Plumb Hatchet...

[Grimalkin]

Hey All,

Definitely bitten by the american steel bug, This is my first purchase off of craigslist. I got it for around $16 USD ($22 CAD) which I think is a pretty good deal. I am wondering a few things from those that know more than I.

1. Can this handle be salvaged? No major cracks really, except for that one that goes up from the bottom a bit, which I think I can gorilla glue it to repair. If I soaked the handle in boiled linseed would this perhaps get rid of those cracks forming on the bottom?

2. I cannot see any stamp on the head, the only evidence I have that this is a plumb so far is the sticker, and the plumb head shape. Is there branding behind that sticker that anyone knows of? I don't want to remove it if that is the only evidence.

I think the head is 1 lb. Pole to cutting edge is 4 7/8", cutting edge 3 1/4". current handle is 12 3/4".

Thanks guys.

 

[300Six]

That looks to be a Plumb made after Ames took over in 1971. See if you can make out what it says on the label below the word Plumb; that's where Ames put their name. The shape, fit and finish certainly is not like ones from 10-30 years earlier. If the handle sticker on the right side says 'wear safety goggles' then it's late 70s even. Cooper Tools took over the Plumb name in 1981. The wood is dried out rather badly and I don't know if you can save the handle. If the Permabond joint is still holding then maybe sand the wood and sock as much boiled linseed oil (BLO!) to it as you can and then get out there and enjoy using it.

 

[Grimalkin]

That looks to be a Plumb made after Ames took over in 1971. See if you can make out what it says on the label below the word Plumb; that's where Ames put their name. The shape, fit and finish certainly is not like ones from 10-30 years earlier. If the handle sticker on the right side says 'wear safety goggles' then it's late 70s even. Cooper Tools took over the Plumb name in 1981. The wood is dried out rather badly and I don't know if you can save the handle. If the Permabond joint is still holding then maybe sand the wood and sock as much boiled linseed oil (BLO!) to it as you can and then get out there and enjoy using it.

Okay thanks, I can barely make it out, but I see an Ames there. If I remove that sicker will it just be bare? Is quality not as good after Ames? Geeze first buy and I didn't get what I expected. I guess it's all part of learning this whole game.

Permabond is good, so I think I'll try to salvage the handle.

 

[300Six]

Okay thanks, I can barely make it out, but I see an Ames there. If I remove that sicker will it just be bare? Is quality not as good after Ames? Geeze first buy and I didn't get what I expected. I guess it's all part of learning this whole game.

Permabond is good, so I think I'll try to salvage the handle

You didn't fork over a lot of dough and these were still made in USA (far as I know) and you now know what era it's from. There may or may not be a stamp under the sticker but tap yourself alongside the head and understand that this one is not going to depreciate very much if you decide to use it. Perhaps when you're 75 years old it'll be worth something; to your grandchildren!

 

[Square_peg]

Good hatchet. I would sand it and give it numerous coats of BLO. It'll be fine. Remove the sticker or keep it, either way. Doesn't really affect the value of that piece. The original permabond handle is all you need to see to know it's a Plumb.

 

[Grimalkin]

I'll be the guinea pig here if anyone gets this kind, but I took off the sticker and its blank underneith.

I'll be keeping this one in my ammo box when I go shooting for quick fire making ability.

 

[Zemapeli]

I would use 2000 grit wet dry and a muslin wheel with flitz to polish the hatchet. For the handle I would use gorilla glue to fill the wood cracks, then use a belt sander to finish the bottom off. I would finish sand the handle and re stain the wood and re liquor or poly the wood as well. Nice hatchet there.

 

[Grimalkin]

I would use 2000 grit wet dry and a muslin wheel with flitz to polish the hatchet. For the handle I would use gorilla glue to fill the wood cracks, then use a belt sander to finish the bottom off. I would finish sand the handle and re stain the wood and re liquor or poly the wood as well. Nice hatchet there.

What method for the glue would you use? Just smearing it on the cracks? I can't really open up the cracks at all. Then sand and she's good.

I spent a few hours on her tonight, she's dry shaving my arm...

 

[Square_peg]

Don't try to get gorilla glue in those cracks. BLO will soak in and fill them. Just BLO. Brush on 4 or 5 coats. Prop the haft up and soak the end grains really well.

 

[Old Axeman]

What Square_Peg said. No Gorilla glue, just Linseed Oil !

 

[Zemapeli]

What Square_Peg said. No Gorilla glue, just Linseed Oil !

Don't try to get gorilla glue in those cracks. BLO will soak in and fill them. Just BLO. Brush on 4 or 5 coats. Prop the haft up and soak the end grains really well.

Try what these two said, I personally would have used gorilla glue in the cracks, as it expands. Evidently the BLO will work well. I've actually never used this method. From what I see, that may be the best method, so perhaps try this first. But for that axe bit itself, if you want to turn it satin mirror, either use a muslin wheel on a grinder engine. Load the muslin wheel with flitz metal polish and buff away. If you use 2000 grit wet/dry with a flat block of wood as a sanding block first, it helps. (you can also do the same with sanding block 2000g and a scrap of leather or washcloth loaded with flitz) You may decide to use a spray varnish or spray poly... Black paint.. or leave it metal and polish when needed.

 

[Grimalkin]

I am undecided on what finish to do on this little guy. I would have to strip the paint first which isn't a big deal, there is literally zero pitting (that I can see at least), so it would be a smooth finish. The trick is doing all this while it is on a handle! I would love a high polish axe, this seems like a good one to start with because its so small. I don't have any electric buffing stuff, I'll be doing all this by hand with leather and polishing compounds.

