SC T100's Axe Projects (Pic Heavy)

Great thread! You've been busy!!!!!

I especially like the two Plumbs. They just did such fine work shaping their axe heads.

Good job. And thanks for all the pics.
 
Double Ott said:
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.
Tom
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Thanks very much! Yes, that Plumb is becoming one of my favorites. It seems like a really nice axe.
 
Square_peg said:
Great thread! You've been busy!!!!!

I especially like the two Plumbs. They just did such fine work shaping their axe heads.

Good job. And thanks for all the pics.
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Thanks for the kind words...yes I've been busy! My hands and forearms are still a bit sore from all the work I'd been doing over the last few weeks especially.
 
Update:

I grabbed a few more pics last night.

I hung the no-name double bit on a True Temper handle. The grain isn't very good, but if it breaks, I'll just rehang it!



The sheath I made for the Cayuga:



And pics of the re-hung no name chopper. I reused the handle that was originally on the Plumb. As you can see, the top is a little torn up from when I first removed the head, but that damage is very shallow, and the head is on there tightly. I plan to re-hang at some future point or if it breaks, but the handle was a little too nice to not use. However, I do think the handle was a second, as the profile is a little odd and it appears to have a few pin holes. and odd grain. It'll be a beater or rough worker. If it breaks that just means I've been using it!


 
"The BSA Hatchet"

I picked up Genuine Plumb BSA hatchet at an antique store...paid a little more than I wanted to, but it was in excellent shape, save for the standard dull edge/dry wood/surface rust of a standard vintage axe. The BSA stamp is a double if you look closely. Also, the handle is pre-Permabond, and I wasn't sure if it was original. However, after a light refurb the handle is definitely original...I can still see remnants of the words "Official" and "Scout Axe" on the handle. Cool!

Here is it as I brought it home. Loose head, dry handle, dull edge, a tiny bit of mushrooming, surface rust, dirty...typical vintage axe find:



I then cleaned up the head with an angle grinder/ wire cup brush after seeing al of the positive reviews for this technique. I gave the handle a light sanding and a few coats of BLO. I then soaked the head in BLO, hoping the loose head would tighten up. Well it did...for a minute. So, I had to drill out the wedge and seat the head a little lower on the handle (the handle wasn't perfect either...needed some adjustments to get the head almost perfect). I then added a new wedge and it firmed everything right up...solid as a rock so far. I cut most of the protruding handle off the top, gave it another BLO soak, and called it good. I then sharpened up the edge, and it took a very nice, seemingly very hard edge and I am quire happy with it. I am glad I was able to save the handle...it feels very nice in the hand, and has some character to it!

Here it is after the refurb. I threw on a spare sheath I made for an earlier hatchet, and it fit pretty well thankfully!





Not bad for a 60+ year old hatchet! I'm really looking forward to getting out and using it soon!
 
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"The Not-Quite-A-Cruiser Plumb" or "The Plumb Lite" or "The Darkness"

I found this sweet little axe at a flea market way down in Southwest Florida. It's a three-pound double bit Plumb, with the original Permabond handle (which still has remnants of the original sticker. I have no idea of the age, but my understanding is that it's in the range of late 60s to late 70s. Please correct me if I am wrong though! It was very much like The BSA Hatchet, in that it was an original, but typical vintage axe find (without the loose head...that Permabond stuff is apparently no joke!). It felt a little lighter than a typical 3-3.5 pound head when I fist picked it up (I was thinking it was a cruiser at first), and it seems to fall in size between a cruiser and a full-size. I really like it...it's definitely more of a cutter than a splitter, and it has a narrow profile. I assume this will make an excellent bucking/limbing axe.

Here it is as brought home...dry handle, dull edge, small ship in the toe of one side, surface rust.



I essentially did the same thing with this Plumb as the BSA hatchet, in that I hit it with the angle grinder/wire cup, sanded the handle and gave it a few coats of BLO, sharpened it up, and made a sheath. I still need to replace the two Chicago screws with copper rivets in the sheath, but you get the idea. This axe took a very nice edge as well, and I think I managed to get the chip out without overly killing the edge too much. I forgot to grab a few photos so I'll post them up when I get some. But here's the general idea now. The head is quite dark and the handle darkened up quite a bit too, and the sheath is made from thick black leather...hence one of the nicknames.




