- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 390
Two years ago Dad died on Memorial Day at 82 years old. He was a good man that lived a good life. I was lucky to have him as my father. He had a favorite axe that lived in a corner of the garage with other yard tools, axes and peaveys. It was a pretty abused boys axe with plenty of mushrooming on the pole, a notch cut in front of the eye for hanging on a nail and a really nice old thin haft but it had seen its fare share of overstrikes. He loved that little axe for limbing while out collecting firewood with Mom.
The axe had no markings that I could see but the nice high centerline told me it was a quality old axe. Over the winter I decided to clean it up. Unfortunately, I didn't take any before pictures. after cleaning it up with a wire cup brush on a drill motor I was surprised to find a "Kelly's Flint Edge" stamp. With some careful file work to clean up the pole I was able to keep what was left of the stamp intact. The bit needed a lot of reprofiling with a file due to the bench grinder "sharpening" it was subject to over the years. After a lot of elbow grease I am quite happy with how my Dad's axe cleaned up.
I had a heavily figured hickory haft that I picked up years ago and was waiting for the right head to fit it to. I wanted to hang something special on it and this axe was it. I did my best to reprofile and thin out the new haft to make it as close to the original in shape and feel as I could. I used my vinegar/steel wool solution to give the haft a little age, applied a three coats of BLO and added a couple coats of a mixture of tongue oil and BLO to build up a top coat.
It got wedged with white oak.
The grain orientation isn't great but that didn't matter to me when I purchased this haft. I just really liked the figure and being a boys axe haft I think it will be fine. This axe is currently hanging next to the fireplace in my parents home. The axe won't see much use but when it does get used it should perform just fine.
I think Dad would be pleased with how it turned out.
I love you Dad.
The axe had no markings that I could see but the nice high centerline told me it was a quality old axe. Over the winter I decided to clean it up. Unfortunately, I didn't take any before pictures. after cleaning it up with a wire cup brush on a drill motor I was surprised to find a "Kelly's Flint Edge" stamp. With some careful file work to clean up the pole I was able to keep what was left of the stamp intact. The bit needed a lot of reprofiling with a file due to the bench grinder "sharpening" it was subject to over the years. After a lot of elbow grease I am quite happy with how my Dad's axe cleaned up.
I had a heavily figured hickory haft that I picked up years ago and was waiting for the right head to fit it to. I wanted to hang something special on it and this axe was it. I did my best to reprofile and thin out the new haft to make it as close to the original in shape and feel as I could. I used my vinegar/steel wool solution to give the haft a little age, applied a three coats of BLO and added a couple coats of a mixture of tongue oil and BLO to build up a top coat.
It got wedged with white oak.
The grain orientation isn't great but that didn't matter to me when I purchased this haft. I just really liked the figure and being a boys axe haft I think it will be fine. This axe is currently hanging next to the fireplace in my parents home. The axe won't see much use but when it does get used it should perform just fine.
I think Dad would be pleased with how it turned out.
I love you Dad.
