New (old) broad axe

S

Square_peg

Joined
Feb 1, 2012
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This is something I've wanted for some time. This one is old and rusty and needs a new handle. It's in what I would call 'used but not abused' condition. Under the rust is a nice hunk of old steel.

Broad%20axe.JPG



Edit: To see this axe hung see this other thread.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/935049-Making-a-broad-axe-haft
 
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Here's the back side. You can see that the toe has been filed a few times. It's been used but I think there's still some life in it.

Back_side.jpg
 
The length of the bit is 11-5/8". It's big enough to do some real work without being too unwieldy.

Length_of_bit.jpg
 
i see the beauty in her already...
shes been rode hard and put up wet a few times it appears, but with a little TLC, she'll come back around and provide years of 'service';)

thats about the size i want... i hope to get one before spring...
 
The depth of the eye is a substantial 4-3/4". It's enough metal-to-wood contact that it should stand up to punishment pretty well.

I'll restore it at least to good usable condition and I might even polish it up a bit.

Depth_of_eye.jpg
 
I look fwd to seeing the finished article Peg...But in fact she looks pretty good now. Used but respected.

regards...Frank
 
That is a really cool looking ax. Can't say I know much about axes but I know what I like when I see it and I like this one.

Any idea how old it is? Is it hand made? Some of the angles being uneven would make me think it is hand made but that could also be from sharpening or even from heavy use.

In any case, I'd be interested in knowing how old it is.
 
I cleaned this axe up today with a brass wire cup on an angle grinder. The brass wire removes the rust without removing the patina. Here's the front side.

Front_side.jpg
 
And here's the back side. There's enough pitting that this axe will never be a show piece but it's still going to be a fine user.

Back%20side.JPG
 
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Once cleaned up I noticed that a forge weld is visible just beyond the eye. So this eye was forge welded rather than being punched and drifted.

This is an old one. While it may have been done with a power hammer this axe was certainly forged by a blacksmith. There's no logo on it, just an '8' (weight confirmed by bathroom scale) and that little mark at the bottom of the poll next to the eye.

Forge_weld-illustrated.jpg
 
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To make this a decent usable broad axe I need to clean up the working surfaces, those that contact the wood. That means the flat back side and the edge bevel on the front side. The back side will have the most wood contact.

I started by flat filing the back from the edge to the eye. As soon as I a put the file to it the high and low spots immediately showed.

The low spot on the left tip is an area where the blade was slightly bent. I debated about how to deal with that. Filing it out would take too long and remove to much material. But if I heated it up to forging temperature to straighten it then I'd have to re-harden and temper the whole edge.

I decided to try to peen the edge back straight, much as one would peen the edge of a scythe. It's a cold day here in the NW, close to freezing. I didn't want to risk chipping the edge so I warmed it slightly with a propane torch. Not hot enough to temper it - just warm to the touch but not so hot that I couldn't keep my fingers on it - maybe 130°-140° F. Then I gently peened it back straight, working with the closed jaws of my vise as my anvil.

Begin_filing.JPG
 
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As I continued flat-filing the back I noticed a line begin to show, separating the carbon steel bit from the lesser steel or wrought iron body of the axe.

Carbon_steel_line_-_arrows.jpg
 
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Then I honed the edge with a Norton stone, touched it up with an EZE-Lap diamond hone and gave it a couple passes on a steel. While wiping the finished edge clean I accidentally got my finger a little too close to the edge. It cut me like a razor.
tongue.gif

It's ready to be re-hafted now.

Sharpened.jpg
 
Nice work, Pegs. I'm impressed. I don't think most people realize the importance of lapping the backside of any chisel ground woodworking tool.
 
Thanks, Memphis. What's that old saying? If you're gonna spend 4 hours chopping down a tree then spend the first 3 sharpening your axe - something like that anyway. I think this tool will work well once I get a handle on it.

The handle is my next issue. I have some Elm and some Garry Oak on hand but they're both green. The Garry Oak has a natural bend in it just about right for a broad axe handle. I might make two handles out of that oak, a temporary one to install now - green. And another to be installed later once it's dried.
 
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