Looky what I have coming my way!

Ad Astra said:
...Could a single langet or side strap go up and over the head to better secure? Hmm.

Mike
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i note the one, 'C', in my posted pic above appears to have langets, i've seen those on british fire axes on e-pray (caveat emptor, they look alot like boarding axes and are sometimes sold as same, have short hafts) on those the langets were inset into the haft & appeared to extend ito the eye socket rather than go over the top. saw some proper issue boarding axes in racks on HMS Warrior in portsmouth navy yard over here (same place nelson's victory is) along with racks of cutlasses and racks of navy percussion colts (a small fortunes worth, must have a hundred or so, they are locked thru the trigger guards, but visitors can still cock & dry fire them. some of them have been ruined that way, springs broke, etc. - a shame) and boarding pikes in circular racks around the base of the mast on the main deck. don't remember if the axes had langets or not.
 
Kronck thanks for posting the pic from Loyalist Arms, I think.:p ;)
They're a new outfit to me and I spent quite a lot of very enjoyable time perusing all their offering's.:thumbup: :cool:
Then I just had to get curiouser and checked out their links and spent even more time perusing all of the offerings!
One of their links has some of the finest looking flintlock and percussion guns I've ever seen!:thumbup: :cool: :D
 
Has anyone else finished their boarding ax?

I used a hickory handle from True Value... I wanted longer, like a boys ax, but this'll do for a start. Stained it red oak- I didn't like it- and refinished it with a blackish stain. Generous amount of JB SpotWeld in there, I admit, and one wedge and two nails. :p Not my best work, but the ax is in the field now instead of sitting on the bench in the Workshop of the Telescopes.

pb250094sx0.jpg


It convexed nicely with the 1x30 sander, and I coated it with black grill paint to keep down rust.

One feels *just a little* like a lunatic when taking pictures of a "favorite ax." But youse guys get it.

Mike
 
That's still a good looking job Mike even if it ain't your best work.:thumbup: ;) :D
I've been too paranoid about getting my neck healed and getting out of this damned brace to do anything yet.:o
 
How's it feel?


Actually that question can go to both Yvsa and ad astra! LOL

Seriously... hows your neck/back Yvsa?

And How's the boarding axe feel in your hand, Mike?
Quick, light, unwieldy, heavy, deadly?:D
 
shappa said:
How's it feel?


Actually that question can go to both Yvsa and ad astra! LOL

Seriously... hows your neck/back Yvsa?

And How's the boarding axe feel in your hand, Mike?
Quick, light, unwieldy, heavy, deadly?:D
Click to expand...

It's heavier than it looks... you can sharpen the spike, a little... going to beat on some wood with it this weekend.

Though I don't like the handle, you can choke up on it to do minor cutting and it still feels good.

It's a good design. Had to decide whether to leave some handle exposed out of the top, or seal it up, so i did it in the style of my Lagana cold steel clone, and made it flush. In all honesty I'm not crazy about the handle; a handle in-between hammer/hatchet and real ax would be best. That "boys ax" length. I'm sure I'll break this at some point so I'm looking for that.

It's in the car as a "crash ax", which it is. That's what the privateer's ax turned into on land. A fireman's ax, too.

Pilot I knew said there was a skeletonized crash ax in the cockpit of a type of airliner he flew. Would like to see that. This one has the mass needed to bite pretty hard, IMO.


Mike
 
shappa said:
Actually that question can go to both Yvsa and ad astra! LOL

Seriously... hows your neck/back Yvsa?
Click to expand...

