What did you rehang today?

Thanks SP, that means a lot.

I think about where are these axes will wind up in another 60 or 80 or a hundred years. I don't plan on having kids (now that I've said that I'll probably brake a condom). So I want whoever comes across this next to know that it was a thing of quality and import to a person. Assuming I don't break it before then. But when I received this on the knob end haft that woke me to the style(s), that was the sense I got from it.

The carving above it I got in Kathmandu from a man named Shyam Mali. I'm sorry to say that I insulted him deeply. He had invited me to dinner with his family and I no-showed. I was young and didn't understand the implications, particularly in that culture. I regret it to this day, I can't believe that it's already 20 years on. Apparently I'm feeling nostalgic, a byproduct of weariness. I'm going to stop typing. Lol
 
Fmont said:
Keen Kutter Rockaway. Worked on and off on this haft for a long time. Hung it yesterday with a long Koa wedge (I cut my kerfs with a real thin pull saw). Today I cut in some facets, scraped it leaving some tell tale rasp marks for character, did a bit of a London polish, stained it with my de-rusting vinegar, then blo/beeswax/turps. This is my favorite. It only needs to be honed, it's already sharp and ~20° - came that way. I'm not the first one to take good care of it, apparently. I want to post a billion pics but whatever.

Itvd, I'll be in touch about what kind of leather to order. I've now several to hook up with leather, and this beaut deserves the works. If I can turn out something half as good as your work I'll be ecstatic.

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That is an awesome axe! I want to see what you do for a mask, it is certainly deserving of a nice sheath to round out the package.
If you are going to be wet forming and dying your leather use vegetable tanned or oak bark leather. (Same thing.)
 
Fmont said:
Keen Kutter Rockaway. Worked on and off on this haft for a long time. Hung it yesterday with a long Koa wedge (I cut my kerfs with a real thin pull saw). Today I cut in some facets, scraped it leaving some tell tale rasp marks for character, did a bit of a London polish, stained it with my de-rusting vinegar, then blo/beeswax/turps. This is my favorite. It only needs to be honed, it's already sharp and ~20° - came that way. I'm not the first one to take good care of it, apparently. I want to post a billion pics but whatever.

Itvd, I'll be in touch about what kind of leather to order. I've now several to hook up with leather, and this beaut deserves the works. If I can turn out something half as good as your work I'll be ecstatic.

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That is a beauty Fmont... I can see why it's your favorite. Some axes just exude coolness. That, clearly, is one of them. And a gorgeous helve to boot! Well done man!
 
Got a few pics with this one. I told myself "there's no point in hanging any more users"! But I just enjoy hanging axes so here we go! This Kelly woodslasher, NYCRR, was a rust bucket. Here's a bit of what it looked like;
GTlYv9J.jpg

There was at least an 1/8" of rust scale inside the eye. I cleaned it out and by doing so enlarged the eye quite a bit. Here's a few of the pile of steel from that process!
CyPw4Mk.jpg
Q0BPx1F.jpg

Chunks! Anyhow here a few of the haft right before final sand and seating;
1xSE3q4.jpg
ChUmeHQ.jpg

A 2-1/2" long wedge in a 2-1/2" kerf;
tLyqJtc.jpg
vOL2gWg.jpg

And finally, for those of you who aren't bored yet, the normal rehang pics;
Tpp0POB.jpg
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It had been filed quite thin prior to my attaining it so I just lightly filed out knicks and dings and honed it.
cGe165w.jpg

And lastly the NYCRR stamp.
wcfUq5f.jpg

Thanks for sticking with me! That was a long one. The axe isn't even particularly that great either I just enjoy the process and sharing it. Take care all!
 
I'm the same. I have far more axes than I need, but I keep picking them up and hanging them. The 95 degree weather and 90% humidity has slowed me down the past few weeks. I currently have 4 axes in various stages of the process, but 15 minutes working and I'm soaked.
 
ScottB65 said:
I also don't have any 'collector' heads, they are all users. I can't bring my self to pay more than $20 for an axe head and there ain't many around here.
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If you look hard enough and wait long enough you can get some good ones for $20. 15636602765837339186402375371712.jpg
I've got some others that were $20 but these are the best. That's in (only) 3 years of serious collecting.
 
99.9% I've found around here are either no name or Craftsman. The best I picked up was a Kelly Perfect with beveled cheeks for $12.

Just not much around and I've very rural. So not many places to look unless you start knocking on doors.
 
ScottB65 said:
99.9% I've found around here are either no name or Craftsman. The best I picked up was a Kelly Perfect with beveled cheeks for $12.

Just not much around and I've very rural. So not many places to look unless you start knocking on doors.
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I see the same thing. Not sure what part of TN you are in but in my area, Southeast TN, my best haul has been from a buddy that’s family has been logging for a few generations.
 
Agent_H said:
IMG-20190723-114715432.jpg


Great photo!, tiny hammer!
Maybe a cross-wedge next time?
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I owe that to the cheap smartphone lens kit I recently picked up, the Macro lens really makes such a major difference.

Next time I will probably cross wedge it, and maybe use something other than a twig for the handle.
I think the grain structure of the twig just made it prone to splitting like that.

Oh and btw I wasn't lying, I really do need to pick up a brass hammer for leatherworking.
I don't need anything big and could probably make one from a piece of 1" brass stock if it's not too expensive.
 
The following two fall into the 'making do with whatcha got'.

First up a no name 3 pound Connecticut, only markings are Cast Steel. I wanted a shorter handle for this one but didn't feel like ordering so I dug out a 28" House Handle I have for a Boys Axe. Thankfully, HH makes everything big and there was only about 1/4" shortage in kerf length that I figured the wedge would fix, and I was right.


CT1.jpg


CT3.jpg


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The second is a 1 pound 15 ounce Germantown head which has now become my 'Small Forest Axe' rendition. I don't typically like short handles but I had a 19" handle doing nothing. The kerf is for a Boy's sized axe that I had to remove 3/4" in length to fit the smaller eye on the Germantown head.

GT2.jpg


GT1.jpg


GT.jpg
 
I really like Germantown stuff. They made some really pretty tools.

This isn't a hang but here's something. It's not fancy woodworking by any means, but I had a little fun with the old branding. It resets evenly across the head and haft, and stood on its side it hangs from the little peg. Looks real good stood up, opened like a book.
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