Photos Carpenters Hatchet - Restoration Plan and Questions

A

Alyxdor117

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Dec 18, 2017
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So I have an hatchet that my father gave me. I have used it on few weekend camping trips and it has become my best friend. Recently the head started slipping off so I started looking at the hatchet a little more carefully... and I am wanting to restore it.

It looks to me to be a carpenters hatchet from what I've been reading, and I am not sure who made it or how old it would be.

There is a makers mark but I cant identify it, maybe when the rust comes off? Or someone more knowledgeable could let me know?

My current plan of attack is;
Hatchet Head -
1. Post Pics of the before
2. Get rid of the handle, I am not sure whats under the electrical tape but I don't think its salvageable (I want to make my own handle)
3. Soak in vinegar for 2 days (48hrs)
4. Scrub in this order: Steel Scrub -> Coarse Sandpaper -> Medium Coarseness Sandpaper -> Fine Sandpaper
5. File the blade and clean up some of the chips, I am not sure if the "bit" is still ok? And while on the topic of cleaning up the cutting blade part, I am thinking of a file, but willing to buy whetstones, I assume since its a Carpenters Hatchet that i want to keep the bottom more flat, and the curved in part at the angle?
6. Add a nice steel safety chemical?

Handle -
1. Find Hickory chunk or I'm hoping for some Osage Orange wood (it looks nice in pics)
2. I want to do a natural stain
3. I will use my current handle as a template, but maybe make the bottom angled a bit
4. I was thinking of etching my initials into the handle near the blade and then using some glow gel to seal it so it glows my initials in the dark... too tacky?
5. I would like to incorporate copper somehow as my added some wire to the top of the handle, any ideas?

This will be my first restoration project, my uncle has a place that I can work on it but its a bit of a drive so I want to maybe go out there for a weekend or two to work on this.

Any tips/comments/criticisms please fire my way :)

https://imgur.com/a/JwLtk
 
Last edited:
Use this , it's the best.
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Upload your image, then hit the blue icon at the hotlink for forums, then paste it here.


Less is more !!!

for restoring this thing, would recommend not using vinegar or sandpaper.
This is not a new tool and should not look like one.
It's also got a history to tell through it's patina, a history your dad gave it and that you gave it through it's use on those camping trips.

My recommendation to you would be to take a wire wheel in an angle grinder and or drill along with some care to remove the rust.

Depending on how the handle looks I would also recommend removing the tape to see what's underneath it, then using something like citristrip to remove the residue...ect then sanding and oiling it if it happens to still be usable.

Just search the " what did you rehang today " and " what did you sharpen today " threads to see some pictures of what a beautiful properly restored axe, hatchet, or hammer looks like.
It's your tool to do with what you want, but I'm just giving you some advice because if you go ahead as planned there's no going back.

Btw this thing doesn't have that much rust, and is definitely not something I'd
Stick in vinegar if I did like it as a rust removal method.
 
Alyxdor117 said:
So I have an hatchet that my father gave me. I have used it on few weekend camping trips and it has become my best friend. Recently the head started slipping off so I started looking at the hatchet a little more carefully... and I am wanting to restore it.

It looks to me to be a carpenters hatchet from what I've been reading, and I am not sure who made it or how old it would be.

There is a makers mark but I cant identify it, maybe when the rust comes off? Or someone more knowledgeable could let me know?

My current plan of attack is;
Hatchet Head -
1. Post Pics of the before
2. Get rid of the handle, I am not sure whats under the electrical tape but I don't think its salvageable (I want to make my own handle)
3. Soak in vinegar for 2 days (48hrs)
4. Scrub in this order: Steel Scrub -> Coarse Sandpaper -> Medium Coarseness Sandpaper -> Fine Sandpaper
5. File the blade and clean up some of the chips, I am not sure if the "bit" is still ok? And while on the topic of cleaning up the cutting blade part, I am thinking of a file, but willing to buy whetstones, I assume since its a Carpenters Hatchet that i want to keep the bottom more flat, and the curved in part at the angle?
6. Add a nice steel safety chemical?

