Recent projects - rant against glue and other ramblings, very pic heavy

[M3mphis]

I really hate it when a wedge is glued in...

We tend to fall back on the old idiom, "there's more than one way to skin a cat," fairly often. I think sometimes there IS a best way to do something, or at least a better way. Gluing wedges is a good example of a lesser way of doing it. It's basically a crutch so that you can get by with marginal hangs. The trouble with glued wedges is that you usually can't remove them without tearing up your handle or just cutting it off and wasting it. I like to be able to make changes, like slightly adjusting the "openness" of an axe later on down the road. More than once, I've pulled a handle off an axe simply to put it on another that I thought would be a better fit. Gluing wedges is completely unnecessary with good hangs and can turn into an all out PIA later. Therefore, I see no reason to do it. Furthermore, if you think that none of your user axes will ever need to be tightened up or otherwise adjusted - you are kidding yourself.

I picked this kent pattern hand axe up off ebay from the UK awhile back. The head wasn't slipping at all, but it was loose enough to rattle just a bit. I decided to pull the wedges and rehang it. I didn't realize that the wedges had been glued in. What a pain. I just about ruined the the handle (which is a dandy). I was able to seat the head a little further down and make it work.

Chewed up handle all junked up with friggin glue.

Turned out okay, but there is still some gaps from the damage.

Next to one of my other favorite carvers on a funky handle I made.

I put the head at a upswept angle to get more of a slicing motion when carving. Actually works nicely.

I also made it bent slightly. I've been using it for several weeks, and it works great.

"Germantown USA" Operator gave this head to me. Thanks, Bro!

Cleaned up, sharpened, and hung this Swedish military surplus boy's axe. A friend of ours is going to give it to her husband for Christmas.

Took a keen edge!

Tonight I whipped up a packable bow saw which was pretty much a fail. I've been wanting to do one, and I totally jacked up a band saw blade tonight. I thought maybe I could put part of the band saw blade in it. Doesn't work well at all. It skips real bad. I'll get a Bahco blade and try it before I scrap it.

Slipped up with my chisel while working on the bow saw. Nasty cut on top my finger, I'm hoping that the brace and some butterflies will keep me from opening it up.

Tonight I hung a Sager cruiser. The eye was really long for a cruiser so I did my best to fill it.

Shaved the handle into an octagon.

Another "new" toy. 2" framing slick.

Hung this "no name with ridges" boy's axe the other day and took it Christmas Tree hunting.

My boy.

Thanks, hopefully it wasn't too random.

Matt

 

[leon08]

Nice work on those tools. I like the Sager!

Here is a foldable saw I made, is a small one backpack version.

 

[John Frankl]

Thank you very much! I always love seeing pics.

Too bad about that first handle. Out here it's not glue but a bunch of screws and nails. Same end result though.

I also really like the edges you are putting on your tools. Lots of good ideas here. Thanks again.

 

[halfaxe]

Thanks for posting the pics. Hanging an axe seems so simple yet more often than not, I run into unforeseen problems and learn something new with each one.

 

[omniviking]

very nice work M3mphis. the wedges you have put in look moist, do you use that there swell lok stuff. it work goo but it isn't glue.

I really like the "Kent" style axe, I would love one in my stuff. but shipping can get stiff.
I also likethe slick. I have been wantung a few lagre gouge chisels and look at E bey often and they seem to go higher then axes do

outstanding job.

Pat

 

[Operator1975]

Well done!

PS - Where did you get that Sager Cruiser?

 

[RDog]

Nice set up you got there, really wish I had some shop space.

BTW, a 2" framing chisel with a long handle is not really a slick. it can be used sort of "slick like" but its not a slick.

 

[G-pig]

Nice set up you got there, really wish I had some shop space.

BTW, a 2" framing chisel with a long handle is not really a slick. it can be used sort of "slick like" but its not a slick.

For sake of function, a slick is usually determined a slick by the shapes on it and not the size. I have seen 3 inch chisels with rhe geometry of a flat framing chisel, this wouldnt work well as a dressing tool because the flat back wouldnt allow you to back out of a cut. The same reason why some wood workers use a (nicely shaped) back bevel on a draw knife. I always thought a slick had a slight camber to the edge, with a very slight convex shape from socket to edge.

What kind of geometry features you got on that chisel M3mphis?

 

[zachtateknives]

That double bit looks really nice!

 

[fast14riot]

I'm not familiar with a slick, is it like a larger paring chisel? Looks like you had a good day (couple of days?) in the shop. I'm envious! I get just a couple hours here an there. I wish I could find a decent axe 'round here, everything I find is either Stanley, new Collins, or Chinese.


-Xander

 

[Square_peg]

Wow, dude! You've been busy. Thanks for all the photos.

