Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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SC T100's Axe Projects (Pic Heavy)
- Thread starter SC T100
- Start date
Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2013
- Messages
- 1,730
Going to hit a few antique stores right now, actually. Hoping to pick up an axe or two, and a ball pein hammer to turn INTO an axe.
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2013
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Yeah, mostly use scrapped steel because it's cheap or free. The forge was bubba'd together for. Nearly no cost, and the anvil is a piece of railroad track. I got lucky with an old hayer frame for steel, when quenched in water It's so hard the files can't touch it. Gonna need to temper it to bring it down a bit.
Square_peg
Gold Member
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- Feb 1, 2012
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You're just having way too much fun there, SC. Love all the pics and the narrative.
About that cutter mattock, is it light enough that you could shorten it into a one-hand tool? Might be real handy like that.
About that cutter mattock, is it light enough that you could shorten it into a one-hand tool? Might be real handy like that.
That I am, that I am! I'm glad you're enjoying the pics and thread.
As for the cutter mattock, yes it's definitely light enough to be a one-hander...maybe that's how it came originally...good idea. I may do just that. The eye is super small compared to most mattocks I've seen. Thanks for the tip!
As for the cutter mattock, yes it's definitely light enough to be a one-hander...maybe that's how it came originally...good idea. I may do just that. The eye is super small compared to most mattocks I've seen. Thanks for the tip!
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2013
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- 658
SC, I actually found a head almost exactly like the one of that cutter mattock you posted a few days ago! I was on a SAR mission on some private forestry land, and saw an axe handle... and then I saw the head! Very interesting find.. At 2 AM about 400 feet off of an old logging road!
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- Aug 25, 2013
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SC, we were checking out a small trail leading off of the main trail, and looking very carefully for tracks through the tall grass growing there. I just happened to see the handle with my flashlight, and noticed the head right after.
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- Aug 25, 2013
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Here's a picture of that cutter mattock I found.
"Two Face" or "The Council Elder"
I was at a small flea market the other day, which I had been to a few times before, and was having no luck as usual at this particular location. But there was one stall, manned by a very unique individual who was a pleasure to speak with. Anyway, I found this on his shelf, and since I gave away my Council 4# head as a gift, I was happy to see this:
It's a Council Tool Dayton 5#er. No mushrooming, no deformation, and no serious damage to the edge. It's like it got used a few times, put away, and forgotten to rust.
So I set about cleaning it up without losing any of that sweet, sweet patina. I cleaned a head all the way up once, and I realized I much prefer this method. I used the old angle grinder/wire brush cup. I still need to clean out the inside of the eye though. I call it Two Face because one side must've been in the dirt (or the other way around). As you can see, one side is decent, standard vintage condition. The other looks like a 1700s antique. Just like 'ol Two Face. Pretty cool!
The pretty side:
The so-ugly-it's awesome side:
The profile...cleanest head I've found in terms of mushrooming and lack of damage due to a hammer.
And I couldn't help myself to at least mock up the new handle, a Council Tool 36" straight handle. These handles feel awesome, and fit these heads perfectly, so there's very little fitting required. I knocked it on quickly and had a hard time getting it back off already!
It obviously still needs sharpening and a sheath, which I will get to eventually. I think, due to the long bit, high-ish centerline, and weight, this may be a go-to splitting axe. My splitting mauls are only a pound heavier, but this seems like it'll do the job just as well. I'll post pics once it's finished up.
I was at a small flea market the other day, which I had been to a few times before, and was having no luck as usual at this particular location. But there was one stall, manned by a very unique individual who was a pleasure to speak with. Anyway, I found this on his shelf, and since I gave away my Council 4# head as a gift, I was happy to see this:
It's a Council Tool Dayton 5#er. No mushrooming, no deformation, and no serious damage to the edge. It's like it got used a few times, put away, and forgotten to rust.
So I set about cleaning it up without losing any of that sweet, sweet patina. I cleaned a head all the way up once, and I realized I much prefer this method. I used the old angle grinder/wire brush cup. I still need to clean out the inside of the eye though. I call it Two Face because one side must've been in the dirt (or the other way around). As you can see, one side is decent, standard vintage condition. The other looks like a 1700s antique. Just like 'ol Two Face. Pretty cool!
