My first hatchet build

[Pacific Auto Films]

I always wanted to build my own hatchet/ axe. So recently I finally went for it.

I bought a vintage Plumb hatchet head on ebay. 5 3/4" long, 1lbs , 12 oz. Bit is 3 3/4" wide. Also I picked up a 18" hickory handle.

Head was very rough but that's why I also bought it!; )



After filing the mushroom and all edges. Then wire brushed the head.



Decided to give hot oil bluing a try. Turn out decent.



18" handle.


Trimmed the bottom of the handle about an inch and stained it. Then Re-hafted the head and started sharpening the bit. Still needs a lot more since I don't have the proper sharping tools.




Overall I am excited with how it turned out. Look forward to building more in the future!

Thanks,

Evan

 

[the5farrs]

Looks good, I have a plumb hatchet that has the same head shape. I was too thinking about rehafting mine.

 

[newsasquatch]

Cool, how did you do the hot bluing?

 

[Mach189]

Subscribed! Nice!

 

[Pacific Auto Films]

Cool, how did you do the hot bluing?

Heated to about 700 degrees using a torch then submerge into used motor oil. I did it twice and tried to not heat the bit too much to mess with temper.

 

[newsasquatch]

oh, interesting method, a lot of ppl would be freaked out about the temper. Is 700 degrees the limit to how hot it should be before compromising the integrity of the metal? I did the hot bluing but I did mine only up to boiling temperature.

 

[the5farrs]

I didnt hot blue mine. Natural patina, I think. This is exactly how I bought it.http:// [URL=http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/SRU1436/media/333C743F-AE06-4579-9FE8-896E707DE342-910-0000005A8DBE08DD_zpsaf55b4f1.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[Double Ott]

My Plumb with it's original handle.

Tom

 

[Square_peg]

oh, interesting method, a lot of ppl would be freaked out about the temper. Is 700 degrees the limit to how hot it should be before compromising the integrity of the metal?

An axe will typically be tempered somewhere around 500°F. The exact temperature will depend on the type of metal and desired hardness. If he really got it up to 700° then he likely ruined the temper unless it happens to be made of some type of air hardening steel.

 

[Pacific Auto Films]

An axe will typically be tempered somewhere around 500°F. The exact temperature will depend on the type of metal and desired hardness. If he really got it up to 700° then he likely ruined the temper unless it happens to be made of some type of air hardening steel.

hahha well its a learning process! I will see how the edge holds and will make sure not to do it again with my next build.

I thought temper was done at red hot while I got nowhere near red hot.

 

[Square_peg]

I thought temper was done at red hot while I got nowhere near red hot.

Hardening is done by quenching from red hot (or sometimes even hotter - orange, yellow, etc.). Tempering is done after that to take away some of the hardness so the tool won't be brittle. Different tempering heats result in different final hardnesses. Additionally, one part of a tool might be tempered to one temperature while another part of the tool is tempered to a different temperature. This is common in knives where the back of the blade is often made less brittle than the edge so as to give the blade strength. Meanwhile the edge remains somewhat harder so it retains the edge longer. It's a bit more complicated than that but I hope this helps.

 

[Bo T]

If you got it to 700F you probably softened the steel quite a bit. For example 1070 tempered at 500F will be HRc @ 55. At 700F it will be @ 50.

 

[Cajun Kamikaze]

Heated to about 700 degrees using a torch then submerge into used motor oil. I did it twice and tried to not heat the bit too much to mess with temper.

Dang dude, way over temper... That thing probably won't hold and edge at all now. But not all is lost, you can re-heat treat it and re-temper....

No worries though, I've screwed up WAY worse.

bring up to critical temp then quench instantly in 160 deg preheated light oil (vegi or peanut etc). after it cools, clean with soap to rinse off oil and throw in the oven @ 375 for 2 hours. You don't have to do the entire hatchet head, you can just bring the first inch or so of the cutting edge to critical temp then quench. Called Differential heat treat or differential quench. I do this but utilize refractory cement and clay to do the dif tempering...

 

[Square_peg]

.....and throw in the oven @ 375 for 2 hours.

375° will leave it too hard for an axe - too hard to file - too brittle to use. Best test for hardness is a file. If the sharp corner of a file slides across the metal as if it were glass then it's too hard. If it files easily it's too soft. If it files but only with some difficulty (assuming a sharp quality file) then you have the temper right.

 

[Cajun Kamikaze]

Gotchya and you are correct.

On another note, I will start my temper at lower temps and work up if I do not know the exact steel type to get the desired result. Leaves room to play with because once you over temper, you know what has to happen... restart...

Check this one I destroyed in heat treat. I'll split it and insert the edge and forge weld it back on (or another type of steel, haven't decided yet) Then diff quench it again. I tried an alternate quenching method on this one and it obviously was a real bad idea....

 

[Square_peg]

Ouch! Yeah, go back to your veggie oil once it's welded back together and you should be fine. That reminds me of a killing axe - the way you've cut down the poll.

On another note, I will start my temper at lower temps and work up if I do not know the exact steel type to get the desired result. Leaves room to play with because once you over temper, you know what has to happen... restart...

That's wisest. I started at 400° on a recent heat treat of a masting axe. Then went to 450°, 475° and 500°. 1 hour at each temp. Still unfileable at 500° while the color had ran past purple and was starting toward blue. Finally 525° made the thing just fileable. Old steel. I have no idea what type. It had a forge welded bit of high carbon. I quenched that one in canola from orange heat. It was soft as hell before I heat treated it.

And apologies to the OP for going off topic.

 

[Cajun Kamikaze]

Yes, Killingd axe it is lol. Going to be a little more compact after the forge weld. I'll start a build thread on this one soon. I have to get a hand to help me do this little project.

Yea, Apologies to PAF for going off topic but def some good info in here for him to read up on.