JP Kelly Vulcan Axe - What is going on with this axe ?

cooperhill · May 9, 2012

Any ideas what the issue is here with this axe? Is it a bad eye punch? I spent $10 on this so it's no big deal to me but curious as to others' thoughts.

jwaj · May 9, 2012

Looks like a tree rolled over it.

weaveman · May 9, 2012

Looks like it was bent or smashed over to one side. It didn't leave the manufacture like that

moosecreektrails · May 9, 2012

Bought one off eBay like that probably used for splitting wedge bummer.

nickzdon · May 9, 2012

Maybe it got a little too much aggression being used as a wedge, but the poll looks ok. Maybe used in conjunction with a pry bar? I'd think you'd need a bit of leverage to deform it that much.

Even still, the eye doesn't look centered.

Square_peg · May 9, 2012

Either used as a wedge or run over with a piece of heavy machinery. Either way it's of little use in that condition. If you have a proper sized drift you might be able to re-align the eye at forging temperature.

I need to make some eye drifts. I have a few high carbon axles laying around that would make good drift stock.

cooperhill · May 9, 2012

Ah well. Thanks all. Win some lose some.

G-pig · May 9, 2012

I would hang it and try to use it. It would be an especially nice shot in the face for todays perfection hungry tool people. I think one could fine tune a handle that would work for it. I make my own and I've dealt with some funny shaped eyes so I think it could work. An old timer who lives down the road has his favorite axe that is all deformed from being whacked on. He said he's been using it for 40 years since. He bought it because he said "his name" was on it (It was a Warren, which happens to be his name).

cckw · May 9, 2012

I have a couple heads like that. it would be fun to be able to save them, but I'm not a forge guy. A question for the forge guys though, is vintage axe steel known enough about that you could reheat-treat it with actually knowing the exact steel used?

Frank-New Zealand · May 10, 2012

Looks like she has been to Hell and back. If she were mine I would put her into retirement, on the shelf with all the other old war horses from years past.

regards...Frank

screened porch · May 10, 2012

cckw said:
I have a couple heads like that. it would be fun to be able to save them, but I'm not a forge guy. A question for the forge guys though, is vintage axe steel known enough about that you could reheat-treat it with actually knowing the exact steel used?

This is a Square peg question, but some people think you can go by color, no matter what the steel, and some think you inform your color-judgment with how hard the steel is to work. You can always test hardness with a file (should skip off, not dig in) and test for over-softening with a common nail (axe edge should be harder).

Operator1975 · May 10, 2012

I wonder if whoever had that axe back in the day couldnt get the head to fit correctly on the haft, so they beat the side or cheek of the axe in. I have seen that done numerous times on old axes.

Square_peg · May 12, 2012

cckw said:
A question for the forge guys though, is vintage axe steel known enough about that you could reheat-treat it with actually knowing the exact steel used?

Short answer: yes.

scrteened porch said:
....some people think you can go by color, no matter what the steel, and some think you inform your color-judgment with how hard the steel is to work. You can always test hardness with a file (should skip off, not dig in) and test for over-softening with a common nail (axe edge should be harder).

Let me preface this by repeating that I am only a novice smith at best. It's my understanding (and experience) that vintage carbon steels can be hardened by common means, usually a water or oil quench, and then tempered using the temper colors. But what Porch said is right - the ultimate test for the backyard smith is the file test.

A brief accounting of the process is as follows. Heat the metal to 'critical' heat. For most vintage carbon steels cherry red hot will suffice. But to be exact, 'critical' heat is when the steel loses its magnetic properties. When it's red hot you can test it with a magnet. If the magnet is still attracted then you're not hot enough yet. Some new exotic alloys may require a higher heat to reach critical. At critical heat quench the steel in water or oil. Oil is probably better for thin objects like knife blades but water should do fine for axes.

After quenching test your steel as Porch described. The sharp corner of a file should slide off the metal with little or no digging in. If it isn't hard yet then try quenching again from a higher heat. Try dark orange. If that doesn't work try bright orange. I wouldn't go beyond that. If quenching from bright orange heat won't harden it then you've got something exotic that likely requires a special hardening process.

If a file test shows that the metal is adequately hardened then you're halfway done. Now you need to temper it. Tempering is removing some of the hardness to make the steel tougher and less brittle. The eye especially should be well tempered so it doesn't crack during wedging (I've had this happen).

Tempering can be done by holding it over the forge fire or by heating it with a torch or even putting it in the oven for an hour. The surface of the metal will change colors as the heat increases. The surface needs to be cleanly sanded or filed to see the colors. Apply the heat back away from the edge and let the colors run to the edge. After tempering test the metal with a file again. If it's too hard to file then your need to temper it a little hotter. It should file OK with a sharp file with a bit of effort. That's the correct hardness for an axe. If it files easily then you might have tempered it too much - too hot. If it won't file at all then it needs to be tempered to a little higher temperature.

I've posted these charts before but here they are again. More info on basic hardening and tempering can be found in 'The Complete Modern Blacksmith' by Weygers or in 'The Backyard Blacksmith' by Sims. You can build a simple forge cheaply and easily. Basic hardening and tempering are easier to learn than forging.

Remember, those temperatures are in Celsius.

M3mphis · May 13, 2012

Pegs, I saved your charts. Thanks for that!

ET SNYDER · May 27, 2015

I used a sander and oil to clean mine off. From what I can find out the steel is from Sweden. It took me 20-minutes to sharpen a 3-blade Sherade Knife. Approximately 50-hour for the double bladed axe, same stone. Get a 10X lens, a lot of writing on it.