It followed me home

Status
Not open for further replies.
Square_peg said:
Why not re-use the existing handle? There's plenty of good wood left above the shoulder for a re-hang. That handle has a nice shape and lots of life left in it.
Click to expand...

I have thought about re-using it or maybe repurposing it for my other hatchet. I will see what kind of condition the shoulder is in when I get it seperated from the head and then decide what to do.
 
My little (and I mean little) hatchet came with a friend. Now to find a handle for the red one. Ill probably end up making one though.

7397A905-0CFF-4C86-A9FC-C51C55D6BEA9-3131-000005FE511877FA.jpg
 
Fellas, thanks for this thread. I have started looking while I'm out and about for an item to post here and work on. When I finally fine something I'll be sure to post it here. This has to be one of my favortie threads on BF. Just my .02

Best,

Rhett
 
It was all Pegs's idea ;)
I need to get better about posting pics on here!

I for one can't wait to see your pics.
 
M3mphis said:
I had some major good fortune today! I bought these from a guy off craigslist.

20121017_222303.jpg


The pulaski's are TT Kelly "World's Finest," the cruiser is a Keen Kutter, and the single bit is a Kelly A&T, plus a froe. Get this...turns out the guy has been a smoke jumper for like 25 years. Has hordes of old tools. He filed cross cuts for years. He's got 7 or 8 cross cut saws. He's going to go through them and sell half so he'll be giving me a call. He also said he'll show me some stuff on filing too! Anyway, made an awesome contact!!

ETA: He gave me the Marshall Wells Hand Made. I'll see if my brother can weld up that big crack.
Click to expand...

That Froe looks like it is in good shape. A older forged one?
Great hall!
 
Made my first pass looking for old axes... here's what I brought home from the used tool store (didn't pay sticker on anything).

The double-bit is a True Temper Flint Edge Kelly Works. So the double-bit slot is filled. Phew.
More pics after I knock the dirt off and scrub it a bit.

The stone is a two-grit oil stone made in Peterborough, NH - unused, it seems. Better than anything else I've got for sharpening axes, and will stay cooler than the belt sander. :D

ETA: oops, not made there - MARKETED there. It's brookstone branded. Looks high quality, tho.

The wrench is a Westcott 8-inch. I already have an 8 and a 6. These are lovely adjustables. Need an extra for the shop.

IMG_20121020_151230-small.jpg


IMG_20121020_151256-small.jpg


IMG_20121020_151309-small.jpg
 
Last edited:
That's a sweet Flint Edge. And the Surform planer will come in handy when you re-haft it. You done good. I like those old wrenches, too.

About the oilstone, this is sure to light up a firestorm but I prefer to use water rather than oil. If it ain't oiled yet you might consider going with water.
 
I prefer water too Pegs ;)
That's how I learned to sharpen when I was a kid... Just spit on the stone and 'go to town' :D
 
Square_peg said:
That's a sweet Flint Edge. And the Surform planer will come in handy when you re-haft it. You done good. I like those old wrenches, too.

About the oilstone, this is sure to light up a firestorm but I prefer to use water rather than oil. If it ain't oiled yet you might consider going with water.
Click to expand...

I use spit. Its free and I got plenty of it. dont want to support big whetstone oil. I even ran some of my stones that had been oiled through a dishwasher when I was staying at a cottage once (dont have a dish washer), and they work fine with spit now.
 
Square_peg said:
That's a sweet Flint Edge. And the Surform planer will come in handy when you re-haft it. You done good. I like those old wrenches, too.

About the oilstone, this is sure to light up a firestorm but I prefer to use water rather than oil. If it ain't oiled yet you might consider going with water.
Click to expand...


exactly my thought on the surform.
The stone appears to have been sold oil-soaked. we'll see. I do have some Smith's honing oil which i use to clean my diamond hones. As I do a lot of carbon steel knives, I'm happy to have some margin of rust prevention when it comes to all the metal dust. We'll see how it goes. Water certainly is less irritating to deal with.

Saw couple didn't-follow-me-homes, which were old, unmarked, pitted to death, and marked between $100 and $200 dollars. weirdos.
 
Last edited:
G-pig said:
I even ran some of my stones that had been oiled through a dishwasher when I was staying at a cottage once (dont have a dish washer), and they work fine with spit now.
Click to expand...

I've boiled oilstones in soapy water before, too. It doesn't get it all but it helps.

With axes I keep the axe in the vise and the stone in my hand. I keep a small tub of water next to me for dipping. Once you work up a slurry it cuts real quick.
 
