What did you rehang today?

rehung my boys axe on the same haft, took twice as long to get the old wedge out then it did to make and set the new wedge. used a section of old growth yellow cedar from 700m above sea level that was in a forest fire ~100 years ago with the closest growth rings i could find. split off a plank then hewed it into a wedge with my hewing hatchet then just touched it on the belt sander to square it up.




broke down some dry blue spruce branches and decided this is going to be my new backpacking and canoeing axe.
 
Looks good. I love that axe.

Cedar is a little soft for wedge material IMO. Unless you take a piece from the base of a large branch. That stuff can be pretty hard.
 
i usually use cherry for wedges but didn't have enough on hand. this was my first time trying yellow cedar witch is actually a cypress genus. i went for the slowest growing fire hardened piece i could get, it seamed pretty close to cherry for resisting an indent from a finger nail. it was solid breaking down a few branches but ill have to try some underhand chopping to see if it stays tight.
 
Found the head for $5 at a "junk shop" bought the $9 28" handle at Robert's Logging Supply in Springfield, OR. Spent an hour cleaning it up and dressing the poll, putting a nice edge on it, then another hour hanging it. Nice way to spend a lazy, drizzly Oregon Saturday.






 
Nice job refinishing the axe. That is one of the nicest roll stamps I've seen on a Plumb. Awesome find at an excellent price!
 
You guy's are rehanging some great old axes.
DH, That is a rare axe down here. Nice job with the Cedar wedge. My experience with yellow cedar is pretty limited. I have had yellow cedar arrow shafts. They worked well enough. Good call on the high elevation close growth ring stuff. There is a lot of variation in strength between one tree to the next as you well know. That's the reason many hate popular wedges. There are good popular wedges and real bad also.

Elkhunt, It don't get much better than that Plumb. Great piece of hickory in that haft also. That should last a good long while. Nice job hanging it also.
 
Just got done
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Finished up the tommy axe about as far as I'm going to. I'm going to polish the top to match the blade and pole of the axe but finished hanging and painting, original handle. Had to patch where someone used a metal wedge but I think it looks cool. Should hold solid nice and tight for now.
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Mike

Nice refinish job. That thing looks better than a NOS Tommy axe I saw on ebay recently. You're doing some outstanding work on your tools.

Later.
 
Thank you. That's great to hear. I put a good amount of time into them. Even though I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing I have a inclination, I enjoy doing it and it jeeps me busy which in turn keeps my mind off things and out if trouble haha. It's good for me and I can even turn a little profit, so all around its good. I've always had a thing for things made of quality things if the past. Now days it seems everything is so cheap n just throw away garbage. I guess I get a lot if it from my dad. He's taught me a lot about history and about antiques and colectables ESP w hunting and fishing. I'm a avid out doors man and anything I can learn about skills and or history is just a bonus. I appreciate the positive feedback, thank you!
 
I made a sheath for the Plumb I hung last week, nothing fancy but thought I'd post it... maybe someday my kids will find this forum and have a record of my Saturday puttering. As I was waiting for the leather to dry (wet fit) I decided to honor my ancient Stanley knife and made a little bench holster for it too.




 
Nice simple design for that axe sheath. That old knife looks like it's earned its proud position.
 
Elk hunt, I like them Stanley no199's also. It will out last a retractable blade ten to one. Might last forever if you don't hammer on them like I do.
 
I finally got to the box of axe heads and did one. A Michigan 3 1/2 lb. single bit Collins Legitimus. I got it off the auction site for less than $20. Michigan's are the least popular.
I used a 36" Crook-Miller Hicksville Ohio handle I got at Menards a couple years ago. I haven't seen that brand lately. It is a 100% heartwood handle. I like the darker shade of these. Not ideal grain but not a lot of runout.

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Michigan's are made for pounding, although unhardened. The rounded poll spreads the force and no sharp corner to gouge. Less mushrooming usually. This one almost no pounding.

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Rehung a 16lb sledge (marked only with an "H" in a square) and a 4lb Plumb for my brother in law... first two I've done, really happy with how they came out. Link handles for both, though I thinned the Plumb handle a great deal with a spokeshave.

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