R&D,18th c.American axe

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[A17]

One question arises though: When was the American axe actually invented? Was that during the colonial years (most likely?) or was it after the declaration of independance? Because if it was during the colonial years, that would actually mean that it was a european axe model since America wasn't a country back then?

Darn it! Now you've made me think! In all seriousness, that's an interesting viewpoint. But, as we succeeded in our revolution, I'd say we could claim all pre-freedom ideas as American.

 

[Fmont]

They became American when they were made here. Everything was brought here and melded with tremendous immigrant cognitive diversity. And we had the resources we needed a million times over to evolve axe patterns for our woods with unprecedented access to steel happening simultaneously.

 

[Kevin Houtzager]

X

 

[jake pogg]

I did manage to upload a photo of temper-colors...they're not exactly as they really look,but close:https://imgur.com/1rB7h6j

(light blue crescent at the toe is a bad weld-section,incidentally

 

[Square_peg]

Everything was brought here and melded with tremendous immigrant cognitive diversity. And we had the resources we needed a million times over to evolve axe patterns for our woods with unprecedented access to steel happening simultaneously.

I think that explains a lot of it.

 

[crbnSteeladdict]

Thank you Sir!!!!

IF(!) i'd been a responsible creature i'd start making a chart,a few orderly columns with weight and any dimensions available for as many originals as possible...

Here's them lines representing a full,true wedge,as drawn on top:
https://imgur.com/ANsyQhg

That'd probably loose a few ounces...But what troubles me more than the weight is that Convergence angle of the forged blade(before bevels are ground for sharpening).
What were the average values for that?
(in essence it shapes the chip-breaker action...)

I do not recall seeing full wedge pattern axe with tiny eye and thick walls. Is it possible it was created around the idea of standardized full size eye (teardrop).

 

[jake pogg]

I do not recall seeing full wedge pattern axe with tiny eye and thick walls. Is it possible it was created around the idea of standardized full size eye?

It's a very pertinent question,and one i'd not presume to answer...(i Thought one top-view flashed by here that was rather wedgy...but can't find it at present(with my connection speed going back through material is painful....)

If i may,i'd like to try to express a thought here about grinding,which May be related to the above.
Grinding,as applied to axes,was often done in a very powerful,no-nonsense manner and removed a Lot of metal(Pioneer Axe video is one good example;i found it typical for later,age of photography process,and it deepened my suspicions` about earlier times as well).
Grinding throws a very big wrench in the whole process of reverse-engineering an axe,as of course afterwards one can only conjecture what has been removed.

It especially applies to the slit&drifted method,which normally leaves a very characteristic indentations Aft of the eye,on the poll(if it's of any size).
Those indents right behind the drifted eye are possible,but Very difficult to remove by forging alone,and If accomplished-most often cause the poll to become narrower,the further back it extends-the more so.
That is possibly where that tapering,"boat-tail" bullet-shaped poll stems from;the gradual tapering from the swell of the eye.
The more modern,tear-drop shaped eye is even more voluminous in it's rounded after-end,and exacerbates the effect considerably.
But even in a composite constr. the above effect is an issue.
If components are made of an evenly-dimensioned flat-stock,the final mass is also a regular parallel-sided quadrangle,and the eye sides bulge out,And that extra mass in a strict wedge config. really has no place where it could come from....
All in all,the Wedge(so far in my poking about)is not the most natural forging shape,it takes purposeful steps if it was to be achieved.
To that is added yet another issue:In the more modern eye the sides of eye are often(more so later in history) extremely Fine...Thin to improbability(going under 1/8" at times in a full-size axe!),often very gracefully differentiated in thickness,"flowing" and just plain elegant...
That is in whatever degree a definite effect of grinding,as it'd be an impractical amount of work and finesse and precision to achieve by forging alone.

So,going back to the original question above-i think that yes,both the wedge and the modern tear-drop eye have a lot to do(in their provenance)with ability to powerfully remove mass by grinding.

Now,grinding was always Desirable,by maker and the final tool user both(even before it was practical and easily doable).It contributes to corrosion-resistance(thus ease of maintenance),doesn't mark the work;makes it easier to control the tool intuitively by giving it a more symmetrical,streamlined shape,and is just plain Nice...

