Help identifying steel

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MadsRC

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May 29, 2016
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I got a couple of axe heads that I found at a flea market, and I'm in the process of restoring them to their, arguably, former glory. One of the bits where a splitting maul that had a fair bit of mushrooming, which to me would indicate that the entire head hasn't been quenched and tempered. Since I plan to use this with wedges, I'd like to heat treat it.

Unfortunately I'm not well versed in guessing steel types (yet), and hopefully someone can help me identify it?

I took a grinder to the poll, producing some sparks. Any idea what it could be?

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Most axes are made from low carbon steel except for the bit, or edge which is high carbon steel
 
You don't want to try to harden the poll, they leave them soft for a reason. Hit a steel wedge with a block of hardened steel and it's likely to shatter.
 
Only the front 2 inches or so of ax head will be hardened. Rest is soft steel and must remain soft to withstand the stress of chopping. That is why the poll mushrooms when used as a sledge hammer, and the edge does not deform. You can see the line between hardened and soft steel if you polish the ax head.
 
Agreed, it is some kind of steel. Most all are hypo-eutectoid. .60% carbon is normal. The actual alloying is what varies.

The head should be heat treated by austenitizing up to the eye and then quenching only up the bevel about an inch or two. There should be at least an inch out of the quenchant between the eye and the edge. The striking poll should be left unhardened. With some practice, you can do the quench in an interrupted method and auto-temper the edge pretty well. What you don't want is the edge too hard, or the poll hardened at all.
 
Rafting axes often had a hardened poll for driving log dogs and wedges. However for use on steel wedges I would not harden a maul poll due to the composition of the modern wedges.
 
Thank you so much guys! Really appreciate the info.

I was actually under the impression that it was normal for high quality axes to harden the poll, to prevent mushrooming. The it does make sense, in a metalurgical way, not to harden it when using it with hardened wedges.

Though wouldn't dream of using an axe to hit metal, how do I prevent my splitting maul from mushrooming?


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MadsRC said:
Thank you so much guys! Really appreciate the info.

I was actually under the impression that it was normal for high quality axes to harden the poll, to prevent mushrooming. The it does make sense, in a metalurgical way, not to harden it when using it with hardened wedges.

Though wouldn't dream of using an axe to hit metal, how do I prevent my splitting maul from mushrooming?


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You don't - it is designed to mushroom instead of send off shards. If it gets a bit too mushroomed, just grind the edges back down.
 
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You could always whack it with a wooden maul instead of a sledge...


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Didn't know it was by design, though that does make sense. Guess I learned something new today!

I'll just do A.McPherson said and use a dedicated tool for it (More tools!)


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That's a hewing ax not a splitting ax !! If that is used for splitting it will at time s get stuck => hammer it =>mushroom !!! Use a splitter like my Monster Maul !
 
mete said:
That's a hewing ax not a splitting ax !! If that is used for splitting it will at time s get stuck => hammer it =>mushroom !!! Use a splitter like my Monster Maul !
Click to expand...

I'm aware it's not a splitting axe :D Actually I'd argue that it's a felling axe due to it's size and weight (4 1/2 lb), but that's hard to tell from the photo.
 
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