Why must they do this...

[Yankee Josh]

20 pictures. Ending with where I'm at so far. I'm going back to work tomorrow with splints on my fingers. I was able to do all the filing no problem. So if I can play with axes I can go to work.
The photos will speak for themselves. I'll just say that they must've beaten that axe onto that helve with a 3lb sledge! Steel was flattened out really bad... you'll see the ledges. I couldn't pick 'n choose which pics to post so I'm uploading all the ones left after I culled through them once quickly.

Still a bit of an obvious dip here...

The bottom of the eye was deformed too but I don't have any before pics for comparison.

Two more... While it's original profile is unattainable I'm happy with how it turned out. I've more work to do but it's all in finishing. I'll cold blue this one. Thanks for checking it out guys!!

Almost forgot.. my guess was it'd weigh 3-1/2lb once finished.. Down from 3lb-10.5oz.

Edit; this is about 6 hours worth of work. Conservatively...

 

[npace]

20 pictures. Ending with where I'm at so far. I'm going back to work tomorrow with splints on my fingers. I was able to do all the filing no problem. So if I can play with axes I can go to work.
The photos will speak for themselves. I'll just say that they must've beaten that axe onto that helve with a 3lb sledge! Steel was flattened out really bad... you'll see the ledges. I couldn't pick 'n choose which pics to post so I'm uploading all the ones left after I culled through them once quickly.

Still a bit of an obvious dip here...

The bottom of the eye was deformed too but I don't have any before pics for comparison.

Two more... While it's original profile is unattainable I'm happy with how it turned out. I've more work to do but it's all in finishing and honing. I'll cold blue this one. Thanks for checking it out guys!!

Almost forgot.. my guess was it'd weigh 3-1/2lb once finished..

Awesome!

 

[muleman77]

Looks great. I assume those cracks at the front and side of the eye are just on the surface, and you didn't want to take any more out of the dip already beat in it?

 

[Yankee Josh]

Looks great. I assume those cracks at the front and side of the eye are just on the surface, and you didn't want to take any more out of the dip already beat in it?

Thank you! The crack on the side of the eye is superficial and the forge weld is just fine. Just a little incomplete in those couple areas.
Good eye! There's just barely any dip left. If you hook a square on the poll it's almost perfect until it starts to rise up. And I didn't want to remove any more from the front. In order to restore the correct profile I'd have to file quite a bit more off and it looks good enough for me. It'll be obvious after I hang it when viewed from the top as it turns up about 3/4" behind where the front of the eye is. It'll look a little funny in that aspect but I'm happy with it. I was trying to keep the weight up as well.
To attempt to squaring up to that dip I had to take off about an 1/8th from the top of the poll. Takes awhile!!
I'm hoping I'll have an opportunity tomorrow to cold blue it and possibly hang it. I'll post it up!

 

[Fmont]

Nice save!

 

[Yankee Josh]

Nice save!

Thank you!
I cold blued it this morning. Had a glove that was too small with elastic bands holding on to my wrist. It was cumbersome and cutting off circulation so I didn't do the best job. I should've just waited but I couldn't. It's not horrible but does have that mottled look.

I just finished hanging it as well. To not mess up my finish I left the tongue proud slightly this time. Also used a hickory wedge as the helve is white ash. 34". I'll just post a few of them here and the rest in the re-hang thread.

Thanks for looking gents!
I've got more axes I'll post to this thread. Abused ones regardless of whether I'm going to refinish them or not. Hopefully you guys will post some more up to! Have a good one!

 

[Meek1]

Thank you!
I cold blued it this morning. Had a glove that was too small with elastic bands holding on to my wrist. It was cumbersome and cutting off circulation so I didn't do the best job. I should've just waited but I couldn't. It's not horrible but does have that mottled look.

I just finished hanging it as well. To not mess up my finish I left the tongue proud slightly this time. Also used a hickory wedge as the helve is white ash. 34". I'll just post a few of them here and the rest in the re-hang thread.

