Picked up my first Flea Market find! Advice for Restoring it?

Do you have a bench vice? Can you get that wedge into the jaws? If so, clamp that wedge into the vice really tight then use the leverage of the handle to work the thing loose.
 
Loose it up with a hammer for example and try to pry it out.
Ive pryed out like 5 wedges like that. Sometimes it was hard sometimes easy but it always worked.
 
Slide the hammer on the top of the axe head and hammer it from left right and right to left. Byt hammering once to the left side and once to the right many times the wedge shout come out by itself. But if yo loosen it up more you can try to pry it out or just pull it out using pliers.
 
Well, I worked at it for the last hour, and it is still in there hard! I am seriously impressed by how this wedge is freakin bonded to the wood of the haft. I am becoming increasingly convinced that there is simply no sense in pulling it out. If it is in there this hard, it will probably be in there to stay. Tomorrow I think I'll just hammer it back in flush, and then I'll add some material at the front and back to wedge the rest of the eye completely. I'll just hope that it continues to hold this hard for years to come. And if it ever comes loose, then maybe I'll be able to get it off then!

Thanks a ton for the advice anyway everyone! I'll be cleaning it up tomorrow (head and handle), so I'll post some photos of it then. Thanks again for the help! It is very greatly appreciated!
 
Its absolutely impossible that you can't move it with a hammer. Maybe try to hammer it from left to wright until it meets the poll and then go backwards.
 
Go chop with it and try it out! Just check it often until you get comfortable that it won't slide.
 
Or cut the handle off leaving like 3" along with the axe axe. Thin that piece out and pound it so the whole rest of the haft comes out from the top.
Burning it out may cuse damage to the steel structure and anneal the axe head.
 
I was as shocked as you Pindvin. The wood in the eye feels like it's fossilized or something! I can barely even cut it away with a knife. It is wild! Rather than the wood moving, the metal of the wedge just started compacting instead!

I'm gonn go with M3mphis and just go ahead and chop with it. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it eventually loosens up, but I'm also going to add some more wedge material in front and behind the current metal wedge, to try and make sure that that does not happen.

Whoever last hunt this axe meant Serious Business!
 
After restoring the handle and before driving new wedges add some linseed oil to impregnate it. Moreover, linseed oil will cause the wood in the eye to expand and it'll hold on to the axe head even more.
 
Thanks for the tip! I definitely will. I am thinking that I'll cut some small wooden wedges to add into the eye. I am thinking that, if I cut them to the right size, I can fill in all the empty space and really hold everything tight. That's the plan at least. I will absolutely give them a good coat of BLO before-hand though.
 
Pindvin said:
Or cut the handle off leaving like 3" along with the axe axe. Thin that piece out and pound it so the whole rest of the haft comes out from the top.
Burning it out may cuse damage to the steel structure and anneal the axe head.
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I was only kidding. I am definitely not an advocate of that method!!!!
 
M3mphis said:
I was only kidding. I am definitely not an advocate of that method!!!!
Click to expand...

Haha!no worries. I was never considering it. I've at least read enough to know that this is an unwise choice!! To say the least... :eek: Anyway, the goal is to keep the original handle, since it is bee-youtifull!
 
M3mphis said:
When all else fails...just burn the handle out. ;)
Click to expand...

NOOOOOOOOOO!
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I know you're just havin' fun, Memphis. But somebody might actually try that ruin the temper of a perfectly good axe.

Use it till it comes loose and then deal with it.
 
I’ve worked on fixed a lot of axes out remote with no tools to speak of and have another idea, involving going back to square 1. Put super glue in from the top, hammer wedge back where it was. Put resin or epoxy down in the cracks to fill. If cracks come out the bottom, use duck tape around the bottom to seal. When resin dries pull off tape, trim any that dripped there with a knife, sand the top to suit. Will never come loose. Glue will bond rust rot wood steel into one component. Needs no special tools.
If ever in the future you break the handle and need to remove the head. Heat with torch and glue dissolves, wood begins to char and head comes off. Keep cutting edge from getting hot with wet rag. The rest should be soft anyhow. It’s not a fancy solution. Unless the struggle is part of the joy. I’ve always just needed my ax to work, with a long list of chores needing to get done.
Unsure if this soltuion brings mouth dropping shock to the world. Solution comes from being a homesteader more then an ax worker. Good luck on it!
 
Well, I cleaned the head up today with a wire cup brush on a drill lent by a friend. Much more labour intensive than I had anticipated! Maybe I should have gone for a coarser brush... Anyway, thought I'd share a couple photos of the head afterwards. Definitely a big improvement!

uLUrB.jpg

Ix6V1.jpg


You can really see the difference between the bit metal and the rest of the head! I'm glad to see that there is still so much bit left on it. There was some pitting left after working it, but it seems fine. I kinda like how it looks. Obviously, no stamp hidden under the rust, but I feel like the head has a great rustic quality. Still have to sharpen it up and refresh the handle. I'll put up some final pictures once it's all done.

Thanks to everyone here for all the help! My first restoration, and I am really happy with it so far! :D
 
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