Thinking about customizing a broadaxe

[Axe Master '94]

I've been kicking around the idea of trying to buy this broadaxe

and cut off the chipped side to make it a monster bearded axe.
Just looking for some opinions/recommendations/insights.
Thanks
~Ben

 

[Square_peg]

It's ruined and valueless now. You certainly couldn't do any harm. What the heck - have fun with it. Just don't give more than about $10 for it.

 

[Axe Master '94]

I'd be looking at around $20... shipping's a pain.

 

[Square_peg]

$20 shipped is OK if it's the toy you want.

 

[Axe Master '94]

Guy wouldn't budge. $30+ is to much in my opinion..... Still would've been a neat project.

 

[Axe Master '94]

For the sake of future reference, would it make sense to vinegar bathe it to find the hardening lines before modifying it?

 

[cityofthesouth]

I would ... although it looks huge so the container to soak it in could be problematic. I do know those aluminum baster pans aren't great. I mean, they work just fine, but vinegar will eat right through it in about 3 days. But as to soaking it, I always love to see if I have a forge welded bit or not, plus I wouldn't know how much axe was supposed to have been there so I'd want to know what I had left. For another thing, vinegar takes away the rust without leaving tool marks or wire cup scratches and a lot of time leaves the head dark and vintage looking .... not that you aren't going to have tool marks from cutting and cleaning it up. But I put them back in the vinegar after cutting just to darken the shiny steel/iron.

 

[300Six]

That huge chip has rendered a paperweight. Wait this one out. There will come a chance to get another one that actually has an intact blade and maybe even a providential stamp. Who else is buying them other than scrap dealers, museums and a few idiots on BladeForums?

 

[cmshoot]

Sounds like an interesting mod project, if you can get the price down.

 

[Joe L. Bachs]

I'd consider it at $30 if you're set on the project. Its quality steel more likely than not and the vast majority of the hard skill work (forging, tempering) is done already. Think about what it would cost to have the head you want, or even just an unfinished blank made by a smith or machine shop. It's certainly not a steal of a deal at $30 but think of what the end value would be to you and the cost of other methods of producing what you want and then maybe $30 doesn't seem so bad to me... Either that or I'm just getting too good at rationalizing spending $$ on projects haha.

 

[Square_peg]

For the sake of future reference, would it make sense to vinegar bathe it to find the hardening lines before modifying it?

Absolutely it would!

 

[Square_peg]

For another thing, vinegar takes away the rust without leaving tool marks or wire cup scratches and a lot of time leaves the head dark and vintage looking ....

What the heck are you talking about?

I've never found scratches left behind by a wire cup brush. And a wire cup brush always leaves the natural patina that vinegar can remove. If you're having problems with scratches from a cup brush then try a brass wire cup brush. Personally, I've never seen scratches from either a brass cup or knotted steel cup. The only beef I have with knotted steel is that it takes away a small amount of the patina - but still nothing like vinegar.

 

[Joe L. Bachs]

I go with a cup brush or a finer bristle wire disc for heads that have detailed or faint/light stampings, from what I've noticed I think the vinegar baths have a tendency to eat away some of the boldness and definition of the stamp/etching. Plus its less wait time and mess than vinegar baths.

 

[Blue Sky]

I think those old axes may be only hard along the edge. Cut too much away and it's gone. If you get the axe, mod away but you might have to heat treat it again to make it a real user.

BTW, I think $20 is quite generous for a head in that condition.

 

[Operator1975]

I would ... although it looks huge so the container to soak it in could be problematic. I do know those aluminum baster pans aren't great. I mean, they work just fine, but vinegar will eat right through it in about 3 days. But as to soaking it, I always love to see if I have a forge welded bit or not, plus I wouldn't know how much axe was supposed to have been there so I'd want to know what I had left. For another thing, vinegar takes away the rust without leaving tool marks or wire cup scratches and a lot of time leaves the head dark and vintage looking .... not that you aren't going to have tool marks from cutting and cleaning it up. But I put them back in the vinegar after cutting just to darken the shiny steel/iron.

Oh lol. This forum has seriously gone downhill. Sigh.

 

[Double Ott]

What the heck are you talking about?

I've never found scratches left behind by a wire cup brush. And a wire cup brush always leaves the natural patina that vinegar can remove. If you're having problems with scratches from a cup brush then try a brass wire cup brush. Personally, I've never seen scratches from either a brass cup or knotted steel cup. The only beef I have with knotted steel is that it takes away a small amount of the patina - but still nothing like vinegar.

After learning the hard way, restoring many axes...I found that a course twisted wire cup on an angle grinder is the best way to restore a rusted axe head. Leaves a nice patina...Never had issues with it leaving scratches on one.

A $5 Kelly garage sale restore:

Tom

 

[Axe Master '94]

I've restored a dozen axes, but I've only ever used grinders/wire wheels. I think my next one might get a vinegar soak before I start grinding.