Thanks for looking gents!
I've got more axes I'll post to this thread. Abused ones regardless of whether I'm going to refinish them or not. Hopefully you guys will post some more up to! Have a good one!

Looks great man, as always you did a wonderful job saving it!

 

[jake pogg]

Can only second that same sentiment,you've done as good a job of restoring this tool as possible.
Whatever's not quite "perfect" about it is only to the good-this valuable,noble old tool is resored and preserved to a Working condition,while it's age and history were not obliterated.
I'm not a collector,but to me personally what you did has more value,validity,et c...
So,right on!

 

[FLINT77]

outstanding! you did a phenomenal job on that axe!

 

[Malpaso]

Beyond my abilities, and I've yet to find a local forge to reshape the eye. Then I might have a go of working on the rest.

 

[Yankee Josh]

Beyond my abilities, and I've yet to find a local forge to reshape the eye. Then I might have a go of working on the rest.

Wow they beat the hell outta that thing.. I can see the remnants of a makers mark. Do you know who made it? It appears to have an overlaid bit. Does it have a weight stamp anywhere? What a shame!
I wonder if it is in fact salvageable??

 

[Malpaso]

There appears to be some markings just barely visible under the collapsed poll in the picture above, but I can't make it out, and the letter "L" on the opposite side.

 

[Yankee Josh]

There appears to be some markings just barely visible under the collapsed poll in the picture above, but I can't make it out, and the letter "L" on the opposite side.

I just zoomed in on your previous post and I'm quite sure I see the end of the word "superior". Which could mean a Rogers. The L strikes me as being an owner stamped item. Either way it's a bummer it's so abused!
I was hoping J jake pogg would give us his two cents on whether or not something that beat could be straightened out again. I'm pretty sure it's possible!

 

[Malpaso]

I

I just zoomed in on your previous post and I'm quite sure I see the end of the word "superior". Which could mean a Rogers.

It did come from CT.

 

[jake pogg]

I was hoping J jake pogg would give us his two cents on whether or not something that beat could be straightened out again.

Aw,man...
I'll say right off that whatever it'll take will have to be HOT.
See that smooth/flat-looking spot alongside the eye in the first photo?That is where someone tried to do it Cold...That i think may've done almost more damage than the original beating...
No,let me rephrase that:The damage,however it was done,is to the steel itself,in a number of places aft of center of eye.
If brought to forging T,and straightened out,it'd be easier to tell where to go from there.
When at some high, bright-cherry-ish kinda heat,you'll be able to see shadows and what-not indicating possible internal damage.
So try doing that first,get it Real bright hot,and move it about some,that'll tell a lot.

 

[jake pogg]

Beyond my abilities, and I've yet to find a local forge to reshape the eye. Then I might have a go of working on the rest.

Sorry,should've read that...

I can't help,won't be home to my forge for some weeks yet..

Ask around "Knifemaker's discussion"-type topics elsewhere on this site,chances are there's a forge not far from you...?

 

[muleman77]

I've fixed a bunch of warped eyes, but not as bad as that. Had good success with the ones I've done though.

I would do that at a very dull red heat, with a drift. Surprising how easy an eye moves when hot. If it's not already cracked, it would probly get useable again.

Good chance of not needing a heat treat after as well, using a torch and wet rag instead of a forge.

 

[GWashington1732]

To answer the title question, because they suck at splitting and have weak spaghetti arms and cant pull the axe back out if it sticks so they go whacking away with a sledge hammer until something happens.

Looks all better now.

 

[ithinkverydeeply]

Talk about smashing the top of the eye!?! Check out what some genius did here...

they only fit the handle halfway into the eye and were too lazy or stupid to do anything other than try to hammer it on. And then they frickin’ tried to hammer wedges down into the eye deep enough to spread the kerf. But the handle was still only halfway into the eye so the just battered down the eye trying to get the wedges in.

This is why I’m a misanthropist.

 

[flexo]

what a neat restoration! congratulations!