- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 390
I have had this 4lb True Temper Flint Edge Kelly Works sitting on the shelf in the garage for so long that I forget when and where I got it. I think it's a Dayton pattern?
It was in rough shape, as most axes that I pick up are. It had heavy mushrooming and signs of the bit being hit with a grinder. I tend to avoid using power tools to clean up my old abused axe heads. I prefer pounding out as much mushrooming as I can and cleaning things up with a file. However, this one I decided to take the grinder to with a flappy disk to clean up the mushrooming on the poll. I then used the belt sander with 80 and then 120 grits to smooth out the poll, top and bottom of the head. After which, I broke out the file to bevel the edges and tune up some "wavyness" left behind from the grinder and belt sander. Next, I hand sanded from 80 to 600 grit for a "satin" finish on the top, bottom and poll while leaving much of the black patina on the cheeks. I like the two-tone asthetic.
At that point I put it on the scale which read 3lb 15.1oz. It was feeling and looking pretty good. I then reprofiled the bit using only a file and then sharpened it. I didn't bother to weigh it again but I would guess that I took off another 0.4oz or so.
Years ago I had found this haft in the seconds bin at Hardwick's in Seattle for $6.29. It had flat sides, what looked like a little bit of spalting and a horribly cut kerf. I couldn't pass up a straight full size single bit hickory haft with good grain orientation for 6 bucks, so I grabbed it.
I fit the head (forgot how much of a pain it is to hang TT heads with their ridges in the eye). Maybe I should have seated the head a little further down? I just got tired of dealing with the ridges and called it good where it sits now.
After fitting the head I gave it the same pickling treatment as the HB boys axe and Homestead hatchet that I have recently posted. I also had to cut a second kerf to balance out how horribly the original kerf was cut. Then I hung and double wedged it. I hope the two thin wedges hold ok.
3 coats of BLO and its done.
I hope it holds together on the semi-suspect haft. If it breaks I can always hang it again.
It was in rough shape, as most axes that I pick up are. It had heavy mushrooming and signs of the bit being hit with a grinder. I tend to avoid using power tools to clean up my old abused axe heads. I prefer pounding out as much mushrooming as I can and cleaning things up with a file. However, this one I decided to take the grinder to with a flappy disk to clean up the mushrooming on the poll. I then used the belt sander with 80 and then 120 grits to smooth out the poll, top and bottom of the head. After which, I broke out the file to bevel the edges and tune up some "wavyness" left behind from the grinder and belt sander. Next, I hand sanded from 80 to 600 grit for a "satin" finish on the top, bottom and poll while leaving much of the black patina on the cheeks. I like the two-tone asthetic.
At that point I put it on the scale which read 3lb 15.1oz. It was feeling and looking pretty good. I then reprofiled the bit using only a file and then sharpened it. I didn't bother to weigh it again but I would guess that I took off another 0.4oz or so.
Years ago I had found this haft in the seconds bin at Hardwick's in Seattle for $6.29. It had flat sides, what looked like a little bit of spalting and a horribly cut kerf. I couldn't pass up a straight full size single bit hickory haft with good grain orientation for 6 bucks, so I grabbed it.
I fit the head (forgot how much of a pain it is to hang TT heads with their ridges in the eye). Maybe I should have seated the head a little further down? I just got tired of dealing with the ridges and called it good where it sits now.
After fitting the head I gave it the same pickling treatment as the HB boys axe and Homestead hatchet that I have recently posted. I also had to cut a second kerf to balance out how horribly the original kerf was cut. Then I hung and double wedged it. I hope the two thin wedges hold ok.
3 coats of BLO and its done.
I hope it holds together on the semi-suspect haft. If it breaks I can always hang it again.
