It followed me home (Part 2)

[KillerGriller]

Another piece of my auction lot, this...car wreck...I shouldn't look, but I can't look away...

I'm honestly not sure if it was ever a proper cleaver or just cut out out of raw stock and had the "handle" welded on?

 

[Moonw]

Another piece of my auction lot, this...car wreck...I shouldn't look, but I can't look away...

I'm honestly not sure if it was ever a proper cleaver or just cut out out of raw stock and had the "handle" welded on?

Clean it up and see what a file taken to the edge tells you. Or dunk it in vinegar, and see if you can find a hardening line.

 

[Brian Rust]

I found a new honey hole this week but barely had any time to pick it. A fellow carpenter and tool collector passed a few years back. His widow is just now starting to sell his tools and she invited me to have a look. I took some photos and picked a few things but the rest will have to wait a week or two until I have some more time. Here's a preview.

From all that this is all I grabbed on this first quick round.

The drawknife on the left is a 10" Greenlee. The short drawknife and screwdriver are Pextos. The little ice hatchet is a Stattsburg (Bodenstein). I'm not a hand planes collector but I might grab 1 or 2 anyway. There's was just too much to take in all in so fast. I'll allow myself an hour or 2 next time and bring more cash.

The ice axe is a Washington pattern. This catalog page has been posted here before in the ice axe thread.

That Stanley #67 is great for axe handles! It was the “universal spokeshave”. Came with a round base and a flat base. The round base is great for transition work on handles. I recently acquired one myself!

 

[Hickory n steel]

This hatchet followed me home today from the PO BOX, courtesy of Miller72.
It's a no name with evidence of red paint, and I don't think it's super old. 50's-60's sounds about right.
He gave me a great deal at less than the cost of many new offerings , especially considering that he had already rehung it's handle and done some minor clean up on the poll.


On top of that I open the package to discover that he threw in that awesome Carborumdum pocket stone.
I don't know the grit but it's an excellent little stone.

 

[junkenstien]

That’s a lovely pair.

 

[Hickory n steel]

That’s a lovely pair.

It definitely seems to be, the stone seems to be the perfect size for this hatchet and worked really well.
A perfect size for whatever knife is in my pocket too.

 

[KiwiBloke]

This vintage GBA axe has come into my possession today; no awesome, mysterious story to go with it however.

I will take the heel back a bit and clean up the mushrooming on the poll (can someone please tell me why people insist on smashing hard things with this part of the tool?! Would you remove a letter box post by ramming through it with your car?)

My only question for everyone is about the rusting on the head. It looks sort of like our friend the black rust but possibly somewhat more like his evil red-brown cousin. I would usually just take the wire cup to it but as it still has some of its original paint on it I am questioning it as I think it makes it more special to see remnants of its original state. Would you remove this rust or just leave it? Also does paint exist under rust? Is it possible that underneath (if carefully removed of course) there could be more paint down there? In which case that sounds appealing to me. Thanks

 

[junkenstien]

Wouldn’t care about the finish on that hb,time you get that epoxy out of there your gonna want to attack it with a wire wheel.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Wouldn’t care about the finish on that hb,time you get that epoxy out of there your gonna want to attack it with a wire wheel.

I second that, I'd give it a light scrubbing with some 220 to cut through the scale then take a wire wheel to it.

 

[garry3]

Yes, just a common hatchet eye.

Some of them foreign made ones don't was my reason for asking. I don't think any of the Swedish ones I have came across did. It looks kind of familiar but I can't place it.

 

[garry3]

This vintage GBA axe has come into my possession today; no awesome, mysterious story to go with it however.

I will take the heel back a bit and clean up the mushrooming on the poll (can someone please tell me why people insist on smashing hard things with this part of the tool?! Would you remove a letter box post by ramming through it with your car?)

My only question for everyone is about the rusting on the head. It looks sort of like our friend the black rust but possibly somewhat more like his evil red-brown cousin. I would usually just take the wire cup to it but as it still has some of its original paint on it I am questioning it as I think it makes it more special to see remnants of its original state. Would you remove this rust or just leave it? Also does paint exist under rust? Is it possible that underneath (if carefully removed of course) there could be more paint down there? In which case that sounds appealing to me. Thanks

Not an expert on rust but I used to rust traps and then boil them(in walnut hulls) to preserve them. Vinegar hasn't removed paint in my experience but I have never found paint under rust.
BTW, I have pretty good luck removing them epoxied heads by heating the epoxy with a little gas torch and then just driving the handle through. No drilling or chipping required. For some odd reason others have said it doesn't work..

