SC T100's Axe Projects (Pic Heavy)

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SC T100

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Apr 2, 2014
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So I figured I would start a thread outlining all of my various axe projects and before/after photos as much as possible. It mirrors many of the other threads, but with about 14 axes and hatchets, I thought I would go ahead and lump all of mine together in one thread. I'll just keep adding to the thread as I find new things to fix up. I hope you enjoy!

To start, here is what started me on my axe path. I used to use an axe quite a bit when I was younger, and I really enjoy working with them. Eventually, I wanted a nice, fun axe that would serve me well in the field if needed. They can be found for around $100 around here, and it was the wonderful GB SFA. Love it...it is an awesome small axe, and the steel and edge are fantastic.


Long story short, I then went full on into finding and restoring vintage axes.

I'll start with my first axe restoration. I originally had a small thread on this one, but here's a recap:

"The Kelly"

I decided to scope out the local flea market for an axe head. And as luck would have it, I found a doozy. it was a Kelly Axe and Tool Co. (1904-1930 I believe) head. I didn't take any pics before, but it was rusty. I cleaned it up, and hung it a few times (first a poor-fitting hang and handle, then a better one, then a cracked handle from use, and finally a nice hang).
First hang, not great.


Second handle, and it fit much better. Lots of experimenting with finishes and the like.


This handle cracked recently, so here is where it sits now. The profile shot shows it's very high center line. It cuts and splits very well!





 
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"The Harbor Freight Re-Do"

I made a small thread about this one as well, so this will be brief.

I had a cheapo HF hatchet, and I completely re-did it a few times before I was happy: new handle(s), new finish(es), new edge(s), and made a sheath. I really like it, and it's a truck axe for now.
The start:


Original refurb:


How it sits now. It works well, but the steel is obviously sub-par to my other axes:


 
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"The Foundling" or "Stumpy" or "Shorty 40"

I have no earthly idea who made this axe, when it was made, or where it was made. It's a Jersey pattern I believe, which appears to be a two-piece construction. It was stamped with a large "H" near the poll one one side, a "3" on the side near the temper line, and a "40" on the bottom of the poll (hence Shorty 40).

It was extremely rusty when I found it.


But it has a big tempered section:


After a good cleaning and vinegar bath:


I eventually cleaned it up with a wire cup on an angle grinder, and hung it on a no-name handle from a lumber store. I made a sheath for it as well. Once it was hung on the 36-inch handle, it looked really "squat" and short with a large heavy poll (balancing it nicely, though), hence the secondary name of Stumpy. It took a very nice edge though, and in all of my cleaning/refurbing and mushrooming removal, the H stamp is now gone. I wasn't worried about it as it did not appear to be a special head. I hope I wasn't wrong. The mushrooming was pretty significant though, and it would have impeded the usefulness if the axe by a good bit.



 
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"The Worth"

Picked this guy up for five bucks. It was a risk, but it had a stamp and I was curious. It was a nice hatchet/carpenter's hatchet/half-hatchet, but sharpened poorly, and the handle was the strangest I've ever seen.



I don't know if the paint was original or not, but I didn't like it, so it soon came off, as did the handle.


I rehandled it, and make a sheath as I always do eventually:





It's very good steel it seems, and feels great in the hand!
 
"The Monster"

This Sager is a beast. It's heavy, has a big heavy poll, and a huge cutting face. It was in great shape, and I probably overpaid considering the handle, but the head was so nice I couldn't pass it up. The steel feels very hard, and it sharpened to a very sharp, very hard edge. It's a cutter for sure. I didn't do much real refurbing of the head as it was in great shape, bit I did give it a good sharpening. The handle was bad so I re-hung it. I used a Link handle that was too thick, and even after thinning it down I still don't like the feel. I think I may re-hang it soon on a Council Tool handle I can get locally.

Where it started:
Weird handle for such a big axe head. The eye wasn't filled, and the shoulders were quite small. At least they didn't use a metal pin. The head came of very easily after drilling out the wedge.




After re-hanging and sharpening. You can still see a few flecks of blue paint. I made a sheath, but I don't like it and will get re-done when I can find a scrap of leather big enough to fold over this beast of an axe:







I haven't used it yet, but all signs point to a serious wood cutting tool.
 
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"The Cayuga"

This one isn't really a refurb. I found this at a flea market and it was my first double bit. The stamp is still visible, and all I did was sharpen it, settle it on the handle a bit more, and sand and BLO the handle a few times. I also made a sheath as well. It's a very nice axe, but it likely won't be a heavy user, as it's just tool cool to beat up (too much). It'll get used at some point though as that's what it's for. It's a Cayuga made by Baker, Rose, and Kimball from 1928-1952 I believe.

