Off Topic Connecticut poll troubles

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Aug 21, 2013
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So, finding a Connecticut pattern axe in my neck of the woods was a surprise and a bit of an oddity.

It’s a 4lbs 1oz AmericanaX
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My problem was realized last night when I was cleaning it up and all the rust was pulled off poll:
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I know that polls can be ground out and repaired but I lack the equipment as much as the experience.

I guess I’m looking for someone here to hire/trade to fix it properly for me.
 
My dad is a full time tig welder. I have a plumb Connie with a crack in the front left quadrant of the eye and have been meaning to have him fix it for me. Maybe I can push the issue and get him to do a couple and that will give me the excuse to do mine. It might take a little time but I will get back to you as soon as I talk to him!!
 
My dad is a full time tig welder. I have a plumb Connie with a crack in the front left quadrant of the eye and have been meaning to have him fix it for me. Maybe I can push the issue and get him to do a couple and that will give me the excuse to do mine. It might take a little time but I will get back to you as soon as I talk to him!!

So, finding a Connecticut pattern axe in my neck of the woods was a surprise and a bit of an oddity.

It’s a 4lbs 1oz AmericanaX
B1-F7-AC9-E-3-C56-4163-AA0-C-34-B81726-AAD7.jpg


1634-A14-A-C9-F8-43-EC-9-F4-C-95-FD3927622-D.jpg


My problem was realized last night when I was cleaning it up and all the rust was pulled off poll:
08-C5-F442-9892-4491-BE77-B5-B927-A939-E0.png


CAD3-B7-A5-8-BA3-482-E-A697-F3821087-BF95.png

I know that polls can be ground out and repaired but I lack the equipment as much as the experience.

I guess I’m looking for someone here to hire/trade to fix it properly for me.
I have a connie with a similar issue, Kelly.

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Hey B Brian Rust ...will 3 connie's be an even better motivator for your dad?:D:D
 
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I have a connie with a similar issue, Kelly.

20190810-175409.jpg


20190810-175418.jpg


20190810-175423.jpg


Hey B Brian Rust ...will 3 connie's be an even better motivator for your dad?:D:D
My Rockaway has just peeked out from milk crate yelling: "I was born in Connecticut I wanna party with other Connies!!!!!!!!!!"


Just kidding guys .... I have already bought used welding machine because of that stupid axe head. Maybe in few years I will actually fix it LOL
 
My Rockaway has just peeked out from milk crate yelling: "I was born in Connecticut I wanna party with other Connies!!!!!!!!!!"


Just kidding guys .... I have already bought used welding machine because of that stupid axe head. Maybe in few years I will actually fix it LOL
Definitely worth fixing though! I have seen that same crack in several of my axes too. It wasn't anywhere near to wearing through though. So I think in my case instead of being cracks they are incomplete welds. I hope you guys can convince him to fix them all!!
 
Well how-dee, I just got an ace with a split, too. It's a Rockaway, front of eye splitting. Got it with a Michigan pal, also cracked on side of eye, both for $10. The Rockaway, it'd be nice to shore it up even though it's meant as a display.
 
Agent_H,i find it curious that practically everyone else's axe is cracked at the front or side of eye, where the thinnest part of a head is.
The poll of your C. does not appear too beat-up either...It's possible that a fairly major mushrooming was cut off,but distortion of any critical degree is not really apparent(in photos at least).
I've seen a couple axes that were literally beaten to death,and they both failed at the thinnest section of the cheeks,never through the center of poll,and not without any visible distortion of those thinner sections either...
All this plus the looks of it,plus a gut feeling,make me want to say that that crack happened when that head was forged...
As a form of brashness,excessively sized grain,or simply working it too cold:
"
Definition - What does Cold Shortness mean?
Cold shortness occurs when a material is lowered to a temperature where it becomes brittle. A material can be ductile at one temperature and very hard and breakable at another if it is affected by cold shortness. Not all materials are affected by cold shortness. For materials that are affected by cold shortness, the temperature at which brittleness occurs varies from material to material...."

Again,a gut feeling more than any solid knowledge,but that crack to me looks more like a result of forging rather than abuse in later life of tool.
It's a possibility that this tool has actually hung together in this wise since it was forged...That crack begins and is wider on the inside of eye and was overlooked or neglected;on the outside was initially filled with paint then dirt/rust,or was not visible and became so only with later clean-up Or propagated,however slowly...

