My first axe; old Keen Kutter (WIP)

[Grease]

Hey guys, I just got my first axe!

Found it on the 'bay for $8 +shipping and figured, hey, what the heck. I'll give it a try. Needs a new handle and the back(? what's it called?) is a bit mushroomed, but the edge is in great shape and I figure that's what matters. Whatever the previous/original owner did to mushroom it, they at least cared for the edge properly. It's nice and straight with no chips/dents, and it shows signs of being sharpened relatively well with a file.

Now I've just got to clean the old thing up and put it back to the use it was destined for.

Oh, and here's a few pics. I'll be sure to post some in progress stuff, as well as a bunch of the finished work!

In addition to this, the handle is all loose

 

[lan40583]

The second photo appears to show a crack near the eye, if that's the case I don't believe the head will be safe to use again.

 

[G-pig]

you can get those cracks welded up. Ive got a couple axes that I need welded, ive seen it done with success before.

 

[Square_peg]

The second photo appears to show a crack near the eye,

I think it looks like a forge-welded eye that didn't close up properly. Still a problem to some degree but not as bad as a crack. I would use it in that condition. But if you're handy with a welder or know a friend then it would be better to weld it. A little flaw like that can easily be welded without effecting the temper.

Keen Kutter's are prized by some. You're right that the bit looks pretty good on this one. The mushrooming on the poll will need to be filed but I've seen much worse that still cleaned up nicely.

Ya done good. I'd give you 8 bucks for it.

 

[Grease]

After a bit of sanding and grinding...

Crap. Or should I say crack? It didn't look to bad before, but... Yeah. :\

Off to find a welding expert, I guess.

 

[backpack32]

Let us know what you do with the crack.

Jim

 

[Grease]

Well, call me crazy, but I decided to hang it today. I chopped through an 8 inch dead & dried out pine tree with no trouble, so evidently the crack isn't quite as bad as it looks. It still makes me a bit nervous though...

Gonna have to watch for looseness as I use it.