Vaughan hatchets. HRC?

effenoam

effenoam

Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
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I contacted vaughan about their hatchet steel and bit hardness and got this.

Vaughan: "Thank you for contacting us through our website. We use 1080 high carbon steel on our rig builder. The hardness range on this is 40 – 60 ASME standard."

Me: "Is there a chance I could get the hardness on a Rockwell, Brinell, or Vickers scale? I assume ASME is a testing standard but im unfamiliar."

Vaughan: "Rockwell"

Me: "So the range of hardness on the bit is 40-60 rockwell? I dont mean any disrespect, but are you sure? 40-60 on the cutting edge is a very large tolerance."

I got no response after this but at least I know its 1080 which is great. But I doubt they allow a 20 point tolerance on the hardness. My guess is the question or answer wasn't understood. Ill update if they respond.
 
Well, they sent me the good ones, anyway.

And maybe I should qualify my statement by saying that mine are all old and beat up. I don’t have any from the blue paint era, so I can’t really speak for them.

Parker
 
If they don't respond I may test the HRC myself. If the heat treat is good, the price is low enough for me to put some work into them for a 1080 half hatchet.
 
effenoam said:
If they don't respond I may test the HRC myself. If the heat treat is good, the price is low enough for me to put some work into them for a 1080 half hatchet.
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I do not know the HRC, but in my experience they are plenty hard.
The bits take and hold a great edge, I would say about as well as everything I have except my 60's woodslasher boys axe which is on the harder side.
I've had 3 of their little super sportsmans, a new Craftsman rebranded hatchet, 50's Craftsman rebranded broad hatchet, and a relatively recent riggers axe, I've been very happy with the heat treat of all their bits.

BTW do you have any other axe and hatchet HRC numbers to compare to ?
Without that a Rockwell test isn't going to tell you much, you gotta remember that it's not the same as a knife.
 
Square_peg said:
Thanks for the post. They are open about using 1080 which is a superior steel for axes and hatchets. I bought a few new ones several years back and just from filing I'd guess the hardness was about RC 53.
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I think that is real close. They could be harder for edge holding but show little damage when abused, cutting nails, chipping concrete, general demo work.
They have been doing 1080 for a long time.
 
In the past Vaughan produced hatchets which were vastly oversized. When ground down properly they were incredible. The problem was that you had to grind them using power tools. I have Vaughan and sears hatchets and yes in this temperate rain forest I love them. You could try looking up " A hatchet for Bogdan" .
 
Jimbo said:
In the past Vaughan produced hatchets which were vastly oversized. When ground down properly they were incredible. The problem was that you had to grind them using power tools. I have Vaughan and sears hatchets and yes in this temperate rain forest I love them. You could try looking up " A hatchet for Bogdan" .
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I dont think im finding the right articles, a lot of links to articles about a guy named bogdan by "the gw hatchet".
 
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