Is this just wrong?

[Frank R]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iawuw2912ze9pdk/IMG_20170607_212657690.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/o8q15qyy28i1seu/IMG_20170607_212719009.jpg?dl=0

I picked up this hand forged head a few years ago at an antique shop. It looks like it was dug out of the ground and was halfway to turning into a pile of rust. The pitting is very severe.

As you can tell it is not a large head.

I was thinking "well, it is hand forged and might make a good small hatchet or even a tomahawk". I would have to cut it down and re-shape it quite a bit.

Is this just wrong? Should I be preserving this disappearing piece of Americana? Or should I go forward and re-purpose an almost-too-far-gone piece of steel and give it new life?

 

[phantomknives]

its a wall hanger, if you want to make a pocket axe, be my guest but for plumb's sake do it right, dont burn the temper out, use proper edge angles, do it justice if you're gonna mess with it. as it stands, it's usable if you can manage a straight edge

 

[Hickory n steel]

There are already lots of small hatchets to be found, and tomahawks don't normally have axe eyes or handles so it'd not do this head justice.
I think if you do modify it, you'd better do something special that's of an American pattern. If it were mine I'd try to turn it into a small jersey pattern hatchet, because it's a classic American pattern and the fact that you rarely see it on hatchets would make it something special. It I'd polish the top and bottom edges which you will have cut or ground on but leave the patina and character on the rest of the head.

 

[Square_peg]

It's pitted enough to have no collector value. If you can turn it into something you'll enjoy then more power to you. Have at it!

 

[Frank R]

I'd polish the top and bottom edges which you will have cut or ground on but leave the patina and character on the rest of the head.

I like this idea. I could cold blue those edges so they are quite dark and would not be so noticeable.

The handle is shown just for size. I might make a new handle that is more suitable in character.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I like this idea. I could cold blue those edges so they are quite dark and would not be so noticeable.

The handle is shown just for size. I might make a new handle that is more suitable in character.

It looks like a pretty nice one, so if it'll fit the head I'd use it.

 

[Frank R]

but leave the patina and character on the rest of the head.

How do you suggest I leave the patina? After blueing the ground edges I am still left with rusty and pitted surfaces. Should I oil the steel or even blue it? Maybe wax? Or do you mean do nothing and leave it as it is?

I don't plan on grinding away the hammer marks; the blade is so thin that it would disappear if I ground them off of both sides.

 

[phantomknives]

well, to get black rust back, closest thing to a patina, boil it in vinegar then brush it for a patina, i think. or do it the long way and leave it in a tub of water

 

[Hickory n steel]

How do you suggest I leave the patina? After blueing the ground edges I am still left with rusty and pitted surfaces. Should I oil the steel or even blue it? Maybe wax? Or do you mean do nothing and leave it as it is?

I don't plan on grinding away the hammer marks; the blade is so thin that it would disappear if I ground them off of both sides.

Use a wire wheel to remove the rust, leaving just the patina that's underneath.
My thoughts for the edges you cut on were to polish then blue them for contrast, but you could easily just polish them and not blue them. Either way a beeswax mineral oil mixture will work well to prevent it from rusting on you when you're not using it.
There are ways to somewhat replicate the original patina, but you couldn't just do these areas so you really wouldn't have any original patina left on the head.

 

[Frank R]

Thank you for all the help!