COTS Project Thread

cityofthesouth said:
Ha, no sorry. I was trying to reply to multiple thoughts without making multiple posts (fail!). The handle on the Wards is Ash. This new handle I've been working on is some kind of Locust. I have thought about a maker's mark a bunch of times. Probably time to get serious about making one.
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I've thought about bending one out of some wire, but I couldn't simply bend wire Into a chevron which I put on my handles ( my dad was a sergeant in the army, and since my dad gave me most of his army stuff it was the most prominent symbol in my life, and I was an easy one to make )
 
cityofthesouth said:
Project I found online showed a guy take a brass knob and carve out his mark. I'm thinking I might try that route.
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Lee Valley Tools markets custom branding tools. These weren't all that expensive ($50 when I ordered mine 25 years ago) and are made from brass. Some are heated up electrically whereas the less expensive ones have to be heated with a torch. I signed all of my commercial wood projects (decks/fences/stairs/doors) with this and used a number set to add in the date. Hardest part is to get a uniform 'touch' mark on an irregular surface such as an axe handle. Picture below is how I stamped stuff before that time using letter and number punches. Dirt, sweat and pine pitch will bring out the emboss or you can colour it in with a pencil before oiling. Top axe (1988) has never been used but the lower one (1992) has a few hundred hours on it.

Axes001Small_zps54ee47ff.jpg
 
Interesting about using the number sets. I was thinking something similar where I could make a simple symbol or something, but then use a number set to indicate length or the date or something along those lines - add to the symbol.
 
cityofthesouth said:
Interesting about using the number sets. I was thinking something similar where I could make a simple symbol or something, but then use a number set to indicate length or the date or something along those lines - add to the symbol.
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Betcha you are persistent and dedicated (and meticulous!) enough to be able to make your own 'touch mark' using a dremel tool with a carbide cutter bit in it. If it's a proper 'stamp' the metal will have to be really hard but if it's a mere 'hot brand' a chunk of brass or soft steel (good heat retention) will be more than enough to do the job.
 
Hudson Bay showed up. Initial observations are that the handle wasn't too bad at all, goofy grinding where the flashing was cleaned up and particularly the bit. I bought it with the intention of cleaning it up and hanging it on my Locust handle. Pic shows it right before the final seating on the handle. Got my fancy mask pretty much finished - copied from Council's axe sling idea.


counciltool_HB_original1 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

counciltool_HB_original3 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

council_HB_finalfit by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
 
cityofthesouth said:
flintedge_tt2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

flintedge_tt1 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

This shows the flat side on the swell.
flintedge_tt_swell by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
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I just watched Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, and I just couldn't get past the fact that the head of his axe is hung to far from the shoulder this almost killed the movie for me.
That axe there is like Abe Lincoln's axe X 20 and using it would've improved the movie drastically 👍 ( if I made the movie I would've went with that gorgeous TT Michigan you did )
 
Don't ask me what the deal is with the handle. I was given instructions ... and I just realized I was supposed to put divots in it and completely forgot so I guess there will be an update. The head had been in the ground awhile I'm guessing. A really nice piece of wood - it was a 36" sledge handle from House I picked up at my local place.

hammertime1 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

hammertime_wedge by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

hammertime2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
 
cityofthesouth said:
hammertime_wedge by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
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I like the old look of the hammer with that clean face.

Can I ask what the divots are about?

Oh, a lot of your stuff looks dark and "rich" for a lack of a better word - do you have some magic bucket of something proprietary?

Trash? That isn't amateur, COTS. That seems like a real life photo and I had to look for it even after you mentioned it.:thumbup:]

Anything you work on looks professional and carefully done.
 
Remzy said:
Overly critic of yourself eh? the trademark of great craftmanship! ;)
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Haha, that sounds good to me. I just hadn't noticed until I posted it.


Agent_H said:
I like the old look of the hammer with that clean face.

Can I ask what the divots are about?

Oh, a lot of your stuff looks dark and "rich" for a lack of a better word - do you have some magic bucket of something proprietary?

Trash? That isn't amateur, COTS. That seems like a real life photo and I had to look for it even after you mentioned it.:thumbup:]

Anything you work on looks professional and carefully done.
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Divots or ... dimples ... or something was supposed to be in the handle for grip. He changed his mind though after he saw it at this point. I could just picture the blisters.

As for the darkness... at least in this case, it's just cup brush plus BLO. Must be the combination of rust and BLO because I didn't take the time to really dig the rust out of the pits. Quick cup brush (angle grinder) then rub in the oil and wipe it down. Usually ends up something like this.
 
Cheated on this one and busted out the jig saw to see how that would go.

truetemperFEKW_progress1 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

Flats applied for initial roughing out on the belt sander.

truetemperFEKW_progress2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

truetemperFEKW_wedge by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
This axe came to me shiny but the work was a little rough so I figured I couldn't really make it worse by cleaning it up a little. Tossed it in the vinegar to get rid of the shine, won't take all that long to develop the new patina. Some of the roughness is evident in the bit - some dips and low spots making my edge look like butt.

truetemperFEKW_connie6 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

truetemperFEKW_connie4 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

truetemperFEKW_connie3 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

truetemperFEKW_connie2 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr

truetemperFEKW_connie1 by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
 
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