A good friend in England has recently obtained and rebuilt an old swing-seat grinder,and it really made me think about it all,the principle of a worker using his entire body weight to bear down on the stone.I think it's a significant part of the process,as far back as we're looking here....

I hope the above is not too specious and long-winded...I agree fully that conjecture in general is an unnecessary and counterproductive concept here,and apologise for any and all part of it that i thoughtlessly introduce...Will do my best to try to stick to concrete things that stem from metal alone.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Grinding wheels used in manufacturing used to be a good 6-7ft in diameter and that translates into both tremendous momentum (you're not going to bog that wheel down under any circumstances once it gets going!) and surface speed. A lot of finish grinding used to be done to produce the final form of the tool. The modern emphasis on as-forged finishes in manufactured goods would have been looked on as ghastly or cheap back in those days, and people preferred a smooth-ground polished finish. Varying degrees of polish are commonly mentioned in catalogs, but even on oil-finished economy heads their form was still ground to shape--they just didn't receive any post-heat-treatment polishing work.

 

[jake pogg]

Thank you for this valuable info,FortyTwoBlades,it adds to our slowly emerging picture...
(i find it a bit disheartening,as it's an aspect that i can't very easily duplicate,lacking any reduction ability of the right sort....(the name of the game here is cahones...or hp,to be more scientific.....as per Square_peg's wise suggestion i'll get a hold of a decent 9" angle-grinder,it'll be a pale shadow of a real grindstone but will allow for experiments).

 

[jake pogg]

Here's an exploded vintage axe if you want to see how they were made.

And This,A17,is brilliant...(and an extremely rare glimpse into the real workings of another smith's genius...).

It makes me want to drop everything and run to the forge,i just had a number of enlightening moments staring at it...(some to do with the wedge issues...).

(if i don't get any of my chores done this spring and summer i'll have all you guys to blame...by fall-time i'll be a pathetic bedraggled itinerant smith,skinny and grubby...but Very satisfied!

 

[Ernest DuBois]

I hope the above is not too specious and long-winded...I agree fully that conjecture in general is an unnecessary and counterproductive concept here,and apologise for any and all part of it that i thoughtlessly introduce...Will do my best to try to stick to concrete things that stem from metal alone.

I wish you luck, some int'resting stuff 'mungst the chaff.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Thank you for this valuable info,FortyTwoBlades,it adds to our slowly emerging picture...
(i find it a bit disheartening,as it's an aspect that i can't very easily duplicate,lacking any reduction ability of the right sort....(the name of the game here is cahones...or hp,to be more scientific.....as per Square_peg's wise suggestion i'll get a hold of a decent 9" angle-grinder,it'll be a pale shadow of a real grindstone but will allow for experiments).

Just rough it in with an angle grinder, and if you want to produce a finish similar to what would have been historical, you could use a hand-rubbed finish with a coarse soft Arkansas stone using only fore-aft motions, or the contact wheel on a two-wheel belt grinder with appropriate belt selection.

 

[jake pogg]

I really appreciate this advice on abrasives,woeful inadequacy in this dept.

Just rough it in with an angle grinder, and if you want to produce a finish similar to what would have been historical, you could use a hand-rubbed finish with a coarse soft Arkansas stone using only fore-aft motions, or the contact wheel on a two-wheel belt grinder with appropriate belt selection.

Yes,about my current process(minus the stone(-s),that i lack entirely).
It does the ob,or Can,for sure.
I won't bemoan the lack of a powerful rig at any great length,but it Would make a difference,in a way.
It's one of the forces that Created these shapes,would've been very educational to bear down on a stone to earn why and wherefore..But,yep.

 

[Ernest DuBois]

I do use flux,just plain Borax out of a box,just never troubled to learn and get comfortable fluxless(it's not that hard).

or sand?

 

[Square_peg]

I'll try to be orderly here:

All my welding(and forging) anymore is done strictly with spruce charcoal.
(the little propane forge in the background is a friend's,and is for his,and some students' use only).
I look back at my propane-forge years with loathing...it was a sweat-shop hell of my own making...