(all my jabber above is a waste of time as it still needs fixing:)...I'm not a welder and could not do this without inclusions myself.But it wouldn't be too terrible of a challenge to a pro;i'd make a cut with an abrasive disc clear through the poll and do so in a V-config.;it'd save on much tedious grinding and should only take a few minutes).
 
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My dad's rod of choice is 7018

That's great,A17,good for you man.Yes,it shouldn't be rocket science,but helps to be in shape and lay a reliably consistent bead.
If you have a chance,could you ask one of those worthy gentlemen at what amperage they do all that?...I normally use 1/8" dia. 7018,but don't know jack about dialing the right amps...:(
If Agent_H can't get a real welder to do this locally,i will get it done,in whatever imperfect manner i can.
(i'm not volunteering for any other of you gents,sorry,as the thinner stuff scares me Most;the angle of the electrode is my biggest trouble with arc-welding,and that metal goes away FAST with least inattention...:(..but that fat chunky poll is something i can probably hack).
 
That's great,A17,good for you man.Yes,it shouldn't be rocket science,but helps to be in shape and lay a reliably consistent bead.
If you have a chance,could you ask one of those worthy gentlemen at what amperage they do all that?...I normally use 1/8" dia. 7018,but don't know jack about dialing the right amps...:(
If Agent_H can't get a real welder to do this locally,i will get it done,in whatever imperfect manner i can.
(i'm not volunteering for any other of you gents,sorry,as the thinner stuff scares me Most;the angle of the electrode is my biggest trouble with arc-welding,and that metal goes away FAST with least inattention...:(..but that fat chunky poll is something i can probably hack).

I would enjoy that Jake! I'll shoot you an email.
 
I've taken up with Jake Pogg to deal my current axe issue but wanted to make clear that I very very much appreciate B Brian Rust 's offer to arrange a repair. There are no doubts in my mind that your Dad can and will do a tremendous job of it!

All of this willingness to help one another out through sharing skills, resources, and knowledge is what makes this place what it is. I hope that discussions and repairs for all happen and I would like to see the progress, results, trials, and tribulations :thumbsup:
 
Arright,so here's the beginning of the process of repair.
To run ahead slightly,two things may be pertinent:
1.At close personal examination i tend to conclude that the eye on this axe was obtained by slitting(& subsequently drifting to shape).
The slitter being ovoid in section normally has it's edges(ends of oval section)sharp.Those leave a little pointed dimple on the aft,poll, end of the future eye especially,as the steel is elastic only to a point.
That little groove down the inside of the poll has served as a stress-"riser"-concentrator-when some dips..t sledged the poll sufficiently to propagate a crack starting at the dimple and running the entire thickness of poll.
Steel is a crystalline structure and very succeptable to such dynamics(somewhat like glass being scored for breaking along the score-mark).
2.In spite of my agreeing to do this i chickened out at the last moment and went to my buddy Andrew,a professional welder.So i only am doing the grinding and other dirty/dumb tasks,while he directs the process.Andrew is super experienced and competent(with strong anal-retentive component)and i trust him implicitly.And this is such a classy old axe,et c.

So,he had me grind it thus:https://imgur.com/g83sC9b
That V does not go clear into the eye,to avoid any possible distortion of halves relative each other.
It'll not be a 100% integral,thickness-wise,but we sacrifice that as there'll be plenty of reserve in repair to do it's two main jobs;to keep the poll in a circumference holding in the haft,and having the proper amount of mass for the balance et c. of this tool.
(i only hope it's ok with Agent_H that i'm calling the shots here on these technical points...).
 
The welding takes place with the blade up to the middle of eye submerged in a can of water.I don't want to loose the original HT of the tool.(That cooling water never boils so i know it never gets above 200 F +/-).
Electrode is Excalibur 7018 H4R for root-pass.Here's a photo of the root just made:https://imgur.com/XCk5IKf
In a minute i'll clean it all shiny,with Andrew sending me back to the grinder again and again till No traces of inclusions are left.
(Andrew is a deaf-mute after surviving menengitis when he was 5 and not easy to argue with...we worked together for over 20 years,and though i'm an ass and never learned ASL we've our own telegraphic language we use,and we're all business,no second-guessing each other...).
 
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