What did you rehang today?

Square_peg said:
I appreciate your craftsmanship in retoring those but I think those might not be worth the effort. The one with the failing forge weld has likely lost the last of its high carbon steel. The chipping pattern on the 2nd one suggests a bad heat treat. Your considerable skills might be better used on less used axes.

I say this as much for the benefit of the forum as for your benefit. I like to pick my battles.
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I certainly appreciate the kind words and your point of view. This head was more a challenge, learning experience and effort for myself, knowing any mistakes made with a heavy hand, I could justify due to the condition I started with.
I felt I would have a good user, till I hit the peeling...than I just needed to follow thru and finish regardless with hope and optimism driving the 2nd filing.
Of which I really became hesitant and anxious to keep filing...but did.
Thank you @Square_peg. I certainly learned more for myself filing this ole boy but the forum can take from my example that though I found benefit and satisfaction from the work and discovery, it took time and a head I could offer up to practice on without much regard...I do have some sweet (IMO) axes that I hope will benefit from this experience when I file and hang.

junkenstien said:
Did you take all the hard steel off?Love that old straight handle looks good.
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Thanks man! The handle is the inspiration for this little endeavor.
As far as hardness/high carbon steel remaining...a little perhaps, little to none maybe.

I cant say for certain that it will stand any real use or time out in the yard but it's got a great balance and did fly thru a little 4" limb without any rolling or noticeable dulling at the bit.

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If anything, a display when its career is over...perhaps repurpose the haft at that point for a less used, more life left connie :thumbsup::)

Thank you guys:cool:
 
Yankee Josh said:
That haft is definitely oak! I don't think any other American wood has such strong rays. Could be wrong but I haven't seen it. Great job man I can tell you put a ton of work into them! I do agree with SP though. I've learned to save my energy for ones that have a lot of life left.
You must've run into the spot where the dissimilar steels met. Is that what you think? I've never seen that before! Interesting...
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Yes I came upon that junction of layers and peeling. Not a happy place to come into, however I wanted to file thru to completion for the axe, my effort but to know what it looks and feels like filing.
I learned a lot more than I had hoped and learned some more about knowing when to quit on future discoveries perhaps.:thumbsup:
 
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I will file this guy too, not with any false hope of being a great user or ability to maintain its sharpness, but to do it for the escape it provides me/time to myself and the experience, perhaps improving my file technique.
There is a tad more meat on the bone with this one...longer and heavier but...

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At the very least it will clear a path as I make my way toward some bigger, badder connies.

Happy Fathers Day...you know who you are...and thanks for looking and any thoughts. I always appreciate feedback.
 
I finally got a handle for the pre 70's Vaughan / Craftsman AgentH sent me.
I went with this fat link handle so I had room to work with.
I had a perfect fit and it was slated to be my best hang till I pounded in the stupid step wedge.
The wood is cracked but the hang is still good I suppose, I'll slim the handle later.





I had dreams of carving a handle for it, but realized I'd probably want to have it in carving handles when I ever go for it.
 
This is a nice 4lb True Temper Dayton head on a NOS 32.5" handle with great grain. Oiled and sharpened with files and stones.

IMG_20190617_194832 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194905 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194911 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194953 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194927 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194943 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194859 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
IMG_20190617_194918 by Justin Lyttle, on Flickr
 
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I'm still not very proficient with the spokeshave yet and got a bit carried away, the handle is a bit skinnier than I'd like but it's not too bad.
Maybe I'll try lacing on a leather grip or something, I generally don't like anything but a bare wood handle but it could work here.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I'm still not very proficient with the spokeshave yet and got a bit carried away, the handle is a bit skinnier than I'd like but it's not too bad.
Maybe I'll try lacing on a leather grip or something, I generally don't like anything but a bare wood handle but it could work here.
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I like using that style of hatchet. Thin is good as long as it’s comfortable.

I’m glad you are enjoying that one. That shape head doesn’t discriminate against left handers!
 
Hickory n steel- I hope you are a lefty, because you set up your Craftsman broad hatchet to use left handed. Holding your hatchet in your left hand and the stave to be worked in the right hand, the flat side is facing the stave.

Enough said about using steel wedges.

Looks like Agent_H beat me to the left hand comment !
 
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Agent_H said:
I like using that style of hatchet. Thin is good as long as it’s comfortable.

I’m glad you are enjoying that one. That shape head doesn’t discriminate against left handers!
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Certainly not.
I decided to go with a slightly rear curved handle like you see on riggers axes some times as it's something I've wanted to try.

Oh and this handle was $1 less as a larger older locally owned Ace a couple towns over, $15 was still kind of high for this but it beats $16 :D
 
This hatchet only has "drop forged" stamped into it. Temper goes back to the nail slot. I've lucked out again and got another one with awesome hardness. It's just right. Takes a long time to file but not so hard that I'd be afraid it would chip. It was made to be used!
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This eye had minimal taper but it does have some. A 1/16th larger in either direction at the top of the eye. So I left it proud by an 1/8th to compensate. Wish I had a hardness file kit. I'd love nothing more than to be able to report a closely estimated hardness with my posts here. Saying "the steel is hard". Or "the steel is very hard" doesn't really convey what I'm trying to describe. An HRC number though would really mean something! Anyway have a great day all!
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Got it hung! Ended up using a TT woodslasher haft. 30"long now.
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There's 3/4" of contact up inside the eye on the bottom.
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You can see the dimples from where the woodslasher's grooves used to be. Also it appears someone maybe used a cat's paw to try to remove the metal cap wedge at some point?
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Here's the other side. A 6 I do believe. 15613978898896413291897723909927.jpg
I cut the tongue flush as I always do but afterwards I re-blued the steel on top.
Not bad for 20 bucks! Haha. Hard to find deals like that these days! Have a great afternoon all!
 
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