I really hate it when a wedge is glued in... ......Gluing wedges is completely unnecessary with good hangs and can turn into an all out PIA later. Therefore, I see no reason to do it.

I agree except where an old handle's eye is so damaged that you just can't get a safe hang without gluing it. At that point you can throw away the handle or glue it (construction adhesive) and throw it away next time. Glue should only be used the last time that a particular handle is to be used. But for everything else put the glue away.

Too much good stuff here to comment on all of it so I'll stick to the best part. Good on ya for getting that boy out in the woods. Nothing better for a boy than being in the woods with his dad. Full marks!

Aside from that I love the tell-tale hand honing marks on that boy's axe. I bet it's sharp as hell. Oh, and if you don't cut your hands once in a while you ain't really working.

 

[cooperhill]

Nice work.

Like the wedges. I need some bad. Running out fast.

 

[daizee]

Wow, nice work, Memphis.
I love those hatchet patterns, but haven't come across any in my scroungings.
Do you have any recommendations for wood types for wedges? I've been cutting poplar from some scrap, but I wonder if it's too dense or doesn't absorb enough BLO or something. It doesn't seem to compress much - or maybe that's desireable?

 

[M3mphis]

Nice work on those tools. I like the Sager!

Here is a foldable saw I made, is a small one backpack version.

Thanks, Leon! I'm going to rebuild mine. It will be a lot better if I use a better wood. Do you think you could post a close up picture of how you did the joint between the blade and handles???? It looks like you have a slick method there!

 

[M3mphis]

Nice work.

Like the wedges. I need some bad. Running out fast.

Chris, you know that part that I broke on my shopsmith? I borrowed my neighbors for awhile. Last night I was going to cut you some wedges and I broke his coupler!!!!! So frustrating. I'll get on the stick and order several of them. Then I cut some for you.

 

[M3mphis]

Thank you very much! I always love seeing pics.

Too bad about that first handle. Out here it's not glue but a bunch of screws and nails. Same end result though.

I also really like the edges you are putting on your tools. Lots of good ideas here. Thanks again.

Thanks, John. I've been pretty happy with my sharpening methods. I started putting flat bevels on my carving axes and using the Japanese water stones up to 8000. For choppers, I just use a cheapo Norton two sided oil stone, then fine diamond hone, and then ceramic rod.

I get weird stuff used as wedges too. In fact, the other day I cleaned up a really nice Mann True American double bit. It has several random things in the wedge including a large fencing staple. It's on so tight, that I just left it for now!

 

[M3mphis]

very nice work M3mphis. the wedges you have put in look moist, do you use that there swell lok stuff. it work goo but it isn't glue.

I really like the "Kent" style axe, I would love one in my stuff. but shipping can get stiff.
I also likethe slick. I have been wantung a few lagre gouge chisels and look at E bey often and they seem to go higher then axes do

outstanding job.

Pat

Thanks, Pat. I don't put anything on my wedges actually. Once I am all done with the hang, I put on tung oil or BLO or natural walnut oil. Mostly tung. Most of the wedges pictured are elm, but there are a couple store bought poplar wedges in there because I ran out of good ones.

ETA: I'm loving that Kent pattern. If you have a chance, you should snag one. The shipping cost does suck a bit. This seller was really reasonable about it though. The slick or chisel was in a lot of 10 chisels and gouges that I got off ebay for like $45 shipped. They all need work, but they're all good, old pieces.

 

[M3mphis]

Well done!

PS - Where did you get that Sager Cruiser?

Stole it from yo mama's house! That's another Operator gift. Was that part of the "thank you" package for the Sager Chemical PS?

 

[M3mphis]

Well done!

PS - Where did you get that Sager Cruiser?

Stole it from yo mama's house! That's another Operator gift. Was that part of the "thank you" package for the Sager Chemical PS?

 

[M3mphis]

Nice set up you got there, really wish I had some shop space.

BTW, a 2" framing chisel with a long handle is not really a slick. it can be used sort of "slick like" but its not a slick.

For sake of function, a slick is usually determined a slick by the shapes on it and not the size. I have seen 3 inch chisels with rhe geometry of a flat framing chisel, this wouldnt work well as a dressing tool because the flat back wouldnt allow you to back out of a cut. The same reason why some wood workers use a (nicely shaped) back bevel on a draw knife. I always thought a slick had a slight camber to the edge, with a very slight convex shape from socket to edge.

What kind of geometry features you got on that chisel M3mphis?

I honestly don't know the answer to this. I thought it was a slick because everything lays flat. The socket is offset enough that the whole piece can lay flat across a timber, whereas most chisels can't do that.

Here's the backside of it:

Here you can really see the lamination:

I could get a better pic of the profile today.