When I bought it (was very dull):




After some cleaning, and some light work and sharpening. It has high center lines like my Kelly:







I made a sheath, but it's not very good, but does the job for now. No pics, but I'll eventually put one up.
 
"The Merit" or "Tiny"

I picked this little guy up on a trip to NC a while back. It's a Merit brand small hatchet; light too...in the 1-lb. range. The guy who sold it said it was from 1937, and based on what I've seen online that seems in the ballpark. The handle may be original, but it had a very large crack at the bottom, where a large chunck wanted to come off. The handle appeared to have a lacquer on it, so it may not have been original. Either way, I wanted to save the handle, but it wasn't worth it in the end. I cleaned it up, rehandled it (the head just about pulled right off), and sharpened it. It has a large tempered area, and took a great edge. It seems like very good steel. It's more of a belt hatchet I think, but it seems really useful. it had some mushrooming (on a hatchet?!?) I filed off as well.

When it was brought home:



How it now sits after a refurb and sheath:




 
"The Council Tool"

This was a full refurb. I was carrying around some axes at the flea market (shown later) and they guy offered to sell me a head for $2. I said I would take a look, and it was this guy, a 4lb Dayton Council Tool. I have no idea on the age, except that it's not recent, as the stamps are different now from what I see in the store.

Here's how it started:



It took a good bit of cleaning, with a vinegar bath and wire cup/angle grinder, to get the head cleaned up. There were still flecks of the red enamel they put on the heads...that stuff is tough! It also took a good bit of sharpening to correct a nice gouge or two, but it eventually sharpened up very nicely. I hung it on a Council Tool straight handle and gave it some BLO after sanding away some of the wax coating. it turned out very nice, and felt great. This axe seems like it would be a good all-around axe, both for splitting and chopping. I gave it away as a Father's Day gift after it was all done.





 
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"The Beater"

I picked up this $13 Ace hardware half hatchet to play with. It has a large cutting surface and it extremely thin, so I'll use for carving/shaving/etc. I sanded the handle and gave it some BLO. I sharpened it up to a very fine edge as well, and then made a sheath. This will likely live in my truck soon as a spare. it turned out nicely though (even if the bottom of the blade is a bit curved...likely from the hardening).




Edit: I recently returned and exchanged this for an identical one without the curve in the blade. I had been trying to scrape some leather down smooth and it wasn't sitting flat enough, and the times I used it on wood it wasn't acting right. And I made a new sheath...pics later.
 
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"The Plumb"

Found this guy at a flea market for not much money. It's a 3 and 2/3rd (I think) Plumb. I have no idea on the age. It had been hung somewhat carelessly, sharped the same, and coated in clear coat (which I don't like). This was a pretty decent refurb as well. I cleaned the head, re-hung it, and sharpened it. I can see why people like Plumbs...the steel seems great, and it took a very hard edge, and seems to have a huge tempered area. It's definitely a cutter/feller, and doesn't seem like it would do well as a splitter, as the profile is very thin.

When I got it:




After the refurb and re-hang, etc. It seems like a great axe. I hung it on a Council Tool handle, and it fits very well with rook to knock it down further if ever needed. The lugs really hold the head on tightly though...it was a bear to get back of to shape the handle head a few times. Made a sheath as well.






 
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"The No-Name Chopper"

Picked this up along with the Plumb above. I've seen axes listed as "Plumbs" that look like this one, but the head has been worked on before, so there's no telling what it is. What I can say is that for a full-size head, it is thiiiinnnn. I refurbed this axe as well, and this one, even more than the Plumb, is a cutter...the profile is the thinnest I've seen on a full-size head. Maybe it's a Plumb, maybe it's some other European model, maybe it's a knock-off...who knows. What I do know is that it has a large tempered bit though (after a vinegar bath), so it should work well either way. Oddly, it has four ridges in the eye on each side. The head should stay on pretty well.

When I picked it up:




After cleaning and pulling it off the log of a handle it was on. I threw it on the Sager's original handle briefly, and it hasn't been sharpened. I re-hung it on the Plumb's original (torn up) handle for now to use a beater. Pics of the new hang once it's all set up and sharpened to come later.




It's an odd axe for sure.
 