 

[KiwiBloke]

I second that, I'd give it a light scrubbing with some 220 to cut through the scale then take a wire wheel to it.

That's an interesting tip. I have taken my brass wire cup brush attached to power drill to several very very rusty heads (hard rust not flaky rust) and I must admit it took a long time before I got it off. Will start using this trick to loosen the top layer first, thanks.

This brings me to a question of ethics. Is it 'wrong' to repaint vintage heads with the intention of restoring it to its original state? Question applicable to both wall hangers and users. I can't imagine I would ever be able to have a dried, finish color that is identical to Gransfors' classic teal color but perhaps it would be close. But then I ask if you can't replicate it, you aren't really restoring it to its original state you are simply painting it; every time you look at it you would know.

I understand there is a mentality among many of us that almost by default goes "clean it, sharpen it, hang it, use it". I understand that but I already have 8 axes like this. It is nice to have some variety and different mixes going on in the arsenal. I have 1 that has all the patina removed and is mirror polished; I maintain its polish and won't let it patina, purely because it's cool as hell in my opinion to have one super shiny axe, at least just one. It gets frequent use and I give it frequent attention.

And It would also be great to have a few restored to its factory color..

Do any of you attempt this ever? or are we going with the "clean it, sharpen it, hang it, use it" line?

 

[Hickory n steel]

That's an interesting tip. I have taken my brass wire cup brush attached to power drill to several very very rusty heads (hard rust not flaky rust) and I must admit it took a long time before I got it off. Will start using this trick to loosen the top layer first, thanks.

This brings me to a question of ethics. Is it 'wrong' to repaint vintage heads with the intention of restoring it to its original state? Question applicable to both wall hangers and users. I can't imagine I would ever be able to have a dried, finish color that is identical to Gransfors' classic teal color but perhaps it would be close. But then I ask if you can't replicate it, you aren't really restoring it to its original state you are simply painting it; every time you look at it you would know.

I understand there is a mentality among many of us that almost by default goes "clean it, sharpen it, hang it, use it". I understand that but I already have 8 axes like this. It is nice to have some variety and different mixes going on in the arsenal. I have 1 that has all the patina removed and is mirror polished; I maintain its polish and won't let it patina, purely because it's cool as hell in my opinion to have one super shiny axe, at least just one. It gets frequent use and I give it frequent attention.

And It would also be great to have a few restored to its factory color..

Do any of you attempt this ever? or are we going with the "clean it, sharpen it, hang it, use it" line?

I go with " it's an old used tool and always will be ", but I must admit that the idea of being able to use something from a new or like new condition is appealing.
If you can bring it to a new looking state that satisfies you then you're not really hurting anything since you do have others.

Btw with the 220 sandpaper what I do is give it a light scrubbing over the scaly area then take it to the wire wheel and repeat checking progress long the way.

 

[KiwiBloke]

Btw with the 220 sandpaper what I do is give it a light scrubbing over the scaly area then take it to the wire wheel and repeat checking progress long the way.

Thanks for that pal I look forward to trying it out

 

[garry3]

I have painted wall hangers as well as user axes. Paint is good...

 

[Fmont]

Not an expert on rust but I used to rust traps and then boil them(in walnut hulls) to preserve them.

That's old-school and some guys still do it that way. I rust and dye, but I've run completely untreated traps and the animals didn't seem to mind. Well, they did, but in a way that worked for me. Lol

 

[Square_peg]

Is it 'wrong' to repaint vintage heads with the intention of restoring it to its original state?

It's your axe. Do whatever pleases you. It's not going to effect the value either way since it's not some great museum piece. I've painted some. Mostly I don't. But if I feel like it I will.

 

[KiwiBloke]

BTW, I have pretty good luck removing them epoxied heads by heating the epoxy with a little gas torch and then just driving the handle through. No drilling or chipping required. For some odd reason others have said it doesn't work..

Thanks for the tip. Another admission; I have never had to remove handle wood form an eye that also contains epoxy so this will be my first. What happens when a drill meets it? Doesn't cut through?

I don't have access to a torch so will have to work out a caveman method.

 

[KiwiBloke]

What's this rust trap business you lot speak of? haha. Do animals see bright steel and avoid it or smell it or something??

 

[garry3]

Thanks for the tip. Another admission; I have never had to remove handle wood form an eye that also contains epoxy so this will be my first. What happens when a drill meets it? Doesn't cut through?

I don't have access to a torch so will have to work out a caveman method.

A drill will work just fine or you could chip it out. I just don't do more work than is necessary.Not sure if it is the softening of the epoxy with the heat or expanding the steel or a little of both but it is plumb easy.