poor steel or loss of temper?

A

augsburger

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Feb 10, 2013
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I refurbished a a 1 1/2 lb. axe head stamped Great Neck Portugal. Approx. bevel was 25 degrees and the edge was very sharp. It was hung on an 18" hickory handle which I hand carved. When I tried to cross cut a piece of oak to test, the edge dented or curled like it was a tin can lid. WT? I can only imagine that at sometime the edge must have lost it's tempering. Or perhaps just terrible steel? I sharpened the old fashioned way with a file and stone. (no heat). The axe head has a very dark patina and I dont think a vineger bath would show the Hamon line. Any ideas?
 
Just take some sandpaper to it and then vinegar test would be my suggestion. Patina's aren't usually some super thick coating, it's nothing a little 220 grit can't solve. Sure patina's look cool, but I'd rather have a useful tool.

That does kinda suck how you put all that work into it and then this happens.

Also, is there alot of wear on the head from previous sharpenings?

If you find out youre still on good steel, it might work to sharpen back a bit. Maybe someone used a dremel for way too long on the edge.
 
Probably crappy steel. All the recent (past 20 years) Great Neck tools I've seen have been 2nd rate stuff. Oak is hard wood and if you're limbing it you're going to need good steel.

As for your Great Neck - if 25° rolled then try 30°.
 
25 degrees just may be too thin for that axe. I imagine just a couple of numbers lower in the rockwell scale can be a lot with an edge that thin and wood that hard.
Did you find it easy to file?
 
Square_peg said:
Probably crappy steel. All the recent (past 20 years) Great Neck tools I've seen have been 2nd rate stuff. Oak is hard wood and if you're limbing it you're going to need good steel.

As for your Great Neck - if 25° rolled then try 30°.
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+1

Too bad you put it on a hand carved handle.

"It was hung on an 18" hickory handle which I hand carved. When I tried to cross cut a piece of oak to test, the edge dented or curled like it was a tin can lid."

Tom
 
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