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"The No Name Double Bit"

This is antique store find. Rusty as could be, and with a terrible non-original hang. I am still in the process of refurbing this one as with the no-name above. It seems like a good axe though, and apparently came from a large estate, so hopefully it's good quality. It has ridges in the eye (two close on one side, and two farther apart on the other). It even had a little white paint and blue paint flecks. There's no telling where it came from though, or who made it. The vinegar bath did reveal two large tempered areas though, so it has to at least be decent.

I forgot to take pics when I got it, but it was just a rusty double bit. Here's the head after a cleaning and "polishing" with a flap disc on an angle grinder. I ensured I never let the head get too hot, and certainly no hotter than leaving it in the sun.






Compared to the Cayuga.


I re-hung it on an Ames True-Temper handle just the other night. It still needs sharpening and a sheath, but I'll post pics when those are done. The edges are a little beat up, but not too bad. It will make a very nice user.
 
"The Hammer"

The most recent find, and the last one for now. It's an old Plumb that likely has the original handle per some of the fine members of this forum. I didn't do much to this one at this point. I sharpened it up, and sanded the handle followed with a few coats of BLO, which really made a huge difference, and firmed up the handle on the head. It was a little loose when I picked it up, but it seems fine now. If it's an issue later it'll get re-hung. I call it The hammer as it is pretty heavy for it's size (heavier than the Worth, which is also quite good). The blade is definitely thicker. It needed a good bit of re-shaping the edge though, to make it really sharp.

When I got it:



After the touchups and making a sheath. This should make for a great user now:




 
Whew! That's all of them for now. A few are still in the process of getting fixed up, but that's the overall view of the collection so far. Updates to the current ones will follow, as will anything new that follows me home! Thanks for looking.
 
Great bunch of pictures and a very cool collection. I really need to find a decent hobby like you. How long have you been working on these? To me, it looks like years worth of work (for me it would be, but we may well be in different stages of life).
 
A_T_WorkHorse said:
Great bunch of pictures and a very cool collection. I really need to find a decent hobby like you. How long have you been working on these? To me, it looks like years worth of work (for me it would be, but we may well be in different stages of life).
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Thanks! It's funny you ask that. It's actually been about 3-4 months worth. Whenever I pick up a new hobby, I tend to go full bore for a bit which drives my wife crazy. But I have slowed down now after the flurry of activity above. It's been a mixture of being in the right place at the right time over the last few months and having some time on my hands recently which has been nice. I must say it's a very enjoyable hobby.
 
Excellent collection, some really nice axes in there and all look pretty useful.

Looking at a couple of the bigger ones the grain of the handle appears to be 90 degrees the wrong way, for example on 'The Plumb' and 'The Monster'. I could be completely wrong on this I was just wondering if the grain is running the wrong way and if that would make them unsafe for using?

Regardless, keep up the good work. I'm very jealous we don't get decent yard sales etc where I live so cheap second hand axe projects are hard to come by here.
 
RoyalM said:
Excellent collection, some really nice axes in there and all look pretty useful.

Looking at a couple of the bigger ones the grain of the handle appears to be 90 degrees the wrong way, for example on 'The Plumb' and 'The Monster'. I could be completely wrong on this I was just wondering if the grain is running the wrong way and if that would make them unsafe for using?

Regardless, keep up the good work. I'm very jealous we don't get decent yard sales etc where I live so cheap second hand axe projects are hard to come by here.
Click to expand...

Thanks! And yes, you're correct about the grain, especially the Sager handle. It's one of the many reason I want to swap it out. I have a habit of looking at the bottom of the handle, and forgetting to look at the top. In fact, the photo makes it look even worse than I thought. Lesson learned on that one.

Looking at the Plumb, the grain runs more diagonal, so I think it should be fine. That particular handle is quite heavy for it's size as well, so should be dense and strong. I think it'll be okay, but if it breaks, I'll just throw another handle on it.

I don't think this makes them inherently unsafe to use, but it certainly has the potential to reduce the durability. But hickory really is a super strong wood anyway...it surprising how hard it can be to carve and shape sometimes. I sometimes think I've dulled a rasp or blade because eit won't cut hickory easily, but then I go try it on pine and it'll carve through like nothing. Also, of the axe handles I've broken, the hickory won't typically just snap off, sending the head flying. They usually split down the handle before coming apart completely...at least so far haha!
 
A very nice collection. It looks like you took yourself down a long learning curve redoing your axes/

I especially like your Plumb Rockaway, very VERY nice.

IMG_20140609_192703_227_zpsfwtq7ans.jpg



Tom
 
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