 · Jul 18, 2015

Thanks guys! Great advice I found a new one today, the other one is wall bound, and yes city...52 pontiac chopped chieftain lol, good call!

vanwag44 · Jul 18, 2015

Really really appreciate you guys. Seriously thanks for the help! Hopefully you can tolerate more questions as I learn!