Uh-oh, Sunday is flea market day.

I thought I'd found my truck axe, but this one weighs the same as my 3lb Plumb, it appears.
Is this a Connecticut pattern?
It's marked "Lewistown, PA USA" and "KNOT KLIPPER Warranted". A quick google suggests this is a Mann? How'd I do?
The top of the edge is a bit more worn than the rest, but a little care may be able to even that up.
Should I pound that out on an anvil, or just grind it flush? I'll open a WIP for this one when I get to it.

The hatchet is small and handy. Despite not liking my half-hatchet much, this one really appeals to me. It's super light, only 1lb 10oz as a packge. It doesn't pinch the finger badly when choked up, and the bit has a nice gentle curve. It's marked "0 ATCO Tool Works". Its edge was beaten on, but well profiled. I hit it with the EZ-lap to clean off the dings and then the stone. Suddenly it was paper-shaving sharp!! Holy crap! The top corner of the edge is still a bit serrated, but this one looks to be a keeper.

There was also a beautiful adze at an outside table, but I don't need such a thing, and it looks ridiculously dangerous to wield merely for funsies.

Everything was $5ea today, including the knee/shin guards. Now I just need steel-toed boots, and those I won't get used...

IMG_20121021_133447-small.jpg


IMG_20121021_133506-small.jpg



Even dirty with a loose handle it looks great on the splitting stump.

IMG_20121021_133625-small.jpg


IMG_20121021_134214-small.jpg


IMG_20121021_134230-small.jpg


Look at the gorgeous 3D swell of the toe end of the handle. Man, that feels great.

IMG_20121021_134241-small.jpg


IMG_20121021_134259-small.jpg


IMG_20121021_134313-small.jpg



I couldn't resist. It throws great!:

IMG_20121021_133618-small.jpg




These two may fill out part of my required stable, leaving room for a custom hunting hatchet/hawk and a single swedish chopping tool.

I also looked at handles, but brought none home.
Tractor supply has them too, but what was interesting there was their NEW axe display. They're selling the Truper line. What struck me is that most of the chopping axe profiles were pretty good. The REAL shock was the one double-bit axe with a completely machine contoured and steel brushed finish with an excellent profile.... for $30. They all appeared to be Hecho en Mexico, but if that's the quality they're turning out (no idea on the steel), Mexico may yet give China and India a run for some of its their pesos in the better-than-crap tool market. I wish our neighbors luck in that regard.
 
Last edited:
daizee said:
Look at the gorgeous 3D swell of the toe end of the handle. Man, that feels great.

IMG_20121021_134241-small.jpg
Click to expand...

I like vintage handles almost as well as I like vintage axes. I'd try to save that. I've re-used some handles that looked too far gone but came back with a little TLC.
 
Nice work on the Knot Klipper Connecticut. I'm sure Operator is going to be interested in that one.

_ATCO might be KATCO - John King Axe and Tool Company.

Nice finds!

Shin guards? Do you use them? If you don't break the plane with the axe (dip down as you swing), you won't need them. You'll put the axe in the ground before your leg.
 
cooperhill said:
Nice work on the Knot Klipper Connecticut. I'm sure Operator is going to be interested in that one.

_ATCO might be KATCO - John King Axe and Tool Company.

Nice finds!

Shin guards? Do you use them? If you don't break the plane with the axe (dip down as you swing), you won't need them. You'll put the axe in the ground before your leg.
Click to expand...

KATCO is what I was expecting. Bought it anyway. :)

I have not yet used shin guards. These cover knee and shin - for hocky, I think?

If you don't break the plane with the axe
Click to expand...

I practice this, but greatly like the idea of some actual protection as a backup. It's very easy to get tired or frustrated and not realize it until you've already started doing stupid things. 90% of my axe experience is splitting, so anything out of that area I'm a n00b.
 
cooperhill said:
Don't sell yourself short. Everyone starts somewhere. This and the other trailwork videos (an axe to grind, handtools for trail) have some great instructionals on chopping. The White Mountain National Forest looked into axe safety thoroughly and did not mandate the use of shin guards for chopping. For me, on the trail, they aren't practical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Xz3rs-eaN3E#t=2317s
Click to expand...

Interesting.
I'm never 'on the trail', tho. :)
If I'm lucky enough to get out in the woods with a cutting tool I won't have the space to carry guards. However I'll be carrying something in the 20" or shorter category anyway, and then the hatchet handle techniques will apply instead (maybe I'll tote some lewinskys), which I've been watching up on (youtube isn't 'reading').
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top