My first Jersey Axe

the5farrs

the5farrs

Joined
Jan 28, 2013
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223






This is my first Jersey and it is a beast, I am guessing it weighs around 4 pounds. I am thinking of giving it a vinegar bath to celan it up. i am also thinking of putting it on a 32 inch handle.

I am taking suggestions on how to clean it up and the handle length.

Matt
 
My vote is a wire cup on a grinder no vinegar bath and if its 4 lbs I'd go with a 36" handle but a 32" would be pretty sweet too. Looks like it will clean up nicely
 
I agree that the wire cup is a far superior method in cleaning it up. 32" handle is my favorite length. Axes over 4 pounds with 32" handles are particularly potent.
 
Call me dumb, i know what a wire cup is but do they make them in different "roughness"? Also, I have read that Jersey style heads are a little difficutly to hang, do you guys have any suggestions?
 
the5farrs said:
Also, I have read that Jersey style heads are a little difficutly to hang, do you guys have any suggestions?
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It's really just the lugs that makes things a bit difficult.. make sure that the thickness at the point below the shoulder is thinned down to about the same thickness as the area in the eye. There shouldn't be an abrupt swell there anyways and Jersey patterns actually help teach you to eliminate that during the hang.
 
Shmellor@gmail.com said:
My vote is a wire cup on a grinder no vinegar bath and if its 4 lbs I'd go with a 36" handle but a 32" would be pretty sweet too. Looks like it will clean up nicely
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Nice find. I love Kellys. BIG +1 for the twisted wire cup on an angle grinder to clean her up. It will do a fantastic job and leave a nice natural looking patina.

Tom
EDIT: 32" or 36" either will work. Pick your favorite... I do think a 32" will be nice.
 
Jerseys are nice heads, I have seen them from 3 1/4 to 4 1/2 lbs.

Is the wire cup better than a wire wheel on a grinder? I have access to the latter but have never tried the former. If they are better, I may have to get one. I have some axes that the bench wire wheel does not remove the scale or "pimples" on. I have been using razor scraper and light fine sanding to get them off without removing patina.

Bill
 



Here is an update using the wire wheel. I spent about 7 minutes on one side and about 3 minutes on the other. This process is going to take longer than I thought but so far I am liking the results. I have refurbished three other axes and have always done the vinegar bath. I think I am going to like the wire cup look better when it is all done. I will keep updates coming along.

Matt
 
lmalterna said:
Is the wire cup better than a wire wheel on a grinder?
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The biggest difference is that it is much easier to lock down your axe head in a vice and hit it with an angle grinder. Holding the axe head to a bench wire wheel is a bit scarier. Other factors are the coarseness/stiffness of the brush or cup, and the speed and power of the motor on the grinder. I have a nice Dewalt angle grinder, but when I really bear down with a big wire cup, I wish I would have gone with a more powerful model.
 
If it's taking that long you might need a stiffer wire wheel or get a twisted wire cup if you have an angle grinder. I got a dewalt wire cup from amazon for $11 and free shipping and it really takes the rust off quickly and the angle grinder I have is just a cheapy from HF. If you go with a 32" handle and you get it from house handle give them a call last time I was down there they didn't have very many and they were really picked over. They don't send any 32" handles to hardware stores so they don't make as many.
 
Cool, thanks for the info. After the wire cup treatment, do i need to put anything on the head to keep the rust away?
 
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