I have lost my friggin mind

peter nap

peter nap

Joined
Nov 27, 1999
Messages
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Friday night I came up with the insane idea of making a small ax.....from D2.:barf:

I have no idea how many belts I've gone through and I ruined three carbide end mills but it's finished and a friend who owns a heat treating operation Heat treated it today. WHAT A NIGHTMARE...WHAT AN AX HEAD.

I'm working on the final grind and the handle now.
The handle is Birds eye maple.

rough%20d2%20002.jpg
 
Thanks Bradley...I've got a little more refinement to the handle now and I need to get a few belts tomorrow to finish the head. I'm close to the final edge but not quite there and all my belts are dull now. I'll burn the edge for sure if I don't wait.

I can't believe I got this far with that ungrindable, unforgable, unforgiving block of steel.

It should hold the edge though.
 
Yep, you've lost your mind!:D Looks realy good though, make sure you post finished pics
 
Don, Never knew you had a mind to lose... :D Did you also forge it? I thought you were to old to be messing with D-2. It does look good!
 
The eye is forged Ray. I milled a slot and swaged the eye. The rest is grind and cuss.
I am too old to be fooling with the stuff. Every once in a while I get these crazy ideas and try it again for something. It holds a great edge but it has several drawbacks. It refuses to move when forged, it refuses to be ground, I can't heat treat it and I always hurt myself (worse than usual) when I work it. This time I hit my finger with a 3 lb hammer.

This is going to be my Sunday go to meeting ax!
 
Don, How did it drift? Did you cut the slot large enough where you just had to shape the eye? I had bought some D-2 in round stock when I first started forging. Out of 6' of it I made one blade. The rest just got lost in the shop somewhere. Forging D-2 makes you appreciate spring steel. Sorry to hear about the finger. I know the hammer won.
 
It drifted about like it forges....very badly. I cut the slot large enough for the handle width and all that it had to do was stretch enough for the tapered nose. That almost didn't happen. I swear cold 5160 moves better than D2 at forging temperature.

At least I got the obligatory blood on it early.
 
D2 is a B***H to forge.Most people forge it too cold.Start forging at 2000 and stop at 1800.Do a full anneal (with D2 specs) before grinding.
........And ,yes,you've lost your mind (Nice Axe)
Stacy
 
peter nap said:
It drifted about like it forges....very badly. I cut the slot large enough for the handle width and all that it had to do was stretch enough for the tapered nose. That almost didn't happen. I swear cold 5160 moves better than D2 at forging temperature.

At least I got the obligatory blood on it early.
Click to expand...
Don
edited to reverse..
welcome to the air steel world:D
if you Forged the eye then ground most of a block.
you may want to do most your grinding first
then heat it to do the forging :D
air hardening steel gets hard fast when you don't want it to ,
don't it :D

nice job though and with sentimental valve too..:D
 
Hey, Join the crowd of those of us who have lost our minds. I actually like to forge D2. It is the reason I started forging to 95%......Less grinding. Like stated it has a small forging window and if you don't stay in it it will mess up the blade.

Picts when you get it done......
You going to carry it next to your Sunday Go To Meeting 4 bore?

Larry
 
Don, I hope it was just a little bit of temporary insanity. You earned your keep on that good looking piece, though. How's the thumb? Know what REALLY HURTS? When you hit the same one the next day.
 
I finished it and it turned out beautifully John...BTW, it wasn't my thumb, it was my left index finger. Hurts like the devil. I hit it hard enough to split it open. Got plenty of blood on that one!
 
It's a long way from my heart Bruce.
Here's the finished D2.
new%20hatchets%20001.jpg

new%20hatchets%20002.jpg


Nothing to brag about but it keeps me off the streets.
Don
 
peter nap said:
Nothing to brag about but it keeps me off the streets.
Click to expand...
Looks pretty nice to me :thumbup: D2 huh? I'll have to steer clear of it:)
Could i ask where you got the drift? I have a hawk eye drift but i cant see getting that shape with it:confused:
 
OK.........Now I guess I'll have to try one. I got some D2 1" round stock....Lets see what happens.

Nise one Don:thumbup:
 
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