Stihl hatchet question

Uncle Timbo · Jun 15, 2023

I did some research here before posting this question. I'm wanting a hatchet with somewhat of a beard but I'd like to keep the cost under 50 bucks.
I tried to find out what steel is in the Stihl hatchets without alot of luck.
Are they still made in Germany by Och......?

Ideally, my goal would be a bearded carbon steel hatchet. Can anybody help me out?

Square_peg · Jun 15, 2023

I think Oschenkopf axes are made of C-50. That's a little lower carbon than most makers use but it's certainly capable of reaching appropriate hardness and toughness for an axe.

Uncle Timbo · Jun 15, 2023

Square_peg said:
I think Oschenkopf axes are made of C-50. That's a little lower carbon than most makers use but it's certainly capable of reaching appropriate hardness and toughness for an axe.

Thanks SP. I've never heard of C-50. I'll have to do some research but I'm sure it'll prolly be ok for my needs.
I appreciate you.

Uncle Timbo · Jun 15, 2023

My research tells me it's not the best of steels but I guess there's worse. Here's what I found. Thanks again S Square_peg

As a high-quality carbon structural steel, C50 steel is defined as a non-alloy steel with an average carbon content of about 0.50% as per European standards.

As a medium carbon steel, C50 steel has high strength and hardness, medium machinability, but low cold deformation plasticity and poor weldability.

C50 steel is usually used after heat treatment such as normalizing or quenching and tempering, or high-frequency surface quenching.It is usually used for parts that require high strength, wear resistance or elasticity, and small dynamic load and impact load, such as forged gears, machine tool spindles, engine spindles, rolls, tie rods, spring washers, etc.

crbnSteeladdict · Jun 15, 2023

Uncle Timbo said:
My research tells me it's not the best of steels but I guess there's worse. Here's what I found. Thanks again S Square_peg

As a high-quality carbon structural steel, C50 steel is defined as a non-alloy steel with an average carbon content of about 0.50% as per European standards.

As a medium carbon steel, C50 steel has high strength and hardness, medium machinability, but low cold deformation plasticity and poor weldability.

C50 steel is usually used after heat treatment such as normalizing or quenching and tempering, or high-frequency surface quenching.It is usually used for parts that require high strength, wear resistance or elasticity, and small dynamic load and impact load, such as forged gears, machine tool spindles, engine spindles, rolls, tie rods, spring washers, etc

Have you considered getting one of bearded Rinaldis from Benjamin?
https://www.baryonyxknife.com/nsear...age=1&size=200&storeid=yhst-129988217023674/1

Uncle Timbo · Jun 16, 2023

crbnSteeladdict said:
Have you considered getting one of bearded Rinaldis from Benjamin?
https://www.baryonyxknife.com/nsearch.html#search/q=Rinaldi &category=&sortby=rel&main_category=knivestools&page=1&size=200&storeid=yhst-129988217023674/

Thanks brother. Let me start by saying I love you name. I too love carbon steel. I like that my steel can show its age like me.
I'm not sure but I think the one you talked about is this one which seems like a tomahawk. I have couple of cold steel ones. Is this the one?

Rinaldi "Trento" Boy's Axe

A compact axe that chops like a big one! A classic Italian style of axe with a broad, knife-like bit, this axe is able to bite deeper than its light weight belies. The eye is tapered and the handle slipped through the top like the handle of a tomahawk or pickaxe, making it easy to fashion a new...

byxco.com

crbnSteeladdict · Jun 16, 2023

Uncle Timbo said:
Thanks brother. Let me start by saying I love you name. I too love carbon steel. I like that my steel can show its age like me.
I'm not sure but I think the one you talked about is this one which seems like a tomahawk. I have couple of cold steel ones. Is this the one?

Rinaldi "Trento" Boy's Axe

A compact axe that chops like a big one! A classic Italian style of axe with a broad, knife-like bit, this axe is able to bite deeper than its light weight belies. The eye is tapered and the handle slipped through the top like the handle of a tomahawk or pickaxe, making it easy to fashion a new...

byxco.com

oh sorry it is out of stock.

Uncle Timbo · Jun 16, 2023

crbnSteeladdict said:
oh sorry it is out of stock.

No problem. Does anybody else have any suggestions?

Larrin · Jun 16, 2023

Uncle Timbo said:
My research tells me it's not the best of steels but I guess there's worse. Here's what I found. Thanks again S Square_peg

As a high-quality carbon structural steel, C50 steel is defined as a non-alloy steel with an average carbon content of about 0.50% as per European standards.

As a medium carbon steel, C50 steel has high strength and hardness, medium machinability, but low cold deformation plasticity and poor weldability.

C50 steel is usually used after heat treatment such as normalizing or quenching and tempering, or high-frequency surface quenching.It is usually used for parts that require high strength, wear resistance or elasticity, and small dynamic load and impact load, such as forged gears, machine tool spindles, engine spindles, rolls, tie rods, spring washers, etc.

This is why AI-generated content is going to be so bad. Everything currently written online is already so useless. C50 is the same as 1050. Hopefully what’s written online about 1050 is better.

