My Little Hatchet

E

Ernest DuBois

Joined
Mar 2, 2013
Messages
1,772
Can't really say where it came from but I hauled this one out and fixed it up with a new grind on there.







One thing I will throw out is this, it seems the typical way or re-profiling around here on this blade forum is to use a file so I thought "What the heck..." but only got half way done and the file, a good one, Swiss made Grobert, stopped cutting, as was my fear of that happening. It may be that the typical axe I would have ready access to, let's say German, has steel of a different nature than what is typically seen there, or in North America and discussed on this blade forum.
Greetings,

E.DB.
 
Nice hatchet Earnest. It looks like a Hudson bay style although I'm sure the Germans didn't call it that. I find a file stops cutting well after the metal is smoothed out. I just keep bearing down and continue. Stubbornness and a lack of power tools is my excuse.
 
Nice little hatchet. Looks like you stropped it.
Your just asking for trouble with that steel of a different nature comment. More so if you question vintage American made axes.
Heck we both know that steel in that axe is no better than Council tools. ;)
 
E.DB

That's a really interesting pattern. I'm sure you know this , but having a file card to clean the filings from the file sometimes helps. I've also heard that you can get files resharpened, but I can't remember the name of the company that does it. If I figure it out I will post a link. You would hate to discard a good Swiss file. My wife is Swiss, and I'd never get rid of her.

Nice hatchet.
 
Cool hatchet. The upturned toe is a classic feature of central European axes. It sounds like the bit is well hardened. Did it dull the file? Do you see reflections off the teeth of the file now? If it dulled a high quality file then it's a very hard bit, probably at least in the high 50's RC. About RC 60 is where many quality files stop working.

The grind and polish look great!
 
It is a most common design pattern for axe heads of all sizes in Europe. But as for its steel, I can't understand why it would stir up controversy, well I can but looking into it could just as well be interesting and informative if kept to the objective level. And even otherwise, I find there are differences in steels as I experience them and even that certain characteristics seem bound to the culture or place they come out of. What's so troublesome about it? And further, I did strop it but it is amazing that you can see that garry because it was minimal, only about two swipes on the linen side and two swipes on the leather. The majority of the work was the filing then a fair bit of grinding with a coarse water stone to flatten and even out the bevels and then a normal amount of whetting with a fine grit bench stone. I don't have a problem with stropping an axe like this, not really intended for parring to any degree.
As for that file, I hope it is not done for at the same time, like any tool it has a limited span of use before its time to get replaced. I'm not hopeful of finding someone who does resharpening. Not that I wouldn't do that if it were possible. I guess my point being that for me I will stick to stones for maintaining my axe edge. In the case of a re-grind, it will be work for when the weather permits that I can go out under the pear tree to my foot powered grind stone with a water drip out of the toe of my clog hanging off a branch there.

E.DB.

Oh yeah, I'm stopping with this forum for obvious reasons. The nature of the forums, including its administration, seems to play into the hands of a pretty low element.
 
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I hope you will reconsider Earnest and continue posting. I enjoy and learn from your posts.
 
Ernest DuBois said:
E.DB.

Oh yeah, I'm stopping with this forum for obvious reasons. The nature of the forums, including its administration, seems to play into the hands of a pretty low element.
Click to expand...

Ernest

I also hope you'll reconsider. I appreciate your insight and it's interesting getting a Northern European perspective. In addition, you post photos of some great tools that we don't often see In North America.
 
Ernest,
I am just a lurker so not much value to my opinion but I hope you will reconsider. While I do not agree with everything you say, I do enjoy your posts, you add a different dimension in tools used.

Respect and appreciation can be had without agreeing on particulars.

I am envious of your foot pedal grinding wheel. I recently found the old wheel from my grandfather and when time permits, hope to be able to rebuild and use the stone. Though not likely to get the time soon.

Bill
 
Would love to see your treadle grinder Ernest. There are good and bad people from all walks of life, I am sure you know that. I have always enjoyed your posts. I would for sure miss them.
Here is mine.
P1010004.JPG

Don't let the new paint fool you, it could use some new bearings. It works ok though.
 
I have never seen nor used a striking tool (hatchet/axe/maul) with a straight-across blade. Even 'new' around here axes have a curved edge and well used ones even more tend to look like a half-moon from the side. Principle behind the off-angle Guillotine straight blade was an inherent slicing motion and so too (I presume) is the function of a curve. Whatever energy you impart on the blade is distributed along the full length on your featured hatchet and all at the same time.
Is this a good thing?
 
300Six said:
I have never seen nor used a striking tool (hatchet/axe/maul) with a straight-across blade. Even 'new' around here axes have a curved edge and well used ones even more tend to look like a half-moon from the side. Principle behind the off-angle Guillotine straight blade was an inherent slicing motion and so too (I presume) is the function of a curve. Whatever energy you impart on the blade is distributed along the full length on your featured hatchet and all at the same time.
Is this a good thing?
Click to expand...


Carpenter's axes generally have a straight edge, or pretty close to it. The one EDB shows here almost looks like it has a reverse curve (curving in slightly between the toe and the heel), but I bet that's just the small picture and the high-gloss edge he's got on there.

Don't leave, EDB. No reason to deprive us of your different experiences and observations.


-ben
 
Garry3,
Man that thing looks nice! Much better than my recollection of our old wooden framed one. Is the hole that goes through your stone round or square? I ask because the one on ours is square which seems like extra trouble to make...

I have called "No joy" and walked away from a few forums. I hope a small hiatas is enough for Ernest.

Thanks,
Bill
 
lmalterna said:
Garry3,
Man that thing looks nice! Much better than my recollection of our old wooden framed one. Is the hole that goes through your stone round or square? I ask because the one on ours is square which seems like extra trouble to make...

I have called "No joy" and walked away from a few forums. I hope a small hiatas is enough for Ernest.

Thanks,
Bill
Click to expand...

Its a square hole. When I purchased it, it had a wheel that was about six inches in diameter and very out of round.

Ernst was more than a little offended. I also hope he is back soon.
 
The majority of folks that actually used striking tools for a living are mostly dead and the few that are left can't be bothered to answer idiot questions. I gloss daily over the knife forums with all the mostly picturesque shots of otherwise useless knives (but super expensive!) and similarly wonder. The more spare time we have and less we have to do to make a living the more we can pretend to become pioneers with $500 unproven fantasy creations. I am an entirely new guy here, and a real sceptic, but I have so far enjoyed all of Mr DuBois's contributions.
The garbage they sell at the hardware stores these days purporting to be the ultimate in axe evolution really galls me.
 
I think I've heard that Scandinavian axes are tempered harder than American axes because their predominant trees are softer than ours. Might be the case for European axes in general, especially in warmer climates.
 
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Mr. E.DB , I think most here look foward to your comment's and post's, thank you for all and please reconsider.
 
Ernest: Hope you'll give some thought to logging back on and checking the messages here. While not everyone is sensitive to various opinions, some are. What you will witness here is a mass of opinion, some good and some not so good. The knowledge base is deep though and there is a high probability that you'll get some info that was previously hidden to you. Iron sharpens iron.

I think what you have is an old German/Austrian axe. Tot ziens.
 
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