Question about Husqvarna forest axe

R

robinsok

Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
3
So I received a husqvarna forest axe as a gift for Christmas from the wife. It looks nice and I am impressed but have one concern. Where the blade meets the handle, it's all nice and tight, but in front of the handle on the edged side I guess you would say, there is a void in the metal on the axe head, probably 1/4 inch wide and maybe a little longer than that extending out away from the handle. Hard to describe. I would like to post a picture because it would make a lot mpre sense, but I guess I'm not allowed to post pictures yet? Maybe because I just signed up here? I'm trying to find out of this is a big deal and I need to get the axe exchanged, or something I shouldn't worry about. I'm new to anything more than a cheap bog box store axe. Any help would be appreciated.
 
That is frequently seen and happens when the drift is used to punch the eye out during forging. I would fill such space with something like beeswax to keep water out and enjoy the axe.

Bill
 
Not an issue. The eye was folded and forge welded. That's just the remains of the fold. It won't come apart you try using the axe as a wedge and hit it with a sledge hammer. Even then it will only spread a little as the eye opens up.
 
I too received the forest axe. Same gap.
Good to know it won't be a problem.
 
Square_peg said:
Not an issue. The eye was folded and forge welded. That's just the remains of the fold. It won't come apart you try using the axe as a wedge and hit it with a sledge hammer. Even then it will only spread a little as the eye opens up.
Click to expand...
I don't think so. More likely it was drop forged using a series of forming dies on a big hammer from a piece of round bar and the eye punch out with an upsetter die. IIRC, those Husqvarnas are made by Wetterlling..
 
If they are made by Wetterling there are youtube videos clearly showing them drifting the eye in an existing hole during forging with a drift/punch and tongs, suggesting that the steel is folded. If they can be called "drop" forged, it is done on open dies as there is obviously no flashing marks and no perfectly even surface where flashing would have been ground away - that and the videos showing them forging on open dies with tongs. For the OP, that crack is indicative of this process and further evidence of folded steel.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone know for sure if these are in fact made by Wetterlings? I've heard many differing opinions in this.
 
If you are talking about the video with the cute girl narrating, I don't see the first couple of seeps. You can them the in some of the Grantors videos and the first operation they do on the open dies appears to be punching and englagin the eyein a rectangular bar. After that, it looks pretty much identical to what I see on the Wetterlings video. it really doesn't make much sense to wrap a monster axe head.
cityofthesouth said:
If they are made by Wetterling there are youtube videos clearly showing them drifting the eye in an existing hole during forging with a drift/punch and tongs, suggesting that the steel is folded. If they can be called "drop" forged, it is done on open dies as there is obviously no flashing marks and no perfectly even surface where flashing would have been ground away - that and the videos showing them forging on open dies with tongs. For the OP, that crack is indicative of this process and further evidence of folded steel.
Click to expand...
 
They're made by Hultafors, one of the guys that does the heat treating and other work on them at the company posts on Axe Junkies on Facebook. Y'all should join the group there too.
 
jdm61 said:
If you are talking about the video with the cute girl narrating, I don't see the first couple of seeps. You can them the in some of the Grantors videos and the first operation they do on the open dies appears to be punching and englagin the eyein a rectangular bar. After that, it looks pretty much identical to what I see on the Wetterlings video. it really doesn't make much sense to wrap a monster axe head.
Click to expand...

No, I think it is a video shot by someone touring the place - apparently they don't make them anyway. I would expect them to just punch a hole in a rectangular bar too, then start forging which is entirely possible. Places like Emerson Stevens folded axe heads up until the day they closed in the 60s and of course most axes were made that way early on. They started with rectangular bar stock as well. Just the same, they aren't exactly drop forged in the sense that Council Tool axes are. The way Hultafors edited their little video, there is no folding and even in the video you can see that same little split in the heads. It is evidently part of the process, either from initially punching the eye or enlarging it to final size. In any case, typical.
 
I believe that Husqvarna has recently used Hultafors for their restamped heads. Before that they were Wetterlings. I just ordered a Husky hatchet and it's a Hultafors made head, with a Husqvarna stamp. Same thing that Gerber does with Fiskars I would guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top