Chipped a TT Kelly Perfect today

[M3mphis]

:grumpy:

We went out and cut some Christmas trees today. In the process of cutting my tree, I somehow put this chip in the bit:

For scale:

When I saw the chip, it was pretty disappointing. I just hung this axe early this morning before taking off, and I have been super excited about this one.

So, where did I go wrong? It was about 25 degrees, and I didn't warm the bit before chopping. But I was casually chopping a maybe 3" diameter green tree. I'm shocked that it chipped. What are your thoughts? Who else has bad surprising big chips?

The axe is still bad *ss, no doubt. Needs more work now. I actually still need to clean things up a bit anyway and put an edge on the opposite bit. The handle I bought was super fat, so I spoke shaved it down to a nice thin, tapering kinda elliptical shaped octagon. I couldn't be happier with the way the handle felt in my hands.

Matt

 

[Ravaillac]

Yeah that really sucks.
And I'm afraid to say, from those pictures, from the size and shape and the coarse grain appearance, it looks like an HT problem.

 

[Loosearrow]

I have read that you should warm the blade somewhat prior to using in very cold weather. Like putting it in the armpit area for a little while to keep it from chipping. Don't know if it is true.

 

[Ravaillac]

I have read that you should warm the blade somewhat prior to using in very cold weather. Like putting it in the armpit area for a little while to keep it from chipping. Don't know if it is true.

Considering cold is embritteling, it can't hurt.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Well I guess you know which edge to use for root chopping now! Since one edge is intended to be "sacrificial" for chopping near the ground, I'd sharpen that chip like a big serration.

 

[Big Chris]

I'd sharpen that chip like a big serration.

I had never thought of doing that. I have an axe with a chipped bit and never sharpened it out cause I didnt want to lose that much edge.

 

[G-pig]

What species of tree? Frozen conifer knots can wreak havoc on edges. Old timers around here never put a good axe to a frozen hemlock for example. That could have had something to do with it.

Like others have said though, I would just keep that edge for grubbing. Much more versatile that way IMO.

 

[M3mphis]

Yeah that really sucks.
And I'm afraid to say, from those pictures, from the size and shape and the coarse grain appearance, it looks like an HT problem.

Yeah, I wonder. It's weird. We'll see how it holds up going forward.

Well I guess you know which edge to use for root chopping now! Since one edge is intended to be "sacrificial" for chopping near the ground, I'd sharpen that chip like a big serration.

That's an interesting idea, never thought of it. I think it would drive me crazy to look at, though.

What species of tree? Frozen conifer knots can wreak havoc on edges. Old timers around here never put a good axe to a frozen hemlock for example. That could have had something to do with it.

Like others have said though, I would just keep that edge for grubbing. Much more versatile that way IMO.

The tree is a spruce. I did whack off a few limbs before chopping it down. Maybe it happened doing that, although the limbs were only like half inch in diameter. I guess it's the hardness the matters not necessarily the size, but I didn't even hit them hard at all because they were so small.

 

[SkogKniv]

Like said above, now you have your root edge. Get the other side nice and sharp and keep on swinging.

 

[omniviking]

ditto, working side, grubbing, splitting, and rooting and a pretty edge, in case you need a shave.

 

[Operator1975]

Unless you had the axe sitting outside all night, then went to use it, it should of been fine to use temperature wise. If you look at the old pics in catalogs about axe bit deformities, yours isnt from a bad head or metal, it looks like something that unfortunately happens in the axe world. There could be many reasons. Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was the wood, knot, or sometimes trees do have weird stuff embedded in them. Maybe it was just good old bad luck. Maybe you had the bit sharpened too thin there. Lots of possibilities.

As stated many times, now you have your grub edge, and believe, every time you go to use that grub edge you will remember, and swing a little harder because your pissed. So be careful.

Guess now you need to buy my TT Dynamic huh?

 

[M3mphis]

Yeah that really sucks.
And I'm afraid to say, from those pictures, from the size and shape and the coarse grain appearance, it looks like an HT problem.

I just took a closer look at the chip. There were little chunks of wood stuck in there. In the pics it does look like some large grains in the steel. I think the grain under all the wood looked fine.

 

[M3mphis]

Unless you had the axe sitting outside all night, then went to use it, it should of been fine to use temperature wise. If you look at the old pics in catalogs about axe bit deformities, yours isnt from a bad head or metal, it looks like something that unfortunately happens in the axe world. There could be many reasons. Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was the wood, knot, or sometimes trees do have weird stuff embedded in them. Maybe it was just good old bad luck. Maybe you had the bit sharpened too thin there. Lots of possibilities.

As stated many times, now you have your grub edge, and believe, every time you go to use that grub edge you will remember, and swing a little harder because your pissed. So be careful.

Guess now you need to buy my TT Dynamic huh?

I knew you would say that! PM incoming...

Edit: as far as the temperature of the steel. I'm sure it was air temp, which was about 25 degrees F. It had to be because it did not ride in the heated cab, and I had been hiking with it for awhile before I found the tree I wanted.

 

[OutdoorEnvy]

Man that sucks.. If you reprofiled the edge again woiuld that take too much weight off that side and make it unbalanced? What does everything think or have you had experience one way or the other on this?

 

[M3mphis]

Man that sucks.. If you reprofiled the edge again woiuld that take too much weight off that side and make it unbalanced? What does everything think or have you had experience one way or the other on this?

I think the weight difference will be negligible.

I was so proud of finding this axe as it is very full...or WAS very full. I'll post another pic up after reworking that bit in order to restore its dignity!