So, what do you all do with them?

I think it's probably easiest to answer in color behind the sentences you made....

cityofthesouth said:
No not mad. The thing is, this whole conversation boarders on troll-ish, and so we all end up trying to satisfactorily justify ourselves to someone who isn't ever going to understand and why should we? It's an axe forum so presumably, we are here because we like axes. This begs the question, why are you here? Now, scratch all that, because I honestly do think you are interested, I am just explaining that I have a tendency to get mouthy in those kinds of situations.

Ok good because FWIW, I don't troll....never did and have even reported troll posts without ever having responded/replied to them. Also, I would never presume to ask someone to "justify" why they do something. I was told many years ago "the only stupid question is the one not asked" and I had genuine questions...which is why I asked.

And yes, I am truly interested because [if you happened to look at the history/content of my posts, for instance] I only go to [and post in] certain boards that truly interest me. One example is the switchblade forum. I have absolutely no interest in switchblades/automatics and therefore, it serves me no purpose to go there. I like reading people's "finds" here in this forum and can appreciate the love and care they spend in refurbing an axe head - but it boggled my mind that people have so many....it brought me to question myself, "I wonder why they have so many." That was the only reason I asked because in many of my reads, no one ever really explained why. Now I know and I'm the wiser for it.

But I think it's worth mentioning that when you hear the response, "I don't know" it's because they are now feeling pressured to justify the things they enjoy and hopefully when your kids (or whoever you were meaning) become adults, rather than feel pressured or ashamed they can say, "because I do, so deal with it". I've got no obligation to justify something I enjoy to anyone. So if you genuinely want to know, I can live with that. If it's one of those deeper sort of self discovery things, I get that too. I have always had a fitting in issue and have looked at what others do and try to understand and try to use it to understand myself. I'm starting to ramble, you get the point.

Yes, I agree and I pretty much blame the inability to read a person's inflections in a written piece. I completely understand that someone might think it's "troll-ish" because someone might not read my words as "serious." As to my family, I have taken painstaking measures to make sure all my children [and wife] have the complete understanding that they are 'free to speak their minds.' My children, 2 in colleges and one still in HS] absolutely know that their opinions matter but equally important, is that they be sincere and forthright in their answers. They also know that if I wasn't interested, I wouldn't ask [which until now, you didn't but now you do :) ].

As for some of the other things you pointed out, I can fully understand. When you said "I know it gets done..." and "... would just rather do it myself", that sounds just like something I would say. I also think I understand the boredom of doing the same thing over and over. As someone else said, it's about skill building, but I don't think that was necessarily what you meant.

No, you are correct. I didn't mean to imply anything about skill building, I meant I like to take on new [and different] projects - among the other reasons I stated, but also so I can get a feeling of accomplishment to something that's foreign to me.

I have hobbies all over the place. Axes are one small part of my interests for sure. I have always wondered how someone can continue to pursue the same interest long after they've mastered it. Just a random example because it came up the other day talking to a friend, bench rest shooters. They have essentially reached the maximum level of precision - 5 holes in the target, all touching, the gun is a work of art and craftsmanship, etc. I see this and I say, ok you're there, you have mastered this activity, so why do you keep doing it? Sounds boring! You go out, and have the same experience over and over, you can't possibly get better, and I would have to agree, that's boring (at least to me - opinion). And the same applies to anything. At least, I think that is what you where saying.

Yes, you nailed it. That's exactly what I was saying [or trying to]. My only difference being, My 'attention span' [I guess that's appropriate?] is a lot shorter than most other people's. I would absolutely attempt the restoration of a nice axe head...perhaps even 2....just to prove to myself that I can do it - or because my axe got so abused/ignored that I HAD to - but beyond that, and knowing myself, I'd very likely lose interest after that.

And I personally strive for mastery, or as close as is enough to satisfy myself, and when I get there, and axes will probably be this way, I will likely move on to something else. There are always ways to change the game and provide yourself with challenges, even in bench rest shooting. If I had reached that level, I would then start shooting further, then shoot in difficult conditions, and then ... and then ... and then. Shooting is another thing I happen to enjoy, but it can get boring and I am always trying to mix it up. Of course some things are harder to master, or in many cases, require a lot more money to get to the next step. Axes aren't really like that. You can get a new challenge and you don't go broke doing it.

This is getting longer than I would bother reading but if you're still with me, I can't really explain collecting as a thing people do. It's totally individual. It can be a compulsion even, and nothing more - hoarders for example. To understand the mentality of collecting is really a psychology issue that no one probably really understands well. At least, that's my guess.
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I'm still with ya pal. I was being sincere when I posed the first question/post. Thanks for taking the time to chat it up, I have learned much from this thread. :)
 
I can't really add a whole lot more to what others have said. I have and will continue to use all of my axes. I have more axes than I could ever need I'll admit. For me finding, fixing up, shaping or making a handle, and hafting an axe is a lot of the fun. I don't have time to fish, hike, backpack, camp, and mountain bike like I would like to. On the other hand I can steal a few minutes here and there to work on a project out in the garage. That's life with young children. Restoring old axes is cheap, requires few tools, and can be very rewarding. At the end of the day I'm left with a handful of tools to choose from when it comes to processing wood for the pit, breaking down branches from my own yard, carving rough work, and the occasional camp out. Working the wood pile can be a decent workout and like others have said a great way to let off some steam. The end result of the labor is time with my family cooking over the fire and roasting marshmallows. Basically the way I see it I get a lot out of my axes in various ways YMMV.
 
