It followed me home (Part 2)

todays haul.. garbage in comparison to the gold you dudes find!
I wouldn't say that. In fact thanks for posting. Having to separate the "wheat from the chaff" is what most folks shy away from. Couple of new hammer handles (real bonus!) and maybe a Sheffield or Solingen-made or USA-made domestic file, and you've already come out ahead. The billhook has seen better days but if through some fluke you can clean it up (enough to use) even that is not a loss.
 
This is what Ive gotten on my two flea market trips.

A Stanley boy's axe that has hardly seen any use (left) - 15 bucks
A Welland Vale house axe, or long hatchet if you prefer (middle) - 7 bucks
A sheetmetal cutter, dont know the brand, made in USoA - 20 bucks

yeah, everything cost more up here... sigh

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These cutters are BEAST! i cut thru a 1/8 mild steel plate to test it and barely felt it.
 
That's a hefty shear! I'd have been all over that.

Your Welland Vale needs some work but it's still very cool. I can't wait to see it fixed up and hung.
 
This double bit was given to me today from the gentleman I am doing work at. This is my first double bit axe, can't find any markings on it except for a 3 something, also has remains of yellow paint. Handle has a bit of a wow but otherwise should be able to reuse and re-straighten.
 
Nice finds! That double has high-ish centerlines, so in all likelihood it's a great head.

And I like that billhook! Some filing and a better handle and I think it'll be clearing briars in no time.
 
The billhook is plasterred in black paint and really pitted with rust, nothing I can;t handle but pretty rough shape! good jo b it was only £3. :)

I had a similar black painted tool, I think they are fireplace display pieces..



And after a clean up, nearly ready for a handle..

 
And this was my second stop, $60 for everything. There are some expensive stones in there, and a couple of tomahawks that are in great shape but I'm not familiar with them.

 
Not only is this my first Legitimus, it's also my first cruiser. On top of that it came with a usable older haft with fantastic grain orientation and I paid $15.00 for it. I'm sure as heck happy!

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That cruiser looks like a score.



This head followed me home from the mail box the other day.

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I get a kick out of the Lakeside axes I guess. The pictures of it online didn't really show the extent of the mushrooming on this one. I am at peace with that. Fixable for sure but maybe not in one session at it.

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I like a good poll clean-up but I'm wondering if anyone can share tips or methods they use, using only hand tools?

The middle portion of the poll face is mashed enough to show a dip in the center.

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This sound about right?:

1. Heavy tape it with a couple of small pieces of cardboard (6 pack box) from the cheeks up to the top edge the maker's marks,

2.Vice it and flatten/shape it using my machinist files.

Several times I've read posts here where members peened mushrooming back with hammers. Is that for slightly turned over edges or would that be an option here - to get some steel back in place before filing it off?

I would be happy to spend time on it as I haven't come across a Lakeside Jersey before but I would also like to keep the mark as intact as I can. It's got "36" stamped on the other side- the Lakesides with the "W" or a number seem to feel harder under a file than the ones without.

I have sharp files, an angle grinder, and a bench grinder- I've only used the angle grinder to clean axe heads and never the bench grinder on one. I'd like to keep it that way :)


It's definitely 5lbs.

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I think it will make a very usable axe. I'm sure it is right now but the mushrooming has to go - for aesthetic reasons I guess. Toying with the idea of reclaiming one of the old handles from the group of brush axes I've accumulated.
 
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I think that Square_Peg has talked about heating up the poll with a propane torch, then hammering down the mushrooming to re-shape the poll, but I haven't tried it yet.

The poll on one of the axes that "followed me home" was mushroomed so badly that I first used a hacksaw to remove the curled steel. I also did some major filing inside the eye to help remove the deformation that resulted from hammering so much with the poll.
 
ive had success hammering the poll cold to remove the mushrooming effect, used a piece of steel as anvil and a 3 lbs mace. good luck! :)
 
I think that Square_Peg has talked about heating up the poll with a propane torch, then hammering down the mushrooming to re-shape the poll, but I haven't tried it yet.

The poll on one of the axes that "followed me home" was mushroomed so badly that I first used a hacksaw to remove the curled steel. I also did some major filing inside the eye to help remove the deformation that resulted from hammering so much with the poll.

ive had success hammering the poll cold to remove the mushrooming effect, used a piece of steel as anvil and a 3 lbs mace. good luck! :)

I’ll start cold and if that isn’t working I figure I can heat it up and try again. I do have a large piece of steel and some hammers adequate for heavy banging on things. (Thanks JB :thumbup:)

You two find you still have to clean them up some with the files after knocking the metal back in place?
 
I got some edged tools and also some things to help me fix things up. The bench including vise was $20, the bandsaw was $40 and all of the tools plus nice wood on the bench totaled $26- including Swedish gouges, a nice 7" drawknife and a Collins Legitimus head. All told I spent $86.

The top two slabs are beautiful thick maple. The othter two I'm not sure of, darker. All boards have perfect grain though. I'll bet those are not cheap at the store.




 
You need a warehouse jb. Nice stuff there.

My wife mentioned a storage unit tonight. The thing is, I don't want to keep very much at once. I want to keep things moving, which means it's easier to have close at hand. Also, I want a workshop- this has to be part of the basement. I was psyched to get the bench and saw, I already have belt sander, drill press, grinder/buffer/wire wheel etc. But I've already decided to sell the saw, I have to make space compromises and a table top unit will be fine for me. I keep dreaming of a large shed wired for electricity....right next to the fire pit, with an awning to go over the forge...sigh.
 
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