Recommendation? Help requested with Plumb 4 Jersey

A

attila.

Gold Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2012
Messages
360
Hi!

Looking for some advice on this axe I just picked up at a local antique consignment shop. I only paid $23 for it, so even if it’s a fatal problem, it’s an acceptable loss.

I got a Plumb 4 Jersey with the name and weight on the opposite of the usual side of the axe. Weird.

It had what I was hoping was just a scratch, but that I knew was likely a crack. After cleaning it just a little, it became apparent that some gorilla beat on the top of the head and cracked it.

IMG_3313.jpegIMG_3325.jpegIMG_3326.jpegIMG_3330.jpeg

If this was your newly acquired axe head, and you really wanted a 4# axe to use, not for show, what would you do with it?

I have been searching for a 4-5# head lately for the axe cordwood challenge, and I was stoked to find this. It’s a bummer that it is cracked, but I’m wondering if this crack is a death sentence, or if I can squeeze a bunch of use out of it still.

The thought of welding occurred to me, but that would require major grinding and then heat treating, and I really don’t like that idea. Might as well buy an expensive axe in its place if I go that route.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply!

I guess that I should have specified that welding isn’t a task that I’m set up for. Plus, my welding experience was minimal and over 14 years ago. After figuring out the welding setup, I’d still need to practice enough to regain the confidence.

What I was trying to ask was more along the lines of, can this sort of cracked head still function as is, or is the crack likely to spread quickly with actual use?
 
I wouldn’t use it without welding it first.

Adding to what 42 advised with the wet rag I’d vee-groove both sides and then preheat the area before welding.
 
attila. said:
Thanks for the reply!

I guess that I should have specified that welding isn’t a task that I’m set up for. Plus, my welding experience was minimal and over 14 years ago. After figuring out the welding setup, I’d still need to practice enough to regain the confidence.

What I was trying to ask was more along the lines of, can this sort of cracked head still function as is, or is the crack likely to spread quickly with actual use?
Click to expand...

It is likely to fail in use. Do not use it without getting it welded. Have a local shop do it for ya'--it should be a fairly simple job, and the quality of the axe aside from the damage is sufficient to make it worthwhile.
 
Thanks all for confirmation of what I expected. The more I thought about it, the more I leaned towards welding, too.

I won’t enlist a business to do this, though, since that’s money that I don’t want to spend, and I do have a welder. It’s just a big hurdle to get ready to weld.

If nothing else, our work welder guy said that I can use his machine at work. Still, I need practice first, so this’ll take a while.
 
High school or votech shop would do it for free I bet the first axe I bought offline was cracked like that and a dude at work welded it up still works fine no heat sinks or anything just grind it to clean metal stick welded I'm sure wire fed would work that's not hardened just mild steel the bit is what matters what's behind it just has to be solid doesn't matter what it looks like
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top