Shapleigh "for sportsmen" hatchet

[rockman0]

Picked this up off ebay. Someone cleaned up the stamp but left the rest of the rust. Probably worked in my favor on price. Original handle and wedge. A little damage to the fawns foot, otherwise it's all there.

 

[rockman0]

I will restore it as a wall hanger. So I have a couple of questions I would appreciate opinions on.

#1 best way to clean the handle without any abrasives. I don't want to obliterate the Shapleigh stamp on the handle. I'm thinking start with warm soapy water.

#2 should I cut a new fawns foot or rasp off the damage and leave as is?

#3 repaint the duck or leave as is?

#4 sharpen or leave as is?

Thanks for all opinions!

 

[300Six]

Serious collectors want them 'as found' (and preferably NOS or in unworn condition) and will depreciate the value, (even more so if you attempt to 'restore' it) from there. What you've got is what I would call NRA 'good' meaning aficionados endowed with cash aren't going to be all that much interested anyway unless they have to have it or the price is low.
Clean 'er up (cup brush on an angle grinder or wire wheel on a drill) and get 'er back on the road! The classic and decorative scroll work makes for a far better conversation piece than something fresh out of Sweden and there will be nothing inferior about the quality and durability of the steel.

 

[Lieblad]

Thats a neat specimen!
Cleaning the wood, just soapy water an a nylon brush.
Let it dry well & BLO wipe.

 

[rockman0]

Serious collectors want them 'as found' (and preferably NOS or in unworn condition) and will depreciate the value, (even more so if you attempt to 'restore' it) from there. What you've got is what I would call NRA 'good' meaning aficionados endowed with cash aren't going to be all that much interested anyway unless they have to have it or the price is low.
Clean 'er up (cup brush on an angle grinder or wire wheel on a drill) and get 'er back on the road! The classic and decorative scroll work makes for a far better conversation piece than something fresh out of Sweden and there will be nothing inferior about the quality and durability of the steel.

Thanks old timer
I'm going use a brass wire cup brush on a drill with a good drenching in wd40, that should bring out a nice old patina.
I've got more good old vintage users than I can use, it's hard to find NOS in this hatchet and expensive to boot, so I'll bring her back and just hang it on the wall for my viewing pleasure.

 

[rockman0]

Thats a neat specimen!
Cleaning the wood, just soapy water an a nylon brush.
Let it dry well & BLO wipe.

Thanks Lieblad,
I'm planning on dawn dish soap and warm water, I have a nylon brush somewhere, if nothing else a tooth brush will work.

 

[Steve Tall]

...I'm planning on dawn dish soap and warm water, I have a nylon brush somewhere, if nothing else a tooth brush will work.

It might be overkill for an axe handle, but Murphy's Oil Soap (available in many supermarkets and hardware stores) does a great job of cleaning wood without raising the grain like soapy water might. I've used it full strength on the wood handles of big knives, scrubbing with a toothbrush and then gradually rinsing off with a wet toothbrush that's repeatedly dipped in water.

I think it's used mainly for cleaning hardwood floors.

 

[rockman0]

It might be overkill for an axe handle, but Murphy's Oil Soap (available in many supermarkets and hardware stores) does a great job of cleaning wood without raising the grain like soapy water might. I've used it full strength on the wood handles of big knives, scrubbing with a toothbrush and then gradually rinsing off with a wet toothbrush that's repeatedly dipped in water.

I think it's used mainly for cleaning hardwood floors.

Thanks Steve, I already have a bottle, I'll give it a shot, I wasn't sure if soapy water would raise grain on a slick old handle or not, I use a wet rag on my freshly sanded handles to raise the grain but in this case I don't want to raise grain.

 

[Square_peg]

You could try wiping the handle with mineral spirits to clean it. It evaporates fast and won't swell the wood as much as water would.

 

[halfaxe]

I've used 0000 steel wool to clean wood handles. In fact the head too. Go slow it's easy to get carried away cleaning. I like to sand down the foot where the fibers separated like on that one to make it into a comfortable user. Some collectors maybe that would be too much rehab. but I hate the hammered bottom on axe handles. I would sharpen but not paint. That's my taste in old axes anyway. BLO after everything is cleaned.

 

[rockman0]

Thanks Square Peg and Halfaxe,
I used mineral spirits, then Murphy's, then cleaned the Murphy's with mineral spirits. Brass wire cup on the head, Sanded the busted fawns foots, sharpened, hung and will put BLO on tomorrow. I don't think I'm going to paint the duck. It turned nice.

 

[rockman0]

I could see remnants of green paint on the foot so I went with it. Had it been done as a user I would not have painted.

 

[300Six]

That cleaned up beautifully! Well done. What you've got to do now is use it a whole bunch just so the blade edge and the paint no longer looks fresh.

 

[markv]

yep nice little chopper, prolly handy too.
since Shapleigh is a old Missouri company there are many collectors looking for these antique tools in this area where i live.
thanks for posting.
it would be nice if more axe makers made these little hatchets...

 

[Dusty One]

Nice job on the clean up ....

 

[Wildcat]

that turned out great!

 

[Hacked]

Another great job restoring an old axe Rockman0! I like the way it came out green paint and all.

 

[Flynlow]

Very cool i love stuff like that think what all that axe has seen!!!

 

[cityofthesouth]

Nice job! I think you nailed it.

 

[rockman0]

Thanks guys, it was fun bringing it back to life, we share a great hobby!