Now you've done it... Pulled grandpa's axe out of the attic

[lightsoutcalls]

I had some down time at work this week due to some technical issues with a website we use. I have been a member of this site for a few months, but mainly hung out on the Becker forum. I opened the link about look what followed me home... SHAME ON YOU GUYS! I hit a couple of thrift stores and pawn shops at lunch yesterday with no steel to be found... Then I got to thinking... Below are some pics of an axe that belonged to my great grandpa, who died about 20 years ago. I can remember pilfering through his garage MANY times, as he lived across the street from me for 15 years or so. I can remember this old axe sitting in a corner of his garage, but don't ever remember seeing him use it. He always had a pristine garden in the back yard, including a couple of pecan trees, strawberry beds, grape vines, blackberries and all kinds of annual garden vegetables. He spent his last 30+ years here in the Arkansas River Valley, but lived in Las Cruces New Mexico and San Diego California prior to the 1960's. I have no idea what the age on this axe would be, but it brings back lots of memories of the man that I called Grandpa Quigley. (Stories I haven't thought of in years...)

I'd like to clean it up and restore it to display, but not to use. I also have a 6' crosscut saw that belonged to my dad's dad that would make a nice partner on the wall... but another day on that project. This axe has some peening on the poll, and the shape of the toe looks suspect... re-ground? The handle has some evidence of over-strike, but no sharp splinters. I know I want to clean the rust off the head, but don't want to do any grinding. I may remove the handful of nails and add a new wedge and clean the handle, but not so much I lose the patina. Any thoughts on what to do to get it in presentable condition while still making it look like Grandpa just leaned it against the wall in the garage?

 

[300Six]

That'll be a interesting project for you! First off is trying to get out all those GD nails so as to be able to separate the head from handle. Some folks use a vinegar soak and a wire wheel to clean up the metal. Grinding off burrs and swage marks is going to detract from the authenticity but then again whatever you do is your business. There is lots of wood left at the shoulder so you can set the head back another inch or so. Lots of posts on here around here about restoration or clean-up techniques.
Once you've gone to all that trouble making it sound again you're going to want to swing it at a tree or some firewood rounds though. And why not!

 

[Bo T]

Pull the nails and take the head off of the handle. Then get some penetrating oil and a soft cloth and clean the rust off. You should be left with a nice black patina. The handle does not look like it was designed for the head. Or maybe the head got used so much it got wore away. Looks like your grandpa may have stuck whatever handle was available on the head. So taking a couple of inches off of the handle won't hurt anything. I'd lower the head a couple of inches.

 

[killa_concept]

That's a full sized Michigan pattern Keen Kutter with the older stamping. I have one as well, restored and hung on a 28" straight. It doesn't see much use as I'm quite partial to my Jersey patterns, but it's a solid performer. Good steel and amazing for limbing (at least the way I have it set up).

Yours looks like it would require a bit of work if you wanted it as a user. Seems to have maybe hit the ground/rocks a few too many times and was ground unevenly to get rid of the chips/dents (based on the very prominent crescent and the toe being quite worn). You'd want to aim for a flatter edge like the one on mine if you had use in mind - an axe with that round an edge has less surface contact with the wood and is going to be inefficient and more likely to glance off the target. Here's how mine was when I originally got it. Not as bad of rounding, but still needed flattening to make usable:

If you're just wanting to make it into a display axe though, everyone above has the right idea... get the rust off and remove the nails. You can probably drop the head further down the handle and rewedge it as suggested. Here's a good write-up about how to best go about that.

 

[willseeyalater]

Sorry but your grandpa rode that one hard and put it away wet so they say. I would do the axe as a restoration for display and attribute the axe as one your grandpa used so hard it needed to be rebuilt. There is plenty there to work with. Guys from those generations just did not have to time or sentimentality to do much with their tools but use them hard and get on to what needed doing next. He sure sounds like a man who kept busy.

 

[skyhorse]

Nice find,I wouldn't be surprised if that axe spent some time up in the Lincoln forest.:thumbup:

 

[Square_peg]

That's really cool to get a family heirloom like that. You're right that the toe of the axe is pretty worn. Best to leave that alone on an heirloom piece. That handle is classic awesomeness! Nice and slender with a full un-clipped fawn's foot. Gawd, I wish they still made those. That one looks to be in pretty dang good condition. I would definitely save it. There are instruction on this forum about how to remove it for re-hanging if you're interested. You might be better off not refinishing that handle. It has a nice look already.