New project! I'm back!

A

aikonen

Joined
Feb 8, 2015
Messages
244
Oh man, have I missed this forum. I've had a relapse in my drug addiction, I managed to destroy everything I had built up for the last four years in just a couple of weeks. Fled the house I had recently moved to, sold almost all of my axes to get money because I lost my job and had nothing to eat.

Good news is, I managed to get my shit together and I have moved from my crappy apartment to my good ol' house!
I also got a new job that I enjoy. The pay is OK so I did find me a new axe to start a new chapter and get back to being the old me that I was before all this shit went down.

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The following pictures display the slaughter of an axe,
Viewer discretion is advised!

I had an idea about turning this axe into a more suitable tool for the forest. I had no clue on the maker, but I assume the axe was some sort of hewing or carpentry axe.
I recall a guide being posted on this forum, a man talking about the disadvantages of the 'russian pattern' compared to the modern version of a axe with a curved edge, but I can't seem to find it.
Anyway, that's what I'm going for. I will try to modify this axe into a more suitable pattern. I will curve the edge soon.


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Thank you
 
Welcome back,and good job on coming out of that nosedive!:)

Good call on that axe-Russian pattern,but most probably Finnish/Swedish or German manufacture(it's just too well proportioned,and symmetrical,+no Brinnell mark and the factory stamp,+that paper label never used in the USSR).Probably a quality tool.

Because it is,indeed,a carpenter's hatchet,it'll always be a bit "sticky" in your general camp usage,but will do fine,other than being slightly annoying to dislodge it after every strike(a disease inherent in Estwings,man are they infuriatingly dysfunctional...)

It was fairly common in the Old Country to do exactly what you're doing to it(since you couldn't buy a decent camp axe).There was a step-by-step article in a fishing/hunting magazine back in the '60-ies,and the tradition was born...
In addition to what you're planning on doing,you can also control/lessen the weight by grinding out a recess as if for choking up on the head,giving it a "bearded" kinda feature...

Best of luck,in all things!:)
 
I missed this one. Cool axe aikonen. I recently hung something similar and really enjoy using it. In fact, I've become pretty fascinated with the older Swedish, Finnish, and Russian axes.

Looking forward to seeing it handled.

Welcome back by the way. :thumbup:
 
I appreciate the kind words fellas, thank you.

Here's a picture with a old handle from a military surplus Hults Bruk, I want to make something similar but perhaps from birch, because it's the most common hardwood in my part of the country.
I have also put a slight curve in the edge, using files. It's good steel.
I will make a prototype handle from a 2x4 some day, I'll keep you posted!

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I don't think that this axe head should be modified.
If I was in you, maybe I'll try to restore it n the original condition as close as I can, man...
 
ipt said:
I don't think that this axe head should be modified.
If I was in you, maybe I'll try to restore it n the original condition as close as I can, man...
Click to expand...
The axe is already undergoing a heavy modification, man! Take a look at the pictures and let me hear what ya think!
 
Cool project and a very interesting article. I like the idea of the sandpaper glued to a hunk of wood. It's not too different from my field sharpening kit which includes two grits of sandpaper.

I found this part interesting "intended for mobile hunts and smaller trips, as well as commercial hunts when used with a saw. Total weight of such an axe: 800-1000 g (28-35 oz); haft length: 40-60 cm (16-24 in)." as is recently put together a similar sized axe for I suppose similar reasons and I quite like it.
 
Long time no see, been busy with a new job and a little remodeling in the house. Finally got my thumb out of my a$s and made a handle of some birch I had laying in the garage.

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It's getting there! I love the feeling of working with a little handmade Mora (I carved a handle for it yesterday) and an spokeshave.

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A real nice feel to it, this is probably my finest haft yet, I'm super satisfied with the results.

I was gonna post this picture and ask you about the swell, should I do a fawns foot or a knob end. I was so excited I continued and made a type of knob, leaving it a little meaty so it could take a beating or two, if the head ever worked lose.

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The birch I used was bone dry, I had a jar of birch tar which I mixed with a little turpentine, the end grain soaked it very well. After application it was dry to the touch after a few seconds, you could actually see the tar being absorbed. Awesome!

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So this is the result, my take on the "Taiga axe". Couldn't be happier, thanks for stopping by.

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I'm continuing my russian taiga axe spree with two new axes. The bigger one is a 1960's Ussr зик, the smaller 'топор' is marked but I can't read the stamp. It's very thin, carves like a dream, and has that wonderful 'pling-sound' when struck. It's as hard as a coffin nail.
I have roughly carved a handle from some nice birch that I had harvested a while ago.

My intent was to make a short film of the procedure making the handle, but my camera died eventually, so here's some photos for anyone interested.

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Aikonen! Always good to see you stop in!

I enjoy your Taiga axe mod - Topor purists will cringe I'm sure lol.

I've seen those heads chop through steel and large nails without damage. (Pictures at least)

That's an impressive handle as well. Have you made other films of any of your axe work?
 
Agent_H said:
Aikonen! Always good to see you stop in!

I enjoy your Taiga axe mod - Topor purists will cringe I'm sure lol.

I've seen those heads chop through steel and large nails without damage. (Pictures at least)

That's an impressive handle as well. Have you made other films of any of your axe work?
Click to expand...
Good to see you again mr H
They can cringe all they want, this is magic my friend. lol :)
I too have seen axes chopping large nails without a single nick in the edge, but for the larger axe of mine, I have a feeling it may have lost it's temper. I have made a couple of videos, but I'm too self confident to give them to anyone. I generally speak kinda good english, but when recording it's horrible... That's cringy :-D
Anyway, it's always fun with axes ,, here we got the Senior and Junior topor.

Stay healthy my friend

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