Grimalkins Projects Thread

after filing for a good 3 hours, and 2 blisters later, I am taking a break! Still not there, this american steel is viscous!

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You're doing something wrong. I could achieve that in 10 minutes. I suspect your files. But working height, speed and pressure are also important factors.

I need to make a video. Filing isn't hard if done right. It pains me to see fellow axe lovers suffer so.

Oh, and wear gloves.
 
Please do post a video, would love to see it. I think it's my file to be honest.

It was both sides done at that pic...not that it matters much if it's supposed to be only 10 minutes! I might be taking off too much metal too.
 
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If your Mexican Nicholson is like any of the newer files I've bought, the file is the problem. Not sure why manufacturers think a file can be made so poorly because really, they aren't files, they're just pieces of steel on a handle that are sorta abrasive. :p

What is the line we're seeing up the cheeks near the eye?
 
It's no crack thank God, it's actually the outline of the sticker (best guess). It goes up to the pole, has rounded edges., I guess the aging on the head went around the sticker, then the sticker was removed creating that outline.
 
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It's no crack thank God, it's actually the outline of the sticker (best guess). It goes up to the pole, has rounded edges., I guess the aging on the head went around the sticker, then the sticker was removed creating that outline.

That's good to hear. The picture is one of those ... what am I looking at? kind of things.
 
So I hung her tonight, just doing a BLO soak on the top overnight. Pics tomo. I tried an "advanced" kerf tapering..I am not sure it turned out like I wanted. I may have had too much room at the top. The wedge wouldn't drive in nearly as deep as I wanted either. And I managed to crack the wedge too near the front. haha!

No metal wedge this time, I left 1/4" on top so I hope that will suffice, along with a BLO soak.. I did some chopping, and compared to my Swede. She doesn't get stuck at all, effortless to take the head from the wood. I can really notice a difference from the flat cheeks. I love this axe and I'm going to love using her in the woods!
 
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Sometimes, if the front of the kerf wants more (and BTW, it's not unusual so don't feel bad), and I know I haven't bottomed my wedge out, then I split the wedge on purpose and drive it wherever it'll take it.
 
well, I am going to post the stupid things that I have done today. Hopefully someone new will learn from my stupidity.

So had this great axe hung, I soaked it overnight upside down to get the BLO in the top, gave her 3 coats of BLO on the handle, and took her out for some chopping today.

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She's pretty sharp, dry shaves my arms.

After using it, I noticed the head was loosening up a bit, it wasn't seated where I originally seated it. I had a good idea, So I re-seated the head and it went back to where it was (microsopic movement) and I used a metal wedge, and it turned out pretty good, no cracks. This is when the stupidity set in. I used it again and I thought that it still wasn't tight enough as it was still moving, so I put in a second wedge. Well this is when all hell broke loose. Not only did I noticed how bad the wooden wedge filled the kerf, but I cracked the hickory as well. I think everything will stay tight, but I really saw how crappy my wedge pounding went, and I accidentally hit the wood on the side with the hammer and made it even more ugly.

Normally I wouldn't post this embarrassing feat, but I hope someone learns from my mistakes.

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Just the thought of having to spend another 3 or 4 hours shaping a handle has me quite livid. We'll see how long this holds up I won't be using it that much, so I am concerned that when I do use it things will go bad. Any advice on how to remedy this? I am hoping some magic technique can fix my craziness. I am thinking about finding a local guy that can hang the heads I restore. I enjoy the axe restoring a lot more than the wood fitting.
 
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Just re-drive the wood wedge a little deeper. You can do this with a punch shaped like the wedge. A piece of flat steel stock works good - like a scrap of leaf spring. Or you can carve one out of an old hickory handle. In either case the protruding haft will swell over the top of the wedge locking it in. Of course you will have to have left enough kerf to do this during the original hang.
 
Meh, if it's tight now, it's fine. Use it. Metal wedges almost always split the wood just like that and for the most part it won't cause an issue.
 
I have a horrible new hang I did on my maul that I plan to post up. It happens, you learn, you make it work, and you move on! :)
 
Thanks guys, I will not let this be my last hang thats for sure. Looking for a particular plumb head, the National pattern, going to haft it on a 24" handle. I used this one to section up a bunch of 3-4" saplings, 3 hits and it was cutting it up like butter, much quicker than a saw and no sore saw arm. Really liking it so far. Head is solid now with those wedges.
 
Looking for a particular plumb head, the National pattern, going to haft it on a 24" handle.

I have to admit to having been smitten by that pattern too. Made from 1948 up into the 1970s. Likely the Ames takeover of Plumb in 1971 spelled it's demise. Available in hatchet, boy's and full size heads. Up until recently everyone here referred to them as 'cedar' pattern until it was noticed they were separate items in a 50s Plumb catalogue that featured both. Last year JBLyttle supplied me with a pristine example of a 3 ^ 2 (3 1/2 lb) on an OEM 30 inch handle. These have a bevelled edge generous poll which lends itself to hardening (ie rafting style) and I don't understand why this wasn't done at the factory in the first place. What I want is to find a competent smith to do the poll for me before it gets rehung on a straight haft.

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I have to admit to having been smitten by that pattern too. Made from 1948 up into the 1970s. Likely the Ames takeover of Plumb in 1971 spelled it's demise. Available in hatchet, boy's and full size heads. Up until recently everyone here referred to them as 'cedar' pattern until it was noticed they were separate items in a 50s Plumb catalogue that featured both. Last year JBLyttle supplied me with a pristine example of a 3 ^ 2 (3 1/2 lb) on an OEM 30 inch handle. These have a bevelled edge generous poll which lends itself to hardening (ie rafting style) and I don't understand why this wasn't done at the factory in the first place. What I want is to find a competent smith to do the poll for me before it gets rehung on a straight haft.

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thats a great condition head, wish I could find something like this! I did find one, but its badly pitted all over the head, but the price is right, do you guys think that this Plumb Victory will disappear completely after I am done sanding the pits out?

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Hi Grimalkin, I would imagine it would. You could maybe not sand the pitting out.

I don't want to sway your opinion as it's your axe but if part of the charm for you is the Plumb Victory...

Bet it would look good sharp though :)
 
Hi Grimalkin, I would imagine it would. You could maybe not sand the pitting out.

I don't want to sway your opinion as it's your axe but if part of the charm for you is the Plumb Victory...

Bet it would look good sharp though :)

Thanks for the input. I have thought I could sand all around the strike, might give a good effect to it.
 
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If the price is right and you know that you've rescued it from ignominy then who cares, aside from some of us stamp-obsessed fools. You know exactly what it is, the era it was forged and where it came from! Way better project than tangling with a 'nil', HF or M stamped piece of unknown soup can/car fender-smelted metal. You can always artfully re-stamp it yourself with metal punches so as to alert the next owner of it's provenance.
 
You bought it for the steel not the stamp. Make it the best user you can and don't look back.
 
I am just curious if there are any Canadians here from the Lower Mainland (vancouver) area that want something from Beaver-tooth.com? I'll likely be ordering a 24" handle and would love to split the shipping with someone. I can go across the border to pick it up.
 
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