NEW MEMBER - Need help to smooth out restored axe surface!!

M

Molly Hatchet

Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
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Hi! New member here. First post. Hoping to get some helpful advice for my situation.

I recently received two old axe heads (actually two maul heads) from a relative. They were both really corroded and rusted. I've restored one of them now. I took a grinder to it, and it removed all the corrosion and rust with ease. (I went ahead and put on a new hickory handle too and I've enjoyed splitting wood with it.) When I used the grinder to clean up the metal, I only had a "blade" for cutting metal. So I turned it at an angle to get more of a "flat surface" connection when I was grinding the surface clean. Unfortunately, it left a pattern of tiny divots on the surface, rather than the smooth surface that the piece probably originally had. I'm not worried about it having any adverse effects on the metal. But I would kinda like to smooth it out so it looks the way it once did. I just received a Lansky puck sharpening stone that I ordered. I was thinking about using the coarse side of the puck to see if I could smooth out the surface of the maul head. Not sure if that's a good idea or if it will wear down my new puck stone too quickly. Any suggestions on what I could do?

Again, the head doesn't look terrible. And after using a bastard file to hone the edge, it splits wood really well. I'm just hoping to get it looking a little nicer. I would post a picture or two, but I can't figure out how to do that yet. Any advice is welcome (on the pictures and on the maul head itself)!
 
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Pictures - the easiest is way is to use photobucket. Upload, then I can walk you thru it from there.

As far as smoothness, you would probably have to sand the head with varying degrees of sandpaper in order to smooth it out. Similar to wood but just on metal. Depending on the divots or pitting, you could be there awhile.
 
A flap disc on an angle grinder should work. I would start with a 36 grit as a starting point and work to finer grits.
 
A belt sander would be best. If you're using an angle grinder, A flapper disc would do alright, but you'll run into similar problems since the "flat" surface of the disc will be the same as the cut off wheel(?) you were using before. If you don't want to purchase any more power equipment, then I'd say sand paper, a flat hard surface and maybe some contact adhesive would do the trick if you have the time.
 
After looking at the photo, yes I think you could get by with a flapper or sanding disk and then go to hand sanding. Maybe even skip the hard flat surface and contact adhesive since your maul is doesn't really look very flat anywhere.
 
The main problem I run into with using a belt sander or an orbital sander, etc., is that the cheek is a bit concave (intentionally by design it seems). So I can't reach all of that surface with a flat sanding surface.
 
Chris Pierce said:
After looking at the photo, yes I think you could get by with a flapper or sanding disk and then go to hand sanding. Maybe even skip the hard flat surface and contact adhesive since your maul is doesn't really look very flat anywhere.
Click to expand...

Yes--exactly. (Saw your post after I started my reply above.)
 
for future use
many of us prefer to put our old rusty treasures in a vinegar bath to remove rust
it wont hurt the surface like this
 
for future use
many of us prefer to put our old rusty treasures in a vinegar bath to remove rust
it wont hurt the surface like this
 
And many of us prefer to hit the surface with a wire cup brush to remove the rust while leaving the patina.
 
Vinegar is out in my book. Leaves dull grey color that is less than appealing. Other chemical means too - clr, the works, hell even coca cola. No good.

Some fool on here started using an angle grinder with wire cup brush then hit the head with wd40 while warm and got good results, and the rest is history.
 
Yes, a wire wheel on an angle grinder is a great thing. I think you are only left with hand sanding really. My original suggestion was assuming that the maul looked like I was imagining it. :foot:
 
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