Council Ax, 6 lb, flat-head review

I could take the head to town and search trying to find a fawn foot handle or go ahead and use the one I have. DM
 
Been splitting with my Hults since the Council is in my shop getting a new haft. It takes 1-2 extra chops to get the rounds to split with my
4 lb. Hults. Which adds up at the end of the day. Here I have fell these 2 Emory oaks and cut one up and I'm splitting the rounds. DM
splitHult.jpg
 
Yes, the acorns are good, more sweet. They drop around late Sept.- early October and are eaten quickly by wildlife and livestock. An important food in our area as we have very few Pinon nuts. DM
 
jblyttle jblyttle , thanks for this tip jb, I'll do it as there is still time. That stress could have been a factor. As for my German Shorthair, thanks. He's
the best bird-dog I have ever owned & trained. He holds papers and could garner you a litter, if your interested. Here he is helping me get this load of oak in the barn before another storm hits. DM
woodload.jpg
 
This load with what we have on hand, should carry us through the winter. But I'm going to continue cutting until I have enough oak on hand
for next winter. Because I never know what could happen, I could twist an ankle or something and couldn't cut wood for a while. Where would this leave us? Without heat! So, I'll build up some in reserve toward next winter. Then put a haft on my 6 lber and start splitting.
Look at some of those rounds. I stacked them in there by myself. Well, my dog helped. DM
 
Ok, I've cleaned out the glue from the eye and there were sharp burrs on the inside of the eye... So, I filed those off, which could have been
a factor on it breaking. Thanks to jblyttle for the heads up on this area. Then I went to work on the haft, rasping it to fit. DM
axhaft.jpg
 
I now have it set with a new haft and it's drying. I'll get some photos up but I won't use it today as we have been getting rain & drizzle here.
Turning to snow at dark with a stiff wind. I'll allow the mud to dry some before I began splitting those rounds I had in the truck. DM
 
Also, I discovered the Council ax is not 6 lbs. but 5 lbs. 10 oz., only close. Now, with handle on it weighs 7 lbs. 6 oz.. From New Years Eve to
1-3-19 I gave the head a long cryogenic quench to harden the poll up, using CO2. Instead of just totally redoing it's heat treatment. I have done 4 axes in this manner and they responded well to this. Edge retention improves as well as poll hardness. DM
 
David Martin said:
Also, I discovered the Council ax is not 6 lbs. but 5 lbs. 10 oz., only close. Now, with handle on it weighs 7 lbs. 6 oz.. From New Years Eve to
1-3-19 I gave the head a long cryogenic quench to harden the poll up, using CO2. Instead of just totally redoing it's heat treatment. I have done 4 axes in this manner and they responded well to this. Edge retention improves as well as poll hardness. DM
Click to expand...

As a rule, it's best to consider head weight as nominal rather than actual. I believe the stated weight is typically the weight of the piece of steel from which the head is forged, meaning that any flash from drop forging and metal lost to finish-grinding are still "counted" in the nominal head weight. Perhaps I'm wrong, of course, but that's how I take it to mean. :)
 
If that's the manner mills do it,--- then ok. But there is lots of room in that method. DM
 
Now, I've split 3 of those large rounds with the Council lighter than 6 lb. ax. It worked very well. Got it loaded and I'm headed to the porch with it. We've had a few days winter, now a few days mild. A good time to catch up because we'll have more winter. DM
HaulCA.jpg
 
You're enjoying the heck out of that axe, aren't you?

Didn't you used to have some big heavy thing with a welded steel handle?
 
Yes, a splitting maul but that cracked and chunks came out of it. So, it will go to the landfill. I posted some photos of it and you ask if it was China made. DM
 
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