The pretty side:
The so-ugly-it's awesome side:
The profile...cleanest head I've found in terms of mushrooming and lack of damage due to a hammer.
And I couldn't help myself to at least mock up the new handle, a Council Tool 36" straight handle. These handles feel awesome, and fit these heads perfectly, so there's very little fitting required. I knocked it on quickly and had a hard time getting it back off already!
It obviously still needs sharpening and a sheath, which I will get to eventually. I think, due to the long bit, high-ish centerline, and weight, this may be a go-to splitting axe. My splitting mauls are only a pound heavier, but this seems like it'll do the job just as well. I'll post pics once it's finished up.
Update Time!
Two-Face is hung, and it quite a beast. Either the forging was spot on, or someone really cared for the edge. I only had to get the oxidation off and along with some minor file work, had the edge shaving sharp, and the profile matches the USFS template (with no real re-profile work on my part).
Monster of an axe.
Two-Face is hung, and it quite a beast. Either the forging was spot on, or someone really cared for the edge. I only had to get the oxidation off and along with some minor file work, had the edge shaving sharp, and the profile matches the USFS template (with no real re-profile work on my part).
Monster of an axe.
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"The Rough"
I picked up this Norlund at a flea market for a good price, and I believe it is called the Cabin Axe. I was looking for a boy's axe as I didn't have one, and this was the perfect size. Excellent brand as well, so a great little score! No before pics, but it was covered in surface rust, and the non-original handle was dry as a bone, with a missing wedge. Cleaned it up with the wire cup first.
Here's the handle with the head removed. Very, very dry.
So I sharpened up the edge, which seems like good steel. It has a very thin bit. I also had to file off some minor mushrooming on the poll...wasn't too bad through. I then sanded and added a few coats of BLO to the handle, and temporarily re-hung it for use if needed.
I say temporarily, because this is clearly not the original handle, as there is quite a bit of space left in the eye, even when re-hung. Oddly enough, the eye on the head is almost full-sized, and the Link boy's axe handle I got almost slid all the way through! So I think it will need to go on a cut-down full-size handle, or on a House Handle house axe handle. Either way, it's good for now. It seems to be a great little axe!
I picked up this Norlund at a flea market for a good price, and I believe it is called the Cabin Axe. I was looking for a boy's axe as I didn't have one, and this was the perfect size. Excellent brand as well, so a great little score! No before pics, but it was covered in surface rust, and the non-original handle was dry as a bone, with a missing wedge. Cleaned it up with the wire cup first.
Here's the handle with the head removed. Very, very dry.
So I sharpened up the edge, which seems like good steel. It has a very thin bit. I also had to file off some minor mushrooming on the poll...wasn't too bad through. I then sanded and added a few coats of BLO to the handle, and temporarily re-hung it for use if needed.
I say temporarily, because this is clearly not the original handle, as there is quite a bit of space left in the eye, even when re-hung. Oddly enough, the eye on the head is almost full-sized, and the Link boy's axe handle I got almost slid all the way through! So I think it will need to go on a cut-down full-size handle, or on a House Handle house axe handle. Either way, it's good for now. It seems to be a great little axe!
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"The Homestead"
Found this head hung on a railroad pick mattock handle. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds. But now I have a spare, club-like chunk of hickory to use for...whatever! Anyway, I didn't have a Collins, and this one seemed in good shape. I believe it's a pre-1966 head, but not super old due to the label and flat cheeks. I'm sure the quality is good, but probably not stellar, but it at least has a nice stamp. I am still contemplating if I should strip the whole thing down to bare metal, getting rid of the blue paint and label. Any suggestions? I hung it on a Link 36" handle (pics later), but it should probably be on something a bit shorter...so I may still cut the handle down. We'll see.
Found this head hung on a railroad pick mattock handle. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds. But now I have a spare, club-like chunk of hickory to use for...whatever! Anyway, I didn't have a Collins, and this one seemed in good shape. I believe it's a pre-1966 head, but not super old due to the label and flat cheeks. I'm sure the quality is good, but probably not stellar, but it at least has a nice stamp. I am still contemplating if I should strip the whole thing down to bare metal, getting rid of the blue paint and label. Any suggestions? I hung it on a Link 36" handle (pics later), but it should probably be on something a bit shorter...so I may still cut the handle down. We'll see.