Charcoal is a specific beast,and i'm learning about it constantly,both making and using it.
One specific about it(or my tree species,White spruce) is that it's very hard to reach very high temperatures...So burning is an issue mostly with higher-Carbon material.

(in tool-making in general it's always handy if the mild or WI covers the bit material entirely during welding,and i often make use of this device).

The main panacea for welding is maximal Excess of Carbon.It prevents burning,as well as scaling(thus contamination of surfaces to be welded).
I heap it on,and constantly maintain a high ratio of fuel to oxygen(with the hand-crank blower it's`easy,and it's all i use except for the rarest occasions).

I do use flux,just plain Borax out of a box,just never troubled to learn and get comfortable fluxless(it's not that hard).

Multiple-component welding is not any harder,( maybe even easier,more mass,stays hot nicely).But care must be taken to close all welds forthwith,as they'd oxidise remaining open during multiple heats.

The biggest problem with welding is to not break the freshly made welds.That is the real challenge,and it involves your capacity to retain control of the work(tongs),as well as striking control,so both hands,all senses,all you have is engaged...
(vibration,bouncing,rattling,are all very destructive).

Color i'd have a hard time with calling...Maybe shooting for bright-yellow(and achieving it sometimes?),but working in middle yellows,trying to return the fresh weld back into the fire by lower-,darker-yellow...

It's an odd thing about welding that i witnessed a number of times:After Much frustration(years),one good session with a right person just Gets you there...And then you're Good,forevermore,on your own...(a wonderful old guy by name of Dick Underwood did this for me...no new information or nothing,just said grab this,hit it now,and the magic happened...).

And then you just keep getting better on your own,it just starts happening itself...

I forge-weld a Lot,but i periodically can't stick things together to save my life(mystery.....),and i do Plenty of lousy or at least questionable welds...Sometimes they're not on the surface,et c.,but it's a fact(i've poor work habits/discipline).

Forge-welding is very heavily dependent on strategy of application.Two main points-use it in Shear;and maximise the contact area.This is consistent with historical use,many poor-looking,or even opening,welds,but the tool stays together/does it's intended job till worn clear out.....

Thanks, Jake. This is GOLD.

I have mostly worked with hickory charcoal, sometimes fuel coal and sometimes lumps of coal I drag home from local wild sources. Maple Valley is halfway between Newcastle and Black Diamond, 2 local towns named for their historic coal mines. And Maple Valley had coal mines, too. There are still many small lenses of coal showing in outcroppings in the area. Not big enough for commercial mining which is why they're still there. But more than a backyard smith could ever want. I've built a charcoal cooker but never used it as store bought hickory is so readily available here. But it's on my bucket list.

My little home made forge has an old furnace fan for a blower. It's a universal motor that will accept a rheostat (dimmer switch) as a speed control. At full speed I can practically blast the charcoal out of the forge (the small pieces go flying). I enclose the firepot with 16" firebricks when I want high heat fast or to conserve fuel.

Other times I leave it open.

The charcoal is great because it produces no clinker. They say the local coal is no good for forging but it does alright. I'm selective about what I bring home (cleaner stuff) and it works about as well as the fuel coal.

I spring for the anhydrous borax but I've heard it doesn't make any difference so long as you keep what you're using dry.

It's an odd thing about welding that i witnessed a number of times:After Much frustration(years),one good session with a right person just Gets you there...And then you're Good,forevermore,on your own...(a wonderful old guy by name of Dick Underwood did this for me...no new information or nothing,just said grab this,hit it now,and the magic happened...).

That's what I need. Some forge time a good smith. Sadly, in the past few years I've lost both of my local mentors, Grant Sarver (Off Center Products), the man who without question has made more pairs of blacksmith tongs than any man on the planet, and Larry Langdon (Monster Metals, Quick & Dirty Tools), who was close by, a good friend and a master of everything. They say that every time a blacksmith dies a library is lost. If that's true then Grant was the Library of Congress. Larry was his protege.

Forge-welding is very heavily dependent on strategy of application.Two main points-use it in Shear;and maximise the contact area.This is consistent with historical use,many poor-looking,or even opening,welds,but the tool stays together/does it's intended job till worn clear out....

Thank you for that tip.