Neck is doing fine, I Hope, at least there has been very, very, little pain with it. I go back in for x-rays on both my neck and low back pretty soon so I'll know more then.
Low back has been absolutely immobilizing me most days as far as getting out and walking or doing anything. I go in for what's called a, "Hardware block" a week from tomorrow and I'm hoping that will help with the pain. I've had several injections in my SI, Facet, and Hip Joints and they help with the pain from 4 to 6 months so I'm hoping this hardware block will do the same.
Trouble is if it does help it probably means the hardware needs to come out and since it has only been in since June 25th it probably hasn't fused and may be too soon. On the other hand if it does need to come out then it will have to be replaced if at all possible.:grumpy:
The surgeon couldn't put any hardware on the left side last time because the screw hole in my bone had wallowed out too much and was too big for any screws to fit it.:( Degenerative bone disease is like getting old, it sure ain't for sissies.;)
Thanks for asking back to topic....:D
 
Yvsa said:
It left the outfit I bought it from today by FedEx and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival!:thumbup: :D
They don't come with handles but I figure since I already have one axe handle to make another won't hurt any as I'll get to where I can do things again or die trying.;)
But it was very reasonable for its size and a real boarding axe to boot!:thumbup: :D
Osage Orange ought to make real nice handles for both of them....

s-3005.jpg


Oh, the other one? Here it is, a real Nessmuk axe!!!! :cool: :D Oh yeah, that's measured in millimeters and on my monitor is a little larger than life size.;)

attachment.php
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Yvsa, can you say where you got the nessmuk axe head? Not that I'm buying anything right now, but would like to make note. I didn't see it on the Jas. Townsend and Son website.

Thanks,

Norm
 
Svashtar said:
Yvsa, can you say where you got the nessmuk axe head? Not that I'm buying anything right now, but would like to make note. I didn't see it on the Jas. Townsend and Son website.

Thanks,

Norm
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Osiyo Norm!

Email will be headed your way later tonight.;) :D
 
I just went to OSH and bought a 30" shaft of hickory made for maul or an axe. I'm cutting about 4" off the bottom and then a couple of inches off the top, just above the shoulder. Then I'll have to reconfigure the top of the shaft and cut a new notch for the wooden wedge. I also plan on turning the shaft diameter down just a tad.

I debated just leaving the wood unnotched for a wooden wedge and driving metal wedges in, but found that the wood tends to split more, although that's not always bad. That's why I commented on Andy's nessmuk head handling job, as I noticed he just used a wooden wedge.

My plan is to have the handle end about 1/4" to 3/8" below the top of the head, then drive the wood wedge in and trim off what still sticks out with a chisel, and then at least 1 metal cross wedge in, and then seal the top with JB weld. I've done this before with a 2 lb. sledge hammer.

The difficulty will be fitting the top of the shaft properly into the head, as the hole in mine is very irregular. Going to be a lot of trial and error fitting it, but the JB Weld helps as it will settle down over a few hours and fill any gaps in the assembly. That's why it's better than JB Quik for this application IMO.

I only have the boarding axe head thanks to the generosity of Aardvark who made me a present of one at Christmas, (along with a bunch of other knife-nut goodies for me and my son.) So far I've been polishing it out on my belt grinder, which has been a lot of work...

Norm
 
I did pretty much what Norm plans to do. I got a pick handle at OSH, cut it down to 25/26 inches, cut the wedge notch deeper.

Took a lot of shaping to get the eye around the shaft. As was mentioned, the eye is pretty rough. I wound up with the wooden wedge, and 2 angled steel ones. I'm not going to put glue on the head. Mine seems solid enough without it.

The polishing of the head was an experience.

Yvsa, if you wouldn't mind a cc on that email you're sending Norm...
 
So Fiddleback or Yvsa?

Have y'all chopped anything with the Cegga hatchets yet?

The dudes over on British Blades seem to speak very highly of his stuff:thumbup: so I'm wondering.:confused:
 
hollowdweller said:
So Fiddleback or Yvsa?

Have y'all chopped anything with the Cegga hatchets yet?
Click to expand...

Well I'm sorry to say being in this neck brace I haven't been able to do any kind of handicrafts and probably won't be for a while to come.:o :mad:
 
Bummer Yvsa. Neck injuries suck. I hurt some of my cervical vertabrae about 2 years ago and while the numbness is gone so I'm not breaking glasses when I wash dishes getting lids off of stuff is still not up to the pre injury level.


I hope somebody eventually does a field report on them. They look pretty cool.
 
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