druid189 said:
I'm still with ya pal. I was being sincere when I posed the first question/post. Thanks for taking the time to chat it up, I have learned much from this thread. :)
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I'm always up for real conversation and I think this is a good thread. And you made me sort of think about axes differently too. I think maybe I did get bored, pretty quickly. I did some off the shelf handles but they were quickly abandoned. I now start my handles from rough turned (long story but I have a thread all about it) because nothing else was good enough - I needed more and I wanted them to be my way. And when I can get a source, or get bored with that, I will make my own from scratch (which is already coming) and when that gets to not be good enough I have a friend assembling a blacksmith shop and the first thing I'm going to do is make an axe when we get started. I am a complete blacksmithing novice so I expect that to be challenging for a long time. But at the core is still enjoyment for axes.

garry3 said:
I am a user, a dealer and a hoarder.
The worst of the worst.
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Addiction hotline man.
 
cityofthesouth said:
I'm always up for real conversation and I think this is a good thread. And you made me sort of think about axes differently too. I think maybe I did get bored, pretty quickly. I did some off the shelf handles but they were quickly abandoned. I now start my handles from rough turned (long story but I have a thread all about it) because nothing else was good enough - I needed more and I wanted them to be my way. And when I can get a source, or get bored with that, I will make my own from scratch (which is already coming) and when that gets to not be good enough I have a friend assembling a blacksmith shop and the first thing I'm going to do is make an axe when we get started. I am a complete blacksmithing novice so I expect that to be challenging for a long time. But at the core is still enjoyment for axes.



Addiction hotline man.
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Will I see you at the A-A meetings?
 
If COTS is your sponsor then every time you buy an axe you will have to call him and turn it over for your own well-being.
 
Just off the top of my head I've got around 20 axes in various states of completion...and that's with no income (other than axe sales) and shoestring college budgeting. I'm afraid to think of how many I'll have when I'm graduated with a steady income!
 
Hmmm,
This weekend I used a TBA 2 3/4lbs Maine wedge on a slim 29" handle and a 3lb Crafstman double oval Connie on a 28" original haft to drop, limb and section a large apple tree for my mom.
I own two chainsaws but they stayed home.
It was very satisfying to prove that my edge profile and refurbed handles did so well.

Bill
 
Curt Hal said:
I like working on axes a little more than i like using them. When I was a boy I lived in the north of Quebec. My parents gave me an axe when I was quite small, and I did a of fort building. Now, I like to just try to get better at refurbishing with each one I do. I have sold many, just to be able to buy more old heads. I have hung onto the last Connie I did, because its very cool. I have a HB that I just finished that I may keep. I am looking for a good hatchet to build and keep. But mostly, I just love to file and sand to bring it all back to life.
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I respect your style of interest Curt, but I find that I'm the opposite. I would rather just handle/use them. I find it to be a peripheral or mild pain in the a.. to go through all the sharpening, as I now have a pretty good little group of axes. I am also appreciative that there are folks like you out there bringing the oldies back from the dead.
 
What I am going to do with them?
I was idiot enough 40 years ago to want to gather up and save examples from a storied local axe company that gradually went defunct in the 70s and here I am years later still staring in amazement at what has been lost through consumerism, free trade and automation. Those (my) oldies have largely been unused ever since but every now and again (when they do see use) do prove to be equal or superior to anything offered today. Some scavenger/opportunist is going to get most or all of these for pennies on the dollar when I pack it in.
Hopefully though they will go to museums, good homes and appreciative users, and not 'fast cash vultures'.
 
300Six said:
What I am going to do with them?
I was idiot enough 40 years ago to want to gather up and save examples from a storied local axe company that gradually went defunct in the 70s and here I am years later still staring in amazement at what has been lost through consumerism, free trade and automation. Those (my) oldies have largely been unused ever since but every now and again (when they do see use) do prove to be equal or superior to anything offered today. Some scavenger/opportunist is going to get most or all of these for pennies on the dollar when I pack it in.
Hopefully though they will go to museums, good homes and appreciative users, and not 'fast cash vultures'.
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I know you are saying that and being facetious [the 'idiot' part] but you turned out to be right, when everyone else balked at you for doing it.

I must reluctantly state that prior to this thread, I used to be 'that guy'.......but not anymore. This thread has opened my eyes and mind about the subject and I can definitely appreciate why you guys do what you do. It actually got me thinking that it's something I might be able to share in....at the very least, ONCE. I caught myself looking at smaller/medium sized double bits to refinish and rehang [with a shorter, "hike/camp-length"] haft of about 22" or so. If I do this, I want to use it....an this is the head I would use the most.

I'm a little scared to pull the trigger on doing it though....but that's mostly because I don't have the correct tools to recondition them [yet]. I have a bench grinder/disc sander combo but I don't yet have a good drill-mounted wire brush for removing the deep/embedded type of rust I see on most heads.
 
I dont know why but i was deeply touched by your post... not alot of people really care about preserving our heritage, even less so here in Canada, EVEN LESS so here in Quebec...

Other than axes, I also collect antique nihontos, but those do not lack for "care takers". Good old, quality axes on the other hand...

I was fortunate enough to get my hand on some old Welland Vale axes and they are my pride, i have yet to test them tho, with the cold and everything :)
 
This is something I did with axes, hatchets and a small folding saw:



12 feet tall made out of a still rooted Red Cedar.

Bill
 
The list is long but none of them deserve the honor.
I may just stretch them between the saplings.

If the weather will dry, I have cedar logs down in the woods to get out. I will have one at our house before long.
I love working with cedar for non load bearing use.
I think a grape arbor of cedar would be nice after the cross.

I gas easily enough using an axe, no longer fit as I should be but the satisfaction is worth the delay.
Bill
 
Square_peg said:
That's one of the best posts I've ever read on this forum. Thank you.
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Curious about this compliment I went back to read Joel.B's post. You're right; this is a humble heartfelt story. Some of us don't require psychiatrists and anti-depressants to get back on track. Thank you!
 
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