 

[Square_peg]

Sadly, in the past few years I've lost both of my local mentors, Grant Sarver (Off Center Products), the man who without question has made more pairs of blacksmith tongs than any man on the planet, and Larry Langdon (Monster Metals, Quick & Dirty Tools), who was close by, a good friend and a master of everything. They say that every time a blacksmith dies a library is lost. If that's true then Grant was the Library of Congress. Larry was his protege.

If you want to see some good modern blacksmithing videos than check out the late Grant Sarver's Youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/nakedanvil/videos

 

[Square_peg]

and Larry Langdon (Monster Metals, Quick & Dirty Tools), who was close by, a good friend and a master of everything.

Here's Larry showing us a one heat square corner. Wish I could do it like that for making log dogs.

 

[jake pogg]

Aw,Square_peg,i didn't even know Larry is gone......I thought of him just the other day,he's given me some advice on forging pavement breaker bits,he had that love/hate relationship with them and knew all there was to know about 'em...With Grant's passing the entire metalworking world dimmed...with both of them gone now,that is just somehow wrong,and very sad.

You have a well-found,substantial set-up,very adequate.With it you're definitely capable of performing any forging operation,welding included.
This internet thang is such a marvel...I'd bet we could troubleshoot your welding practice right on here...Let us know when you may get a chance to stoke up,and we can give it a try...I'd be so happy to share anything i may know of value,and these last few years it's almost all i've been doing,moderately heavy welding with charcoal...

I really wanted to explore that gorging move that is in those photos of a brocken poll so kindly provided by A17.
(the way i interpret what's going on there,which is not necessarily right).
I found some lovely,soft,moderately contaminated WI strap,it's 3/8" thick,that i cut down to 2.5" width.
The ends of these two pieces of strap got a small upset,a thickening,and a square(-ish)corner was forged a short distance from the end of each.
Then they were placed together with the faces of their short,upset dog-legs forming a butt-weld:
https://imgur.com/vuylmUH

This material wasn't entirely happy about welding at first,but was persuaded,and eventually welded just fine,forming an acceptable,even cautiously encouraging mass for the "inner",yet-unplated poll:
https://imgur.com/J8Xbbvu
(my camera is weird,it has huge parallax effect somehow,the poll is thicker than it looks on photo).

Then things got hectic for me here,and my experiments had to stop,right after i got an outer,hardenable poll chunk forged to shape(pavement breaker bit,that's when i thought of Larry...it's either a AISI 1045,or some very close analog).

https://imgur.com/JQ5pISK

So,new elements in the paradigm here are that poll joint,and the plate thickness 3/8" vs 1/2";also the first few axes`were 2"wide stock,(the last one-2 3/4"),and this 2 1/2" wide.

The combined thickness of the poll at this point is 1 1/8",after welding it'll be 1" even.
In general i'll try to keep it to 5" long poll to toe,with 4" edge,+/-.
Like the more square-ish,Jerseyish ones...

This nearly-carbonless WI material is very cool,and will have that rich,variated texture so typical to the sexier kind of WI.
If i can control it well enough,this stuff would be a great choice if ever a few real axes were attempted,i think it'll be beautiful visually finished...
(It's a fairly "historic" chunk of steel...Originally a part of the brake-band of this steam donkey winch,probably from PNW,used to swing big logs around stumpage,till oxen took over on the skidding path proper...Barged up the Yukon during the Gold rush,and used in the village above here to offload steamers...An old 2-cyl horizontal,single-drum winch,almost hated to part it out,but a smith can't be sentimental in that way,all Fe must be kept in circulation,metamorphosis of iron in nature..).

 

[jake pogg]

So,with poll counterweight welded on,and lugs drawn(on a drift,having forgotten all about them till now).
https://imgur.com/uDq23mk
This drift is something i made years` ago to fit a standard boy's axe handle.
(this will be a hermaphrodite test-model,an old pattern with our current-size eye)
Soapstone line represents the future front of eye;the ends of strap are then trimmed to protrude 2" beyond that.

Pre-form trimmed to length;opened and scarfed for welding;closed on the bit steel inserted(leaf spring):https://imgur.com/ZQAZFae
Again,the sides are 3/8",bit just under that:https://imgur.com/j6WJeZ0