Collins Homestead Cruiser - my first axe restoration

[roc99]

Hello! This is my first post after lurking around for the past couple months or so. The beginning of my interest in axes is probably pretty common. I received several boxes of my grandfather's tools after my parent's cleaned out and sold their house. Behind the decades worth of "what the heck is that" and "who needs this many switch plates" were several axes and hatchets, including the double bit below.

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After reading several articles on axes and finding this and other forums, I was hooked. I just had to figure out what to do with this hunk of rusty metal. The restoration process has been a great learning experience. I've done a couple things right (I think), and a bunch of things wrong and I couldn't be happier with the process and with how it turned out.

My motivation was to find a way to honor my grandfather by restoring this tool and returning it to working order. From my research, it sounds like painting handles is somewhat controversial , but I wanted a way of personalizing the restoration. Also, I don't see myself using this axe very often. For one, I just don't have the need. I've been threatened with death by this very axe if I cut down one of my wife's trees! However, I hadn't planned on painting the top next to the head. This was one of my learning moments! In soaking the head in vinegar, I wasn't as careful as necessary in not also soaking the top of the handle. Who knew that the combination of vinegar and steel created a grey-wash stain? Well, I do now!

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So after two days in the vinegar bath, a couple of days of sanding on the head and using a wire cup, it looks like a different axe. I've read other references to this as opening a present and indeed it was. Before the vinegar bath, there were no embossings visible. I couldn't believe it as the word HOMESTEAD jumped off the steel.

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After staining the handle and realizing that no amount of stain was covering up my vinegar blunder, I started over by re-sanding the handle and making a new plan. The handle is 32", so from the head down, I did 10" of paint, 10" of stain, and then 12" of paint. I stained it first, doing about 4 coats of minwax antique walnut. Then I did two coats of gesso on the top and bottom, then two coats of white valspar.

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The striped colors are valspar ruby and cobalt. I am considering burning my grandfather's unit insignia into the handle, the interlocking CY of the 38th Infantry Division "Cyclones", but I'll need a lot more practice with the wood burning tool before I take that leap.

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I've already started on my next project, a Bingham's Best Brand Hewing Hatchet that came from the same box. I hope to post some pictures of it in the next week or so. Unless my wife takes after me for this new hobby, this will hopefully be the first of many!

--Brent

 

[SC T100]

I like the refurb, and that it honors a family member. I think it turned out great!

 

[Double Ott]

As I get a little older, 60+ I have begon to cherish the tools I have that were my Dad's and Grand Fathers. I'm sure your Grand Father would approve of all your efforts. With a little care, it will last for your children and theirs.

Nice work restoring her.

Tom

 

[300Six]

Nice to see formerly languishing tools get brought back to life. Unlikely your grandpa's box of derelict McCullough/Pioneer/Homelite power saws are going to receive the same treatment. Best way to appreciate a tool and feel some relationship with the former owner(s) is to go out and use it. Beauty of axes is there is very little you can do to unintentionally destroy them (unless you're into power grinders/sanders), and replacement wood handles do not detract from their appeal, use or purpose.

 

[300Six]

By the way: wood handled implements (good ones to be sure) were traditionally not painted because users and buyers insisted on being to inspect the grain. Matter of fact the current Occupational Health & Safety Act (Canada) forbids the painting of all wooden ladders specifically for that reason, plus the fact that paint can seal in moisture.

 

[cmshoot]

Outstanding work!

 

[roc99]

Thanks for the positive feedback! I just finished the second axe from the box, a Bingham's Best Brand hewing hatchet. I was so excited to get started I forgot to take a before picture but this is it after 2 days in the vinegar but before sanding.

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This is after 5 minutes of sanding

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Here is the finished product. I spent a couple of hours sanding the head with both a palm sander, wire cup, and hand sanding. My original plan was to sand out all the pits but I didn't want to lose the stamp, so I stopped early. I ordered a camp axe handle from Beaver Tooth Handles, sanded it and put 5 coats of stain, then hung the head. Still need to put a coat or two of BLO.

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This thing is dull as a butter knife, so learning how to sharpen is my next step. I have two single bits soaking in a vinegar bath now and I can't wait to start my next axe.

 

[SC T100]

Awesome job on the hewing axe! I think it came out great. Are you going with the traditional single bevel, or will you use it as an all-around axe with a double bevel?

 

[Creek_Stomper]

Both are great restorations. I like to leave the pits in mine even if there's not much risk of losing the maker's mark. I like the character it gives the axe.

One question: how did you paint the stripes/angles on the homestead? I'd like to do a little bit of painting on handles, but can't figure out how to get a straight line at an angle apart from dipping.

Again, a couple of real beauties.
Josh H

 

[roc99]

SC, I hadn't even thought about putting a double bevel on it, might have to consider that. My first thought is I'd keep it a single bevel because I really like the look of the axe as it is, though my second thought is I have a much greater need for a camp axe than a broad axe. Lots to think about.

Josh, I measured everything out first, then did some light markings on the handle with a pencil to get an idea of where I wanted the stripes to be, then I taped everything out with painters tape. To keep the paint from bleeding underneath the painters tape, I took a very thin layer of paintable caulk on my finger and ran it across the tape line, then while it was still wet, wiped across it so to make it as thin as possible. The caulk created a layer to keep the paint from seeping underneath the tape. I'm still not really happy with the paint though. I put it on thick because I wanted the colors to really pop off the white paint but in doing that it created a thin ridge at the beginning and the end of the colors that you can feel when you hold it. I've read that the way to get rid of it is to take 0000 grade steel wool and rub it to slowly to sand away the ridge but I'm afraid that the sanding will cause the colors to bleed over onto the white or the white onto the stain. So my choice is to either keep it and not be happy with the ridge and the slight unevenness of the blue and red lines, or take the change of screwing it up in order to fix it. Not sure which way to go yet.

 

[Square_peg]

It's a fine job you've done with that axe. Way to go. It's nice to see an old axe given some TLC.

With a nice stamp like that I'd leave it single bevel. If you need a camp axe, buy another.

 

[300Six]

It's a fine job you've done with that axe. Way to go. It's nice to see an old axe given some TLC.
With a nice stamp like that I'd leave it single bevel. If you need a camp axe, buy another.

I'll second that. Every man needs another excuse to go scouting around for a 'new' tool!

 

[Ziggy99]

Admirable work.
A mix of vinegar & steel bits is used by some craft workers to make an ebonising solution.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Great job on that double bit, how much does the head way ? Because it seems a little big for a cruiser.