What did you rehang today?

Miller '72 · Mar 16, 2019

Thanks for the link to the thread

ithinkverydeeply

It's an interesting process, sadly a few more hours than I can dedicate in one sitting at the moment. :thumbsup:

Thanks

ithinkverydeeply · Mar 16, 2019

Yankee Josh said:
Beautiful man! That's a handsome little hatchet. Super nice to have the year stamped right on it. What does the head weigh?

I appreciate it!
Turns out, it’s 1 1/2lbs.

Fmont · Mar 16, 2019

Mann, that is beautiful!!!

junkenstien · Mar 17, 2019

Does that Mann hatchet have flat cheeks?

Yankee Josh · Mar 17, 2019

I didn't know where else to put this and I didn't want to start another thread. My grandfather(born in 1890 died 1965) was a blacksmith and wheelwright primarily. With 19 kids he did everything for work though from time to time. I have precious little from him. But he did leave behind his shop and about the only thing my uncles didn't take(steal) was a half dozen yellow birch sleigh runners my grandfather had roughed out. I've made a bunch of things from one and the leftover tip here;

i ripped it to 3/8 for some wedges.

I've had such good results with white birch I thought I'd give this a shot. It's been drying for at least 75 years. Anyhow I just wanted to share that because it is important to me. Thanks for looking!

ithinkverydeeply · Mar 17, 2019

junkenstien said:
Does that Mann hatchet have flat cheeks?

Not perfectly flat but I don’t really know how flat constitutes “flat”?

Does this help?

junkenstien · Mar 17, 2019

Yes sir it does.Thats flat.

Brian Rust · Mar 19, 2019

Sorry for all the pictures but this mallet is so beautiful I had to take a lot of pictures. I got this at a garage sale. The gentleman said he made it in his early 20’s when he started in the trade (cabinetry). He was around 70 probably maybe older. I could have talked and listen to his stories all day. I did for a good hour or so. I finally rehung it. He said it was a cherry burl that he received from his mentor. I took the pictures in the sun light to try to show all the crazy flowing grain and the colors in it. It looks great but the pictures still don’t give it justice. Thanks for looking!!

garry3 · Mar 19, 2019

Brian Rust said:
Sorry for all the pictures but this mallet is so beautiful I had to take a lot of pictures. I got this at a garage sale. The gentleman said he made it in his early 20’s when he started in the trade (cabinetry). He was around 70 probably maybe older. I could have talked and listen to his stories all day. I did for a good hour or so. I finally rehung it. He said it was a cherry burl that he received from his mentor. I took the pictures in the sun light to try to show all the crazy flowing grain and the colors in it. It looks great but the pictures still don’t give it justice. Thanks for looking!!

It's awesome! One of the applications were straight grain is not is not what you want. I think somtimes them old timers are just happy that the tool goes to some one that really appreciates it. :thumbsup:

Brian Rust · Mar 19, 2019

Yes he was very happy to sell it to me. He said if I wouldn’t have gotten it someone would have used it as a decorator piece lol.

garry3 · Mar 19, 2019

Brian Rust said:
Yes he was very happy to sell it to me. He said if I wouldn’t have gotten it someone would have used it as a decorator piece lol.

A guy can learn a lot from them old guys. I have whittled away a few hours myself on what was a quick stop, but you can't put a price on experience and knowledge. Firm believer in following in the footsteps of those that went before me.
I was just watching Paul Sellers make a mallet on youtube yesterday. Because I don't have one and I need one. That is really crazy with all the old tools I have and use. Any way here is a link to part one..

Square_peg · Mar 20, 2019

Brian Rust said:
Sorry for all the pictures but this mallet is so beautiful I had to take a lot of pictures. I got this at a garage sale. The gentleman said he made it in his early 20’s when he started in the trade (cabinetry). He was around 70 probably maybe older. I could have talked and listen to his stories all day. I did for a good hour or so. I finally rehung it. He said it was a cherry burl that he received from his mentor. I took the pictures in the sun light to try to show all the crazy flowing grain and the colors in it. It looks great but the pictures still don’t give it justice. Thanks for looking!!

I think your wedge orientation was well chosen. Any stress is less likely to split the mallet, not that this burl wood looks like anything that would split easily.

Well done!

Brian Rust · Mar 20, 2019

Yes I would have liked for the wedge to be a little straighter across but it was close enough. I took the handle on and off three times and everytime that was where it ended up (shape of inside the eye I guess?). Since that’s where it wanted to go I left it. I couldn’t get a good photo but inside the eye you can see the marks from the tapering bit the gentleman used to drill it. It sits perfectly level on the handle too. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall while he was making it 50 or 60 years ago! Thanks for looking!!

ithinkverydeeply · Mar 20, 2019

I finished cleaning up and rehangin this Welland Vale from Allan Klenman’s collection today.

It had quite a bit of green paint left, especially in the eye and on the handle, that I suspect was original but unfortunately removed to clean it up.

I smoked the handle with the others that I recently did and although it’s basically shot, I rehung it just to keep them together. It would have been an awesome handle.

Thanks to everyone here for being a wealth of inspiration and knowledge!

Square_peg · Mar 20, 2019

ithinkverydeeply said:
I smoked the handle with the others that I recently did and although it’s basically shot, I rehung it just to keep them together. It would have been an awesome handle.

You did right there.

ithinkverydeeply · Mar 21, 2019

Well, I got this 1911 Registered hung.

It was beat up

Attempted to reshape the badly hammered Michigan poll. (Not sure that I rounded the corners quite enough.)

It’s a little high on the shoulder for my liking.

But overall it’s ok, it feels good in the hand.

Didn’t want to remove more metal than necessary so I didn’t grind it at this point in time.

Cheers!

Brian Rust · Mar 21, 2019

Did you use a belt sander on the pole? I like the way you blended it in. I have wanted to do that with a couple but haven’t yet.

ithinkverydeeply · Mar 21, 2019

Brian Rust said:
Did you use a belt sander on the pole? I like the way you blended it in. I have wanted to do that with a couple but haven’t yet.

No, for the shaping I used a 4.5” flap disc, mostly 120grit but I also used a worn out 60 grit a bit. After that it was just emory paper on a 1/4 sheet sander, 220 & 500 grit then I finished it on a wire wheel.

Agent_H · Mar 21, 2019

ithinkverydeeply , your recent photos of axe reworks really move into the whole "Preserve and make right-to-work". You seem to have to have a personal connection to some of these axes/tools and material to document it.
I know some of it is the sheer quality of materials but I appreciate your reserve in changing them.

ithinkverydeeply · Mar 21, 2019

Agent_H said:
ithinkverydeeply , your recent photos of axe reworks really move into the whole "Preserve and make right-to-work". You seem to have to have a personal connection to some of these axes/tools and material to document it.
I know some of it is the sheer quality of materials but I appreciate your reserve in changing them.

Wow! I am humbled by this compliment.
Thank you very much.
Right now I’m just glad that there are people sharing and archiving this knowledge. I’m constantly startled how few people even know about let alone care about axes. I talked to an appraiser today with 40 years of experience, 30 on the Antique Roadshow, and every accreditation who had never heard of anyone collecting axes.