This really is a neat little axe...odd size I've never come across before. It makes a fun addition to the collection, and should prove great to use as long as the steel is as good as my other Plumbs.
 
Quick minor updates.

The Cayuga got a little thinning of the cheeks as they were still too thick for my liking.


And the No-Name Double Bit finally got a sharpening.


Both were sharpened using a single-cut file followed by some stone grinding/honing, then stropped. Sharp edges all around.
 
Square_peg said:
You're a quick study. I love the two Plumbs.
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Thanks! Yes, I'm a big fan of the Plumbs so far too. I've been trying to find some old Kellys as that was my first find (I was thinking they would be more plentiful), but as it happens I have a few plumbs now and still only my original Kelly. The search continues!
 
Update to "The Harbor Freight Re-Do"

I decided to play with some forced patina recently. It went from this:


To this:


To finally, this!



I like it...gives it a little character. I used a mixture of horseradish and hot sauce. Fun little project, so I decided to do it on another of my axes as well.
 
Update to "The No Name Double Bit"

I didn't like how shiny the axe was after refurbing it and hitting it with a flap disk to polish it up. So I used the same forced patina method on it. Again, I am sure this isn't for everyone, but I think it added a little character to an axe that I made look a little too sterile.

While I was at it, I rasped the handle base a little to add some grip. I also "polished" the file marks out of the bits using the flap disk (making sure it never got too hot to touch). It's definitely sharp now after some touch up, and it should cut better with the semi-polished cutting faces. I still need to make a sheath.

Patina:


 
Update to "The Beater"

This is now "The Beater 2.0" as the original had a slight bend in the base of the blade. I thought it wouldn't matter, but as I was scraping some leather it was affecting how the hatchet performed, so I exchanged it. I got one with an arrow straight blade, and promptly sharpened it up. Good to go!


 
Update to "The Plumb Lite"

Finally finished up the sheath for 'ol Darkness. Pretty secure now!


 
Update to "The Cayuga"

I wanted to keep the old handle it came with (I'm pretty sure it was not the original judging by the marks on the axe), but the head was tilted, and it was driving me crazy. I tried to re-hand the head using the old handle, but I believe some glue was previously used, and it wouldn't budge. So I had to cut the handle off, to be used for a cruiser I am hoping to find someday. Anyway, here's how the Cayuga sits currently. I did take the opportunity to put the head in the vise and get the cheeks and bevels backed down even more. It now has much better geometry. I also polished out the files marks with a flap disc, making sure it was never too hot to touch. I am planning to give it an octagonal handle from HH, as I am looking forward to trying one out.


 
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An update to "The Monster"

I never liked the handle I put on the Sager, and it had some not-great grain for such a heavy head. So I pulled off the old handle to be reused (see below), and re-hung it on my currently favorite axe handle...a Council Tool straight 36" that I can find locally. It a great handle with a great feel, and matches the head much better.

Looking good!
 
An update to "The No name Chopper"

This axe head was hung quickly on a torn up handle. So when I pulled the handle off the Sager, I used it on this head. I had thinned down the handle quite a bit, but it never felt right on Sager head. So I hung The No Name Chopper on it and it feels great! I'm glad I took the time to do this...it was really bugging me. The heads and weights now just feel much more "right" in the hand for each axe.

Better! Now I feel much better about using it.


 
"The Mauls"

My recently hung mauls. I re-used a curved Link axe handle for the axe-eye maul, and a sledge handle for the other. Ready to work soon!


 
"Bob...Thingamabob"

I found this little weird item at an estate sale the other day. Yes, it's a cutter mattock, but only sort of. I've never seen anything like this before...it's got a lot of odd quirks to it. Firstly, I have absolutely no idea how old it is, but the guy who sold it says it wasn't handmade, but came out of the mountains of northern Georgia. It was absolutely covered in rust, so I hit it with the angle grinder/wire cup and some WD-40. I then filed out the (VERY) damaged edges. It's hung on an old double bit axe handle, but hung very high as the eye is small and narrow. Anyone have any clue what this might be called? I also oiled the handle for now, but I really don't trust it as you can see in the pics that show the eye. Anyway, it was $3, and I had been looking for a lighter (this is probably 2 or 3 pounds max) mattock for yard work (my 5 or 6-pounder gets tiring after a while). This should work great for keeping my edging clear and defined.




 
I also threw a lanyard on the GB SFA. Leather treated with mink oil should feel great and last a long while!

 
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