found an old Keen Kutter head, but....

Lee D

Lee D

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while going thru the some tools the wife's family was going to pitch this weekend I found a pretty clean old axe head that measures roughly 5 1/2" long, a 3 3/4" edge (unsure of the weight) with the haft broken off, and it appears that the previous owner appeared to remove the head by pounding a screwdriver thru the top and broke it off in the process (ugh). sooooo, what my question is, ive been told to burn the remaining wood out and go from there.... has anyone here heard of this (ive never attempted to rehandle an axe, so bear with me) or am I being given poor advice ? id really like to make a camp axe out of it, so here I am hoping to get an answer or two. thanks in advance for any answers, something like this is a project ive never taken on before.:o
 
thanks moose, that was my original thought, but was then asked "why waste the time with a drill when you could just burn it out?". also, the head has been mushroomed a bit (assuming someone used it as a wedge?), should I bother cleaning that up with a file when I sharpen it, or just leave it be? sorry for the silly questions, this is gonna be my first vintage axe, and Im just hoping to end up with something to be proud of.
 
Burning out the haft adds a lot of risk you'll ruin the temper/heat treat of the bit. Just drill a bunch of holes and then punch it out through the top with a wooden drift. It's easier if you cut the haft off at the bottom of the head as well.
 
I always make sure the edges are nice and square all the way around. I use a double cut file just to speed things up but for sharpening use a single cut.
 
I personally like using a pneumatic grinder to get the 'shrooming off, so that's an option if you have access to a compressor/tools.
 
You've got an old boys axe there. Good find. Please don't ruin it by burning it. Do what the other guys said.
 
nope, wont be burning it lol, and thanks everyone for the advice. we just got moved in our new house last week and I am quite busy, so I wont get around to it until probably sunday, but now at least I have a plan of attack. :thumbup: thanks again everyone
 
CedarEater said:
Please post some before and after pictures. We really like those.
Click to expand...

will do....I got all the old crap wood and other garbage out last night (found 2 broken screws as well as the broken off screwdriver in there), took a file to the head to clean up the mushroomed edges (not perfect, but much better) and have it soaking in a bucket of oil for now. I figure if a take a scrub brush to it and an old toothbrush inside the eye this weekend it should be good to go. when I got to looking it over more, it really is in pretty good shape, no pitting, and the Keen Kutter marking is in great shape....my stepdad could read it without his glasses. lol

one more question....the wedge was metal, should I reuse it, or go with one of the wood ones I see at the hardware store that come with new hafts. is their any benefit to using the original?
 
Seems to me that the drilling would take no longer than burning, and you won't ruin the axe. Good luck, should be nice when your done.
 
A wood wedge is necessary. A metal wedge is not. Crossing the wood wedge with a metal wedge splits the haft and weakens it a little bit - not seriously.

Do what most of us do, leave the haft protruding 1/4" above the eye when you trim it off. Then wedge it firm and cut off the wedge.

Test it a couple months later. Try driving the wedge down a little deeper with a wide skinny punch - you can quickly whittle one to fit your wedge. If you're able to drive the wedge a little deeper then the two sides of the haft will expand over it and lock the wedge in permanently. Most hangs done this way will last until you wear out the haft.
 
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