What did you rehang today?

Not the prettiest hang compare to most of you and again the issues of removing the coating and staining the handle only to get a different look.
 
marbat said:
Not the prettiest hang compare to most of you and again the issues of removing the coating and staining the handle only to get a different look.
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This is not supposed to be a beauty contest! What you've done there looks great to me! In fact I (and hopefully many others here) enjoy seeing all things that newer generations (which also includes those of us from the pre-power tool era) have taken the time to resurrect to the best of their abilities. This baby of yours was otherwise a dead piece of steel with value pennies to the pound and now she's lovingly regained wheels, a full tank of gas and is back on the road, entirely thanks to you.
 
These old hatchets are common so perhaps are relatively uninteresting, but they are therefor very inexpensive to pick up. I love the older style shape like this one, can't resist them. This probably cost me $4 including the handle. The wedge is cherry.




 
Sturubu said:
Hey marbat, I'm working on an AA&T that looks just like that one! Well, almost...mine has some pretty bad mushrooming (enough to cover up the first line of text) and it came with a straight handle. Do you know if that's the original handle style on yours?
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marbat said:
I don't know, saw same axe on Ebay and it had a 14 inch handle. I find the head on the heavy side for a short handle but I will try it as is as I think it is a style of head leaning more towards splitting.
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Might be a house axe. They usually run about two pounds. Large eye like a boys axe. House axe handles are typically about 19".
 
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Managed to salvage the original 14" haft from this True Temper hatchet and rehang it. Love the lines and feel this handle has and couldn't bear to destroy it. The head had become so loose that I could almost pull it straight out.
Gently pried out the wedges, deepened the kerf, and rehung like I found it using a new wooden wedge and the original metal cross wedges.
Good as new!
 
Nice Flint Edge Daniel. I've come across several of those but not in that nice of condition.
Question - did you use vinegar at all on it? Only asking because I'm curious if you noticed if your hatchet
is hardened through the nail puller?

Noticed a Made in W. Germany there as well (on first impression) Those are usually pretty solid choppers as well.
The fit and finish on those really vary but they usually take and hold an edge as well as more
expensive/sought after heads. That one next for duty? I've found the eyes to be a bit larger than our standard
hatchet handles but not quite boy's axe size.

Your reuse of the handle on the Flint Edge is a win. I can't remember who passed this on here but
if you worry at all about the spaces you can shave down a piece of handle, knock them in there and
then smooth them off. Someone also mentioned using more wedge, shaped to fit to keep the density the same.
Probably not necessary but it does help keep some moisture and grime out.

Thank you for sharing your work!
 
Thank you Agent_H for the comments.
The Flint actually/surprisingly only required some time on the wire wheel to clean up. I will check and get back to you on the hardened nail puller; didn't notice but also didn't look. Good question.
Sharp eye on the W.German :)
It is next on the agenda. It's got some great "roughness" to its finish which is appealing to me and man did it take an edge quickly! Originally it was on an ash haft and painted blue so I am doing some research into that process. As you mentioned, the eye is a bit odd shaped (like most European varieties I presume) so finding a haft that I like and that will fit might be a challenge. Thinking of going longer here...26" maybe? As marked, it is 1.5lbs.
I appreciate the feedback and will take that gap filler advise into consideration; want to preserve our hard work for as long as we can right!?
 
First time in my life I got my hands on a double bit. It was rusty and someone botched the hanging. It was not even half way seated on the handle. The handle had a feel of a pickaroon. Very thick. I took it off the handle, sharpened and cleaned up. The edge was polished and is shaving sharp Handle got slimmed way down (also bought my first spoke shave, what a time saver!)and I made a black walnut wedge. Finish is BLO off course. The difference in the feel of the handle is amazing. The bit is 10" tall and cutting edge is 5". I ground one side just slightly thicker, nothingl like it was before. One side was ground like a wedge with no edge at all. I have a perfect diameter bar stock to fill that ugly hole, I have been toying with a thought of drilling through and pinning the head just to fill that hole.

I Just need to make a sheath for it and its good to go. What you guys think?









 
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That turned out awesome! Looks great and should be a great axe. If it were mine, I'd leave the hole...gives it some character, or plug it with a piece of wood for something different. But that wedge job looks great, I doubt that head is coming off anytime soon.
 
daniel.sorrels said:
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Managed to salvage the original 14" haft from this True Temper hatchet and rehang it. Love the lines and feel this handle has and couldn't bear to destroy it. The head had become so loose that I could almost pull it straight out.
Gently pried out the wedges, deepened the kerf, and rehung like I found it using a new wooden wedge and the original metal cross wedges.
Good as new!
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Wonderful! That's a really fresh hatchet - hardly any wear on it at all. Good on you for saving that original handle. Nothing quite like the feel of those old handles.
 
I'm running behind on passing out compliments, you guys have posted up some fine work! Keep 'em coming.
 
My personal 8 lbs sledge hammer I had bought roughly 15/20 years ago. Old remains of the handle was a bitch to hammer out as the steel wedge was put in edge wise, as end to end of it towards the sides so it was wedge against the steel. It is coated in BLS now and drying. I use this at work so wedges are in there good.
 
Ridges in the eye and ears made this one a little more work. Spent over an hour filing the bevel off the flat side. Enjoyed the work and it's rewarding bringing one back to a useful state. I probably won't get the opportunity to use this one much but it was a gift from my mother in law so I wanted to get it done so she could see it.
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