New here and require guidance

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Pdr206

Joined
Feb 11, 2020
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Hello all. Have been a longtime reader but finally signed up.

Have gotten my hands on some awesome axes that I have been cleaning sharpening and hanging. Some problems I need help with are as follows:

Short of making my own handles, I can not find one that is at least 2 1/2" wide to fit my jersey Kelly works, Winchester 4 lbs, plumb 4 lbs and my favorite one the True Temper Kelly Perfect jersey. Anything I can find local or online is just too small, leaving way too much space at the narrow of the eye. Any ideas?

Second problem is the Jersey Kelly works has a bad split right down the center of the blade on the toe. It is 5/8" long and is peeling back at the top, imagine tearing a sheet of paper. Short of a blacksmith fixing this gorgeous head what can I do to save it?

Last, I know photos are important here, what are you guys using to post them here?

Thank you from Jersey!
 
Welcome! How long are the handles you have? How wide are they at the top? A lot of people here use postimage to upload pics scroll down through the old threads there are some about posting pics. It would be best to see pics of the head with damage before giving advice.
 
Just saw the 'how to' thread. Handles are typically 36"











Unfortunately got a little 150 paper happy removing thick paint on the 'no name' head that turned out to be a Winchester. Definitely had to research that one when I saw the name pop up. Looks like someone sawed off the Jersey tangs a little bit too.
 
Typically a 36” handle should fill out the eye of the head if you seat far enough. I thought maybe you had a boys axe handle which would not fill it out. The kelly with the split doesn’t look good but I’m not a blacksmith so I don’t know. I’m sure one will be along soon to tell you what they think. The Winchester jersey, were the lugs altered into that rounded shape for sure? It could actually be a rockaway pattern which is similar to a jersey but with rounded lugs. Sweet heads. Put some pics up of your handles if you get time.
 
It’s hard to say but it looks like there is enough wood down at the shoulder to fill it. Have you hung any heads that are not a jersey? They can be tougher to hang than one without lugs.
 
Have hung a few axes with not much fuss/issue. First Jersey axe head I've worked on. I'm just concerned about the rather large gap at the narrow part of the opening, and I'm not into using epoxy etc. to fill it. :)
 
Hello,and welcome.

Pdr206 said:
Second problem is the Jersey Kelly works has a bad split right down the center of the blade on the toe. It is 5/8" long and is peeling back at the top, imagine tearing a sheet of paper. Short of a blacksmith fixing this gorgeous head what can I do to save it?
Click to expand...

I stared at the photo of that break for a while...Still hesitate to say anything definite.
But afraid that in all probability you'll need to find a smith,or an intelligent,informed welder.
I'm thinking that it must be a flaw in the steel edge itself.Something like a fracture resulting from heat-treating that has only lately became exposed,and in chopping was being forced,"peeled" back...
 
Just get to work fitting it and you should be able to tell more once you get the head brought down farther. But if it is in fact too small maybe it would better to find one With a larger tongue.
 
As for large handles, try to find some Tennessee Hickory Products handles. They tend to come very fat. Should fill your eye. Check your local saw shops, they often carry TH.

Bad news about the split in your Kelly. You may have an overlaid bit and reached the end of the overlay. At that point she's a goner. :(
 
Pdr206 said:
Just saw the 'how to' thread. Handles are typically 36"











Unfortunately got a little 150 paper happy removing thick paint on the 'no name' head that turned out to be a Winchester. Definitely had to research that one when I saw the name pop up. Looks like someone sawed off the Jersey tangs a little bit too.
Click to expand...
Minus the split at the bit. Those are some great axe heads! Good eye!!!
 
I'm sure any full sized axe handle will work fine for your heads. you can't go by the very end of the handle - as it will always be shortest/narrowest at the end. Hang the head down low enough on the shoulder and it will very likely fill the eye - at least for width. Occasionally a tongue won't fill the eye completely front to back, but I don't think that's a huge deal.

I just hung this big plumb head on a link handle - and you can see how short the top of the handle is - but just drive a nice wide and fat wedge in there and it will fill the eye up nicely


the bottom of the eye still had a little gap, but considering how tight everything else is, I don't think that will bother a thing. If you wanted you could probably tap a little wedge in there from the bottom, but I'm not sure its necessary.

 
Awesome hang! That's exactly what I was referencing. Will try a fatter wedge.

Ordered some handles from Tennessee handles. Still cleaning up the broken head and looking for a smith. I think there may have been a small split to start and years or rust and neglect just continued to tear it apart.
 
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