Improvising a Shepherd's Axe

daizee · Dec 9, 2017

So this happened...

I had this not-very-interesting TrueTemper-stamped 3.75lb axe with a ribbed eye. This evening I got a wild hair, and decided to setup the idle bandsaw in the basement. Now I need to find a haft to start from. This is the 1.25lb result of the evening's shenanigans:

daizee · Dec 9, 2017

WTH, can't edit this post to fix top image links...

ok, that's better. Silly editor is too smart for its own good. Or my own good...

phantomknives · Dec 9, 2017

oh my

crbnSteeladdict · Dec 10, 2017

It must be cabin fever..... d@mn you, Benji

Hickory n steel · Dec 10, 2017

Uh ok ! Now what ?

Miller '72 · Dec 10, 2017

You certainly sliced that True Temper pole to bit.

I am drinking coffee in front of the fire after a little snow shovelling, I come in and, well.
When I get a hair across my arse I usually yell something regrettable and then go swing an axe not slice one...but that's me

You certainly expose a great part of the axe that is most interesting to see and examine.

Let's see what you have done this morning with the project.

Beachlogger · Dec 10, 2017

You got enough left over for a pickaroon

daizee · Dec 10, 2017

Picked up a tool handle today that I can hopefully mod to be what I want. A straight 36" full-size single-bit haft would have done it, but none available locally, and ordering one online and paying for shipping seems excessive for this project. So I'll pay in time instead....

junkenstien · Dec 10, 2017

Ditch blade blank would work.

daizee · Dec 11, 2017

Ok, I hung the thing on a weird tool handle. (weird == I don't know what it was for) Didn't do a great job, but I'll play with it and ponder my next move. The whole business is too heavy. More on that tomorrow after I take some pix.

Yeah, the leftover has to be SOMETHING. It's still 2.5lb.

SaturatedShadow · Dec 11, 2017

Very interesting, Daizee. This gives me ideas for the roughed up, no name axe heads I have lying around. Looking forward to seeing how you finish it up.

phantomknives · Dec 11, 2017

SaturatedShadow said:
Very interesting, Daizee. This gives me ideas for the roughed up, no name axe heads I have lying around. Looking forward to seeing how you finish it up.

please be careful with this. i hate it when people butcher them and call it an "improvement" if you're gonna cut it up, do it smart

300Six · Dec 11, 2017

phantomknives said:
please be careful with this. i hate it when people butcher them and call it an "improvement" if you're gonna cut it up, do it smart

It was a stamped head but then again the ribbed eye jobbies are neither old, scarce nor valuable. Matter of fact removing some from circulation can only serve to increase the value of those that remain. Thankfully cutting-up or re-purposing axe heads is not everyone's bag either. I'm interested to see what comes of this project.

phantomknives · Dec 11, 2017

300Six said:
It was a stamped head but then again the ribbed eye jobbies are neither old, scarce nor valuable. Matter of fact removing some from circulation can only serve to increase the value of those that remain. Thankfully cutting-up or re-purposing axe heads is not everyone's bag either. I'm interested to see what comes of this project.

as am i, i was just saying dont reduce rather than re-use

daizee · Dec 11, 2017

Here's the so-far set of pictures.
The haft needs to be rounded a bit and the eye is obviously a little large for this scale of head. I left the wedge crude for the moment, in case I mess with it. But it's almost the right height, and holding onto the head like cane works pretty well. If I proceed along these lines, I'll make a cover that goes over the wedge and everything.

crbnSteeladdict · Dec 11, 2017

daizee said:
Here's the so-far set of pictures.
The haft needs to be rounded a bit and the eye is obviously a little large for this scale of head. I left the wedge crude for the moment, in case I mess with it. But it's almost the right height, and holding onto the head like cane works pretty well. If I proceed along these lines, I'll make a cover that goes over the wedge and everything.

imagine using it waking down the mountain .... I think it is too short

daizee · Dec 11, 2017

crbnSteeladdict said:
imagine using it waking down the mountain .... I think it is too short

I agree, actually. It's fine for going up. :-/
A full 48" would be better. This was the longest, straightest tool handle I could find. Starting from a bare board would give me more options, but that's a larger undertaking. This haft was $2.50 at the flea market!

phantomknives · Dec 12, 2017

Beavertooth has a 40 inch

rjdankert · Dec 12, 2017

FWIW:

rjdankert said:
I would say it's really up to the user what length they want. I can only speak to where mine came from and the intended use. These are their standard OAL lengths:

Their recommendations are equivalent to the length one would choose when selecting a walking cane. If you Google "cane" you will find similar information relating cane length to a person's height. Some sites will give a length according to the distance from the floor to some place on your hand/wrist. In my case my arms are longer than the average person of the same height.

Bob

Bob

junkenstien · Dec 12, 2017

Your going to need some of those pants to complete your ensemble.