It followed me home (Part 2)

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guys i got chili
i realize it's not easy to ID the wood from the bark, this is hickory, can't wait to have handle material,

next year
 
Awesome haul. That stone looks great compared to the last one I found. 2" thick you won't wear it out in your lifetime. There may be a better way to dress them but I have been using a diamond plate. Anyone have another method?

I have found that that a belt sander with a fresh belt is the best way to get the bulk of the stone clean and get rid of any deep gouges. Then I will take it to sand paper on a piece of granit. It has always worked for me. There is probably plenty of other ways though.
 
My brother brought this back from work. It was ROUGH! My brother believes it was used for chopping rocks at work. I am inclined to believe him. It cleaned up decently but due to the hardness of the steel and the depth of the chips I'll end up keeping some of them for a few years. It is an L. & I. J. White 1837 head. The head was coming off the handle but it didn't come off without a LOT of work. The handle is just beautiful to the eyes and the hands. My favorite part is the fact that you can see the different steel types without a vinegar soak. It has got some weirdly placed grinding marks that you can see near the eye.
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It is an L. & I. J. White 1837 head.

Keep in mind that 1837 is just the year the company was formed. The axe was likely made during their heyday in the early 20th century. I like how you can see the construction of the tool with the carbon steel applied to the bit and poll.
 
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I told my brother the same thing when I first saw it. I have 2-3 other L. & I. J. White tools and they all say that. It has confused a couple people I know.
 
I've never seen a grub hoe like this before with a crudely welded socket ( if I am in fact correct in calling it a grub hoe ) so maybe it's homemade from a regular hoe that broke, or it's just a crude cheapie.

What the hell, it was free so I'll use it.
 




It was a good day at the flea market!! A few planes for parts mainly. And a nice draw knife. And a great no 7 jointer! Finally a great 4 lb Collins Dayton pattern on a beautiful 36” handle. I think I see a legitumus sign but I’m not sure yet.
looks a lot like the ones i found
 
Let me know what you got! We might be able to swap parts and make some complete planes lol. The number 7 is the only one complete. The number six is in great shape. Surface rust but it even had the sweetheart sticker on the tote still. But the main body is cracked.
 
I think it’s quite common for the base/trunk of pine and fir trees to be full of sap. One more reason the old timers used spring boards to get above the the sappy wood when sawing.

Has anyone had experience using fatwood for wedges?
I have a small pile of it. Never crossed my mind to use it for wedges.

I use fatwood wedges all the time. Really like them too. Here's one getting worked in.
I am of the opinion, driving heats it, then once they set up a couple days, the pitch helps glue them in. They are pretty much impervious to water or humidity, also a plus.
It only takes a minute to carve one, if you have a lot of supply. I keep at least 1/2 cord around :)

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Let me know what you got! We might be able to swap parts and make some complete planes lol. The number 7 is the only one complete. The number six is in great shape. Surface rust but it even had the sweetheart sticker on the tote still. But the main body is cracked.
no i meant the collins, the handle's in better shape too
I use fatwood wedges all the time. Really like them too. Here's one getting worked in.
I am of the opinion, driving heats it, then once they set up a couple days, the pitch helps glue them in. They are pretty much impervious to water or humidity, also a plus.
It only takes a minute to carve one, if you have a lot of supply. I keep at least 1/2 cord around :)

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QhmukNt.jpg


Bbto9OH.jpg
does the fatwood thing happen in virginia, white, red or loblolly pine? that's what i have around here and just being able to knock some wedges out with a hatchet would definitely knock out some time
 
I'm sure it's there P phantomknives , most pines make it.
I'm not from that neck of the woods though so hope someone who is speaks up and knows the details.

It's all great for lighting fires, but I've noticed a lot isn't great for wedges. From what we have, I like the section a few feet right above the root base of ponderosa pine best.
As you get up higher in the pine, or any part of a Doug fir, it seems more brittle, and cracks apart as you try and drive it. I'm sure whatever species are in your area will have some kind of variations as well.
 
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no i meant the collins, the handle's in better shape too
does the fatwood thing happen in virginia, white, red or loblolly pine? that's what i have around here and just being able to knock some wedges out with a hatchet would definitely knock out some time
Just a walk through pine woods should yield all the fatwood you could ever need! Look for ancient stumps, or old root balls from uprooted pines. The sapwood from the pine rots away in a few years leaving the fatwood, some of the same fatwood stumps have remained unchanged in my woods since I was a boy.
 
One of my buddies found out I’ve started rehanging axes so he brought these to me. He currently has a saw mill and his family has been logging in East TN and Western North Carolina for generations. He gave me these and said there was a lot more laying around where they came from, he just grabbed what was close. Anyone want to tell me what I have and if they have much life left in them.











 
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