TT FE KW refurb and rehang

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Aug 31, 2012
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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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3 coats of BLO and its done.

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I hope it holds together on the semi-suspect haft. If it breaks I can always hang it again.
 
Good work.

Seems to me the difference between a Michigan and a Dayton is largely in the corners - rounded or sharp. I favor the Dayton myself, especially when limbing, because the crisp heel “hooks” a little better.

Knew a guy (from Michigan) who had rounded off the corners of his Dayton on his bench grinder, “for safety”. I told him it’d be even safer if he rounded off the edge too. He was not amused.

Parker

PS: Yah, Hardwicks. Sorry to see them close, though I understand why. Rumor was (pre-covid) that they were going to open up a new store in Idaho, maybe Post Falls. I recall thinking what a chore it would be to move all their inventory over there and set it up.

Best of luck to them, wherever they are.
 
Ah yes, Michigan pattern it is.

Hardwick's did move to Post Falls, Idaho.
https://hardwickandsons.com/
It was a sad day when I learned they closed up their store out here. It would be quite a chore to drive there for new axe handles. Fortunately it looks like you can purchase items from them online now.
 
Wow, cool. I met Dean’s nephew once, seemed like a level headed kid.

All that NOS Thexton stuff will go quick when the old car guys discover it. I wonder if the new store has the same narrow aisles packed 12’ high with stuff. Hope so.

At one time Dean told me (or maybe it was Russell) that they had 4 warehouses full of stuff. What a job their inventory must be!

I travel over that way a couple times a year. Between them and Buck knives, better add another day to the trip.

Parker
 
Years ago I had found this haft in the seconds bin at Hardwick's in Seattle for $6.29.
I miss Hardwicks, too. I'll stop by if I ever get to Post Falls.

It's a Michigan for sure. As a Flint Edge it will be a fine axe.

Eye ridges are a pain. They pinch the kerf closed. It 'spring loads' the wood so that it sticks in the eye. Hard to take it on and off during fitting. The solution is to temporarily wedge it just enough that the kerf doesn't close. I discovered this when hanging an eye-ridged axe on an unkerfed haft. It was soooooo much easier.

You can cut grooves for the ridges with a small V-gouge or even with a utility knife. Once you get the axe well seated on the shoulder remove the temporary wedge, seat the head and wedge it hard to set those ridges into the wood.
 
I always cut the kerf last thing, just before wedging. But that’s a good idea for a store bought haft, already kerfed.

Parker
 
The sides of the haft were flat and relatively skinny side to side. It was pretty tall with a gel capsule shape for the cross-section. I took most of the material off the top and bottom in an attempt to make it a little more oval shaped. It feels a lot better now. It is pretty skinny but I have felt skinnier. I will be taking it easy with this one at first, for sure, before working my way up to full swings, but not because of how skinny it is.
 
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