Poll: If we were to commission a sub-forum custom axe design, what type should it be?

What type of axe would you prefer to have designed?

  • Full-size Single-bit

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Full-size Double-bit

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Boy's Axe

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Cruiser

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • Hatchet

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    1
Woodcraft said:
How expensive? You are correct, 5160 is not cheap in small quantities. We do not have to use 5160.
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I want to say the price quote to have an eye cut out was around $100. The problem with the steel in the size needed to make an axe in this manner is it usually comes round and you're buying from the mill. It would be an additional process to even get it to a rough rectangular bar form and probably not worth the mill's time.

As far as machining goes, if you get a quote under $150 to machine an axe from a cad file into a block let me know. I'll be the first to send them my business. I'll try and post some of my designs later. I've come up with Connecticut's, Jerseys, Cedars, and Tasmanians galore.


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Bridger said:
I want to say the price quote to have an eye cut out was around $100. The problem with the steel in the size needed to make an axe in this manner is it usually comes round and you're buying from the mill. It would be an additional process to even get it to a rough rectangular bar form and probably not worth the mill's time.

As far as machining goes, if you get a quote under $150 to machine an axe from a cad file into a block let me know. I'll be the first to send them my business. I'll try and post some of my designs later. I've come up with Connecticut's, Jerseys, Cedars, and Tasmanians galore.


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Interesting. I would love to see those designs. It makes sense to limit the shops involvement in the preparation and finish work.
 
Derzelas said:
I know one firm who's doing axe heads (most of them battlefield axes) forged from scratch to heat treatment and is not member in this community. If you look around for excitement, try to look above what you know.
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Wait, so you know someone who "forges from scratch to heat treatment"? ... that is amazing!!!!!!! You're right, I wish I knew that was a thing, I would have totally said something different.


Woodcraft said:
You are going to start thinking AFTER the group project is done?
Brute forge uses machining. To what extent I am unsure.
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I didn't say that, so those are your words, and a huge logical leap BTW. I said I'm not going to think too hard about your thing - you said "think about it" and I was being honest when I said I would. I am not dismissing your idea out of hand, I promise.
 
cityofthesouth said:
I didn't say that, so those are your words, and a huge logical leap BTW. I said I'm not going to think too hard about your thing - you said "think about it" and I was being honest when I said I would. I am not dismissing your idea out of hand, I promise.
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Yes I definitely stretched what you said quite a bit to make that statement. Perhaps a ;) would have better shown the intended nature of the "exaggerating"

Seems like a lot of time is being spent on the final step, specifically why or why it can or can not be reasonably done. And that is a question that can honestly not be answered without the design in hand.
 
Woodcraft said:
Yes I definitely stretched what you said quite a bit to make that statement. Perhaps a ;) would have better shown the intended nature of the "exaggerating"

Seems like a lot of time is being spent on the final step, specifically why or why it can or can not be reasonably done. And that is a question that can honestly not be answered without the design in hand.
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Well exactly, and that's really all I am going on about. Seriously, if you can get it done, great. I will end with the sarcasm because I keep saying I am going to quit so please carry on.
 
cityofthesouth said:
Wait, so you know someone who "forges from scratch to heat treatment"? ... that is amazing!!!!!!! You're right, I wish I knew that was a thing, I would have totally said something different.
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Maybe it was a poor choice of words "from scratch" but the idea behind was apposed to how the mill guy is doing the HT (sending it out 99.999%).
There are smiths doing axes, and they are not big companies. How you called the ones you know? Producers of wedges with expensive holes in it? Interesting choice of words anyway and generalizing is your second nature - after sarcasm.
For the rest we can play word-dialog any time I have time.
 
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I would take one if I could obtain one with a oval hole and not much else in steel of 1060. With enough stock left. I can finish it, looking at some of you gents photos and heat treat it. Then obtain information where to get a handle. I think many would like viewing the variety in a topic like this. DM
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
If it were cost effective to machine eyed axe heads I think we'd see a lot more of them on the market sitting between all the ones made by knife companies being cut from flat stock on the one end and the drop forged models on the other. But I'd be pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong on that. I'm pretty sure the most cost-effective method of making an eyed axe in low volume would be modern investment casting but you'd still need to hit a certain volume mark to reduce the per-unit cost of the initial tooling expense. Osborne racing axes are machined from billets, as a reference. Snedden's Fencing Products, also in Australia, produces cast axes and hatchets ranging from $260 to $360 AUD (about $198-275 USD) if you don't include their $400 AUD broad axe.
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Perhaps, but there is a big difference between actual cost and what is feasible for a company to bring to market. That gap is where we want to land with a group buy type of deal. Whether it's actually possible at a reasonable price is what we're going to find out.
 
Bridger said:
I've looked in to this. You'd be surprised how expensive it would be just to cut out the shape of the eye when you're talking 4"+ tool steel. Also, small quantity buys of axe steel i.e. 5160 are virtually impossible in the dimensions you'd need. Buying drops off eBay is the only feasible way I've found so far. I've got a 4.5x1.5x18" block of A2 in my basement just waiting to become some axes, but I still haven't figured out how I want to do it.


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Hmm, I wonder what amount would get us in the sweet spot if there is one. Is it that much more time consuming for the water jet to cut at that thickness? The reason I said 4140 is because it is available in those sizes much more readily than something like 5160.
 
Park Swan said:
Is it that much more time consuming for the water jet to cut at that thickness? .
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Yes, thickness is a big part of it. It's all about the time it takes to make the cuts. For knife blanks in 3/16" steel it takes very little time and is very economical, but a huge block takes much longer.


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Toronto Blacksmith in Canada would similarly be a very capable place to source from.
 
After looking at the elements in 4140 steel, I'm not a fan. But I would go for the 10 series, 5100 series, A2, W2 even 01. DM
 
If you went with casting, most places that cast tool steels can do S7. Just some food for thought. :D
 
I would think you would figure out the intended use. Then actually design it. Then choose a steel based on the properties of the steel and how it matches up in use keeping in mind production may force a change in steel choice. But this discussion on where and how to manufacture the yet to be designed ax is pretty entertaining;)
Committee strikes again.
 
I can purchase a Gransfors Burks hatchet from a nearby hardware store for 150$ and it comes with a good handle and leather sheath. Plus, the size handle I like. Should someone in this topic bring forward a hatchet head of good steel for a 100$ I would give it consideration. Just my bench mark. DM
 
David Martin said:
I can purchase a Gransfors Burks hatchet from a nearby hardware store for 150$ and it comes with a good handle and leather sheath. Plus, the size handle I like. Should someone in this topic bring forward a hatchet head of good steel for a 100$ I would give it consideration. Just my bench mark. DM
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The H&B Belt axe is right at that price point, so I think that's reasonable, especially without European import costs. I ordered their medium camp hawk which came to around $90 or so with shipping. I opted to pass on the sheath because I can make my own, but then... I already have so many to make. *facepalm*

anyway, your challenge seems reasonable to me.
 
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