Thanks again guys, I am going to try the non-gorilla glue method first, I hope the wood just expands and goes back to normal. The grain on this little guy is also fantastic, nearly straight up and down.

 

[Grimalkin]

I took some time this lunch hour to sand down the handle and get the oiling process going. Using a ziplock bag in this tupperware works really well to soak the end grains.

I don't think I have ever started a project so quickly....I think its the little hatchet, its just going to be so fun to play with, I wanna get it all prepped and ready to go. I have a question about soaking the end, how long should I let it soak? it will definitely have a darker colour than the rest of the wood I would think after soaking much longer than the rest of the handle.

Would it bad to soak the whole handle?

 

[300Six]

I soak mine every now and again; the eye ends, to keep them from drying out. This keeps seasonal loose heads to a minimum and I use a cloth or towel once in awhile to rub down the rest of the axe. End grain is particularly susceptible to drying out which results in checking. I probably would have used BLO over the years, if I had any, but teak & tung furniture oil (which is mostly BLO!), or chainsaw oil/motor oil in a pinch so far hasn't done me (the axes!) any harm.
You might consider some sort of 'mahoganized' (that's what Plumb called it) colour while you're doing this: Plumb has marketed distinctive red handles with black-painted heads (patented 1920) since about 1918.

 

[Grimalkin]

After soaking the end grains overnight, and giving a generous 5 or 6 coats of BLO, she soak up a substantial amount of oil. I might do another soak tonight and more layers of BLO. I took her out for some testing today, it took me a few swings to find the optimal leverage zone of the Plumb design which I wasn't used to. But once I dialed it in the sweet spot it was chopping with ease.

I am impressed by how much the crack closed up from the BLO soak. After using it today, I think it may have opened up a bit...I am not sure but I'll do more testing. We'll see if this handle remains viable...

it only took one hit to split this one, I am quite impressed with the splitting ability (for this style of splitting). It is a lot easier to manuver than my 2 1/4 HB. So maybe thats why I was able to split in this method easier.

She shaved the wood off pretty good, was able to make a tent peg with ease if need be.

All in all, its a great tool to have in the woods. I noticed some edge damage (very very small chips on the tip of the cutting edge), I am not sure if that is something that I missed from my initial sharpening job, but I'll sharpen the edge again and see if the steel holds better. It was pretty wet wood, I can't see how it would be damaged so easily.

 

[300Six]

That split luckily does not render the handle unsafe because much of the remaining wood is continuous right through to the head, and because it's a lower stress hatchet handle. This (to me) is one of those situations where if the split is not secure I'd open it up even further (with a chisel or screwdriver) so as to be able to squeeze a good glue in there before clamping it.

Of course this being a hatchet handle you could scope out a nice piece of wood on your travels (any Ironwood or Black Locust out your way?) and start carving your own using the existing handle as a template.

 

[Grimalkin]

So I spent some siginificant time today trying to re-profile the cutting edge on this hatchet, and came across a pretty big problem for my skillset. The heel of the cutting edge is very fat compared to the middle of the cutting edge. Almost like it was a bad grind job from the factory. Its a lot of metal to take down to get an even cutting surface all the way across. I am pretty disappointing with the quality of the factory edge grind. Comparing to my Hults Bruk, which looks perfect and took little effort to get up to spec, this one might be a bigger job. I might just stop with what I have and just leave it.

Have any of you see this problem? If so, did you take the time to fix it or just leave it? Or maybe this is an intentional design?

 

[300Six]

So I spent some siginificant time today trying to re-profile the cutting edge on this hatchet, and came across a pretty big problem for my skillset. The heel of the cutting edge is very fat compared to the middle of the cutting edge. Almost like it was a bad grind job from the factory. Its a lot of metal to take down to get an even cutting surface all the way across. I am pretty disappointing with the quality of the factory edge grind. Comparing to my Hults Bruk, which looks perfect and took little effort to get up to spec, this one might be a bigger job. I might just stop with what I have and just leave it.

Have any of you see this problem? If so, did you take the time to fix it or just leave it? Or maybe this is an intentional design?

These were competitive-priced production implements and not boutique jobbies (ie $10 vs 50) so onus was on the customer to fine tune the blade. Center of the blade will be thicker than at the sides which is a uniquely n. American method to reduce 'sticking' of the tool when being used to split wood, and also assists in dislodging chips while chopping. 'Banana' grind is a common blade sharpening technique for dealing with this. I'm sure within the 'search' feature: 'banada grind' will yield lots of examples and pictures.

 

[Square_peg]

So I spent some siginificant time today trying to re-profile the cutting edge on this hatchet, and came across a pretty big problem for my skillset. The heel of the cutting edge is very fat compared to the middle of the cutting edge. Almost like it was a bad grind job from the factory. Its a lot of metal to take down to get an even cutting surface all the way across.

The heel looks a little short like it might have been damage and re-ground in the past. The re-grind might have left it fat. If you have a sturdy bench vise or can clamp the haft to your bench and you have some good files it should be very little trouble to reshape it however you desire.

 

[Grimalkin]

so I tried to do a new grind on this, but my file is just gliding right off the steel, I have a single cut bastard, will a different file make any difference? This is much harder steel than my other axes. Any help would be appreciated!