- Joined
- Oct 25, 2004
- Messages
- 3,178
You win some:
The landlord brought out a tractor last weekend to clear some briars - between rain, personal drama, and a busy work schedule I had been negligent with my cutting. (Not like he was paying me or anything, but still...) He uncovered all sorts of trash, just as I'd warned him that he would. Most of it ended up on my back porch. Amidst the beer bottles, propane tanks, champagne bottle lips
, and some other stuff I found an old splitting maul. The handle was rotted pretty badly and the head was dulled and sported a heavy patina but it looked to have a lot of life left in it. Splitting wood with a 5-pounder and a 20" AK is fun but not efficient. What I'd needed was an eight pound maul - which this was - and the tool found me. After a trip down to Home Depot for a $9 handle and a few minutes on the belt sander, all was well. Now I just need some more wood. While I'm always pleased to get something for nearly nothing, I really wish that I'd had it at the beginning of the winter.
Here is the detail on the head. I recognize the "circle 8" and "US" but the rest is gibberish to me. The mark nearest the hammer end is nearly indecipherable but may be a "C." As this one is high res, I linked to it instead of inserting it.
You lose some:
A room mate aquired a knife some time back; handle scales were marked "USN," one side of the blade "MK3 Mod 0", other side had what looked to be a part or serial number. It looked to be the real deal. He asked me if I'd sharpen it; I told him to try it out on a 4x4 to see how it performed with the edge it already had. Four blows later it snapped like glass.
Here's another view down on the fracture. Due to my rather poor photography it's a bit blurry so I'll fill in the details: the metal under the fracture has a white, frosted appearance but is smooth to the touch. The semicircular dark spot is not a void, but is certainly discolored.
Looks like a bad heat treat to me, which is disappointing; the knife looks to be an original. I'd be interested to know who had made it.
All was not lost. I proceeded to break out the Pen Knife and deliver a few full power blows with the flat of the blade to the same 4x4. I don't need to tell you how it performed. I then did the same with a 12" Siru. The room mate now knows what his next two knives will be.
The landlord brought out a tractor last weekend to clear some briars - between rain, personal drama, and a busy work schedule I had been negligent with my cutting. (Not like he was paying me or anything, but still...) He uncovered all sorts of trash, just as I'd warned him that he would. Most of it ended up on my back porch. Amidst the beer bottles, propane tanks, champagne bottle lips
, and some other stuff I found an old splitting maul. The handle was rotted pretty badly and the head was dulled and sported a heavy patina but it looked to have a lot of life left in it. Splitting wood with a 5-pounder and a 20" AK is fun but not efficient. What I'd needed was an eight pound maul - which this was - and the tool found me. After a trip down to Home Depot for a $9 handle and a few minutes on the belt sander, all was well. Now I just need some more wood. While I'm always pleased to get something for nearly nothing, I really wish that I'd had it at the beginning of the winter.
Here is the detail on the head. I recognize the "circle 8" and "US" but the rest is gibberish to me. The mark nearest the hammer end is nearly indecipherable but may be a "C." As this one is high res, I linked to it instead of inserting it.
You lose some:
A room mate aquired a knife some time back; handle scales were marked "USN," one side of the blade "MK3 Mod 0", other side had what looked to be a part or serial number. It looked to be the real deal. He asked me if I'd sharpen it; I told him to try it out on a 4x4 to see how it performed with the edge it already had. Four blows later it snapped like glass.
Here's another view down on the fracture. Due to my rather poor photography it's a bit blurry so I'll fill in the details: the metal under the fracture has a white, frosted appearance but is smooth to the touch. The semicircular dark spot is not a void, but is certainly discolored.
Looks like a bad heat treat to me, which is disappointing; the knife looks to be an original. I'd be interested to know who had made it.
All was not lost. I proceeded to break out the Pen Knife and deliver a few full power blows with the flat of the blade to the same 4x4. I don't need to tell you how it performed. I then did the same with a 12" Siru. The room mate now knows what his next two knives will be.