Hotshot10 · Jun 17, 2023

To answer one of your questions, when I checked earlier this year at a local Stihl dealer, Stihl was still rebranding Ochsenkopf axes. They’re not the most refined of axes, but they are pretty tough. For whatever reason, the rebranded Stihls seem to be much cheaper than the exact same Ochsenkopf axe with a different paint job.

Uncle Timbo · Jun 20, 2023

Larrin said:
This is why AI-generated content is going to be so bad. Everything currently written online is already so useless. C50 is the same as 1050. Hopefully what’s written online about 1050 is better.

Hotshot10 said:
To answer one of your questions, when I checked earlier this year at a local Stihl dealer, Stihl was still rebranding Ochsenkopf axes. They’re not the most refined of axes, but they are pretty tough. For whatever reason, the rebranded Stihls seem to be much cheaper than the exact same Ochsenkopf axe with a different paint job.

Many thanks to both of you. I appreciate your input.
UT

Gato do mato · Jun 21, 2023

Are Sthil axes still produced in Germany?
The resemblance between Sthil's models and Bahco's is great.
In Brazil I don't have cheap access to Sthil axes, but I have several from Bahco.

Square_peg · Jun 21, 2023

Larrin said:
C50 is the same as 1050.

They're very close but not exactly the same. But you're right, for the purpose of making an axe it would be splitting hairs. Slightly different recipes for essentially the same properties.

Uncle Timbo · Jul 17, 2023

Thanks for your input everybody. I pulled the trigger and bought one. The edge was a tad toothy but I straightened that out. The streak down the head is from the acetone I used to get the label adhesive off.
For a sub $40 dollar hatchet I'm well pleased.

It cuts good enough for me and feels good in the hand.

Uncle Timbo · Jul 19, 2023

I'm thinking about stripping the orange paint from the handle as well as the head, and bluing the head?

Hickory n steel · Jul 19, 2023

Uncle Timbo said:
I'm thinking about stripping the orange paint from the handle as well as the head, and bluing the head?

It can be done, but to get a really good result you need to rinse in between applications and the handle is still on there.

DocJD · Jul 19, 2023

Uncle Timbo said:
I'm thinking about stripping the orange paint from the handle as well as the head, and bluing the head?

I usually end up adding some bright color on my woods tools !

the-accumulator · Jul 20, 2023

DocJD said:
I usually end up adding some bright color on my woods tools !

I have a fairly numerous assortment of axes/hatchets/adzes, but only one of them goes into the timber with me. Adding or removing paint or polishing/bluing an axe head/haft is purely a matter of anesthetics if said tool is going to take up residence as a drawer/closet/showcase queen. Do what makes you happy. Practically speaking, however, a tool that's going to spend time in the timber is more likely to make it back to the shop if it sports some bright colors. So my EDC hatchet, seen here:

would actually benefit from even brighter colors than its current ESTWING blue handle when it comes to being easily spotted amongst the litter on the forest floor. (Note the bright orange wedges!) Pick your color scheme base on your intended use for the tool. So that's my primer on how to make a short story long! Thanks for sticking with me! T-A

Alocksly · Jul 20, 2023

DocJD said:
I usually end up adding some bright color on my woods tools !

Me too. The little Fiskars hatchet I take backpacking has reflective red and yellow stripes on the handle. Only took a few dozen instances of me spinning around for ten minutes looking for the wood-colored tool I just put down in the wood-colored woods. Once upon a time when I worked on the archery range at a summer camp the purchaser of supplies bought natural wood arrows with brown and green fletching. (normally we got bright yellow painted shafts with equally bright primary colored fletching. The brown and green arrows were all lost in a few weeks.

DocJD · Jul 20, 2023

the-accumulator said:
I have a fairly numerous assortment of axes/hatchets/adzes, but only one of them goes into the timber with me. Adding or removing paint or polishing/bluing an axe head/haft is purely a matter of anesthetics if said tool is going to take up residence as a drawer/closet/showcase queen. Do what makes you happy. Practically speaking, however, a tool that's going to spend time in the timber is more likely to make it back to the shop if it sports some bright colors. So my EDC hatchet, seen here:
View attachment 2257789
View attachment 2257792
would actually benefit from even brighter colors than its current ESTWING blue handle when it comes to being easily spotted amongst the litter on the forest floor. (Note the bright orange wedges!) Pick your color scheme base on your intended use for the tool. So that's my primer on how to make a short story long! Thanks for sticking with me! T-A

Alocksly said:
Me too. The little Fiskars hatchet I take backpacking has reflective red and yellow stripes on the handle. Only took a few dozen instances of me spinning around for ten minutes looking for the wood-colored tool I just put down in the wood-colored woods. Once upon a time when I worked on the archery range at a summer camp the purchaser of supplies bought natural wood arrows with brown and green fletching. (normally we got bright yellow painted shafts with equally bright primary colored fletching. The brown and green arrowsIt's hard to were all lost in a few weeks.

It's amazingly easy to lose / step on / trip over, gear used in the woods , especially where you have a lot of dense undergrowth or debris .

Camo stuff is the worst , of course !