-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
It followed me home
- Thread starter Square_peg
- Start date
- Status
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
I believe that one is called an undercutter. It's similar to an axe mattock but narrower on the adze side and with a more prominent axe bit. It's advantage over a Pulaski is that it uses the much tougher pickaxe handle rather than the thin Pulaski handle. You can pry with that tool whereas you can't with the Pulaski. The disadvantage is that those heavy handles transmit more shock to the user so you wouldn't want to use one all day long.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
- Messages
- 1,018
My first broad axe. $38 shipped on ebay. Couldn't resist. I hope it's a good one.
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
Looks fine. Congrats.
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2010
- Messages
- 3,135
My first broad axe. $38 shipped on ebay. Couldn't resist. I hope it's a good one.
That's really nice. And for 38 bucks you can't beat that. All the local antique stores here charge 100+ for those in worse condition!
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2012
- Messages
- 505
My first broad axe. $38 shipped on ebay. Couldn't resist. I hope it's a good one.
Thats beautiful. I've been on the hunt for one for sometime. That looks perfect to me.
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
I finally scored a pair of 32" straight octagon handles. Got 'em off the 'bay. I like the fact that these don't have a kerf cut. I prefer to do that myself anyway.
One has awesome grain and the other so-so. But they're good sound wood and I don't expect any problems with either of them.
One of them is going to receive a 4-pound Stiletto Dayton pattern. The other will likely see a Jersey or a masting axe.
One has awesome grain and the other so-so. But they're good sound wood and I don't expect any problems with either of them.
One of them is going to receive a 4-pound Stiletto Dayton pattern. The other will likely see a Jersey or a masting axe.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
- Messages
- 1,018
Nice. That guy does a nice job with those handles. A bit thick for my taste but...
I've been thinning mine down to around 5/8", so I can whip the head back and forth with the handle gripped at the grip end.
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
Yep.They'll need a little thinning. But they're a good start and it's hard to find anything in this length around here.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,946
Those look nice Pegs.
I'm sure you will like them
I've got a couple of those myself
I'm sure you will like them
I've got a couple of those myself
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2012
- Messages
- 27
Which seller is it? Need to get few handles myself.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,946
Billy j bluegrass
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,946
Saved this True Temper/Kelly Works Flint Edge....from a neighbor's junk pile and re-handled it with a stick bought at Home Depot......I'm hoping I put the head on correctly and not upside down....but either way she does fine at the woodpile..Bill
Hey, that's a good save from the junk pile.
And no, she's not hung upside down!
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
Nice axe! Looks like you got it right.
Square_peg
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2012
- Messages
- 13,813
Something I picked up on an auction site recently. I want to try one of these as a camp hatchet. Should make a decent little bushcraft hatchet. And I like to bring along a few nails for hanging things on trees and securing lines. Having a hammer and claw on your hatchet saves the need for another tool.
I'll get it cleaned up and see how it works.
I tried a Tommy Axe in this role but the distance between the top of the poll and the claw robs leverage from the tool. With a more compact poll the fulcrum is closer to the work making it easier to pull nails.
I finally got that claw hatchet sharpened and re-hung on the existing handle. I haven't taken it camping yet but I messed around in the back yard.
Here's how it fared at various tasks.
Chopping - It's only a so-so chopper. The straight bit and relatively flat cheeks aren't advantageous for chopping but I knew that going in. The other thing it has going against it is a short handle - only 13-3/4" long. I think this is a 1-3/4 pound head and it would be better hung on a 16" to 18" handle
Carving - It's quite good at this. This is what I had in mind when I shaped the edge. It came with a blunt ~45° bevel on it and it favored one side almost like a broad hatchet. I re-centered the edge and gave it about a 28° bevel.
Splitting - It kind of surprised me here, splitting much better than I anticipated. I think the weight of the thing is a big factor here. With a little longer handle it would actually be a great kindling splitter. As is I'd rate it as good.
Hammering - It feels almost like a framing hammer in my hand. Works very well at this task and I suppose that's to be expected since it was marketed as a carpentry tool originally. Here again it would benefit from a longer handle.
Nail pulling - It's very good at this which was what I was hoping for when I bought this to replace my Tommy Axe. The short hammer face creates good leverage for pulling nails - unlike the Tommy Axe with it's longer poll face. I was impressed with how easily it pulled 16 penny sinkers.
Overall I think I'll be slightly happier with this than the Tommy Axe as my camp hatchet. And once I find a longer handle for it I think I'll really have no complaints.
- Status