Handle -
1. Find Hickory chunk or I'm hoping for some Osage Orange wood (it looks nice in pics)
2. I want to do a natural stain
3. I will use my current handle as a template, but maybe make the bottom angled a bit
4. I was thinking of etching my initials into the handle near the blade and then using some glow gel to seal it so it glows my initials in the dark... too tacky?
5. I would like to incorporate copper somehow as my added some wire to the top of the handle, any ideas?

This will be my first restoration project, my uncle has a place that I can work on it but its a bit of a drive so I want to maybe go out there for a weekend or two to work on this.

Any tips/comments/criticisms please fire my way :)

https://imgur.com/a/JwLtk
Click to expand...

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That is a cool hatchet. I came pretty close to picking one up in a trade. I will agree with Hickorynsteel on the bypassing the vinegar for using an angle grinder.

All that dirt and rust was accumulated by your father - that is kind of like his "initials" on it. The blue bits of paint could be the original color of the head. The copper wire is a repair strategy and not a functional upgrade. You could make a sheath/mask for it and incorporate copper into that.
It is a single bevel for carving/small hewing and thus not prone to overstrike. In fact, my hand ends up where the copper is on yours when I use one and it seems like it would impede function or be uncomfortable at least.

The handle doesn't have a kerf cut into it or look like epoxy was picked out of it so it may not be original to the hatchet (doesn't matter).

Maybe take a file to the inside of the eye there to clear it out of the path of the handle.
They are also quite a bit easier to file a good edge into them when they are off the handle.
It's your yxa in the end - and it seems like it is a pretty nice one.

*I reposted your pictures just because I wanted to see them with the conversation. :)
 
Thanks Guys,

I think I will go ahead and get a steel wire attachment for my drill to clean up the head, the handle is cracked which makes sense (my dad wouldn't put electrical tape on wood to make it look cool). So I will be trying to find some hickory to make a handle with. I found some old rasps that are a bit rusted that I think can help make the handle pretty nicely, so it might be a job to restore those a bit and then restore the axe in Jan probably. I will be updating this thread with any progress :)
 
Alyxdor117 said:
Thanks Guys,

I think I will go ahead and get a steel wire attachment for my drill to clean up the head, the handle is cracked which makes sense (my dad wouldn't put electrical tape on wood to make it look cool). So I will be trying to find some hickory to make a handle with. I found some old rasps that are a bit rusted that I think can help make the handle pretty nicely, so it might be a job to restore those a bit and then restore the axe in Jan probably. I will be updating this thread with any progress :)
Click to expand...

Vinegar is known to be a good way to de-rust files and rasps , and if I'm not mistaken should actually sharpen them as well.
File's aren't exactly something where you have to think about patina, so if you can stand that horrid smell the vinegar bath should really do them justice.
 
Make sure you realize that you're 'resurrecting' or 'refurbishing' a tool; you're not 'restoring' it. Historians, collectors, purists and museums cringe whenever they hear of someone claiming to be 'restoring' something. On that note though 'restoring the use' of it is perfectly suitable for an old item that is otherwise inoperable/worn/broken/badly rusted. Your baby seems to be in pretty good shape already (merely wire wheel the head to clean it up) and peel off all the wire and tape to see if the handle is original and can be salvaged.
You've got yourself a well made vintage tool and there is no reason for it not be wielded/fielded by it's proud new owner.
 
300Six said:
Make sure you realize that you're 'resurrecting' or 'refurbishing' a tool; you're not 'restoring' it. Historians, collectors, purists and museums cringe whenever they hear of someone claiming to be 'restoring' something. On that note though 'restoring the use' of it is perfectly suitable for an old item that is otherwise inoperable/worn/broken/badly rusted. Your baby seems to be in pretty good shape already (merely wire wheel the head to clean it up) and peel off all the wire and tape to see if the handle is original and can be salvaged.
You've got yourself a well made vintage tool and there is no reason for it not be wielded/fielded by it's proud new owner.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why I call them functional resto 's or renovations.
 
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