# Looking for ID on these old axe heads.



## trailmaker (May 21, 2011)

I found some old axe heads that I'll be cleaning up and re-handling. One is a 2 1/4 lb chopping axe that looks like it says "Made in W. Germany". It looks like it was painted blue at one point.











The other is a once red 6lb splitting maul that says "Japan" and the letters WE before it becomes unreadable.










I know its a long shot but I was hoping someone might recognize these heads and markings and know something about them. At any rate they appear to be better than Indian junk metal.


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## dancan (May 21, 2011)

Almost looks like an OxHead/Iltis axe .
Some of their axes were painted blue .
Looks like inferior stuff so I'll give you 5 bucks for it .......LOL !
Nice find !


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## jeeptj19992001 (May 21, 2011)

give me a break....its a maul head and axe head, millions cast.....it not a chainsaw or anything special.....


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## SPDRMNKY (May 21, 2011)

enjoy the handles...my rasp gets a workout when I rehandle anything old.

cheers!


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## hamish (May 21, 2011)

dancan said:


> Almost looks like an OxHead/Iltis axe .
> Some of their axes were painted blue .
> Looks like inferior stuff so I'll give you 5 bucks for it .......LOL !
> Nice find !


 

Almost defiantely an ILTIS (ala military style) head, mind of a toss up half were made in sweden by HB and the other half in germany, very good quality. A good handle for it is the 26" Wetterlings available from Husqvarna for about $13.


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## SPDRMNKY (May 22, 2011)

I wanna say that maul head is a WEY...standard feedstore stuff from the early 80's (maybe before that, but I wouldn't know)

I think both grandpa and dad had one...good hunk of metal


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## trailmaker (May 24, 2011)

SPDRMNKY said:


> enjoy the handles...my rasp gets a workout when I rehandle anything old.
> 
> cheers!


 
This is my first re-handling so maybe you could answer a couple of questions for me. Do you rasp of enough material so that the head slides over easily without pinching the kerf cut closed, or do you make a tight fit that closes the kerf, and then just force it back open with the wedge? Also, how far beyond the bottom of the kerf cut do you try to seat the head? 

I really appreciate the input you guys have given on these old heads, it's turning out to be an enjoyable project.


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## SPDRMNKY (May 24, 2011)

trailmaker said:


> This is my first re-handling so maybe you could answer a couple of questions for me. Do you rasp of enough material so that the head slides over easily without pinching the kerf cut closed, or do you make a tight fit that closes the kerf, and then just force it back open with the wedge? Also, how far beyond the bottom of the kerf cut do you try to seat the head?


 
I think the way it's suppossed to be done (and the way I try to do it) is rasp off enough so the kerf just barely closes...then wood wedge, then metal wedge

What usually happens is I play heck getting the right shape (there's a lot of wood to rasp off on new handles for old heads, and sometimes they're not wide enough one direction and too wide the other), I pound the head on tight (tight kerf), and then gently tappy-tap the wedges in...results in a good tight fit, but more than the average amount of cursing

I try to seat the head at least a 1/4 inch below the kerf bottom...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. (I have an old youth axe head I rehandled at 10 degrees F with the help of a torch...it still has 1/4" of kerf exposed) Usually there's a shoulder built into the handle that I pound the head tight down onto...and I try to have excess handle above the head to cut off.

Really the worst situation is if you rasp off too much, and don't have a tight fitting handle.

Dive in and enjoy it!


Now for the unsolicited comments...

Use a brass hammer...maybe a heavy wooden mallet...more forgiving, and easier on the metal head if you have to get it off to readjust

If the head is symmetrical make sure to put the wider hole up

Wide metal wedges are the cat's meow for heavy heads...but good luck finding them

When I say "pound the head on" I mean hold the handle and smack it on the ground, letting the weight of the head drive itself on...not with a hammer

Rather than a vise, I grab the handle in one hand, tuck it under my armpit, lay the end on a bench, and rasp with the other hand...but if I had a woodworking vise I'd use that

Keep all your wooden wedge pieces...all of them. I try to fill any and all voids on the top of the head.

Sometime you can center the head on the new handle, and trace an outline as a rasping guide.

Cheers!


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## trailmaker (May 24, 2011)

Thanks for those helpful tips. Here they are handled and oiled almost ready for duty. I think I got them handled pretty well but I guess I'll find out soon when I start pounding away with that maul.


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## blackdogon57 (May 25, 2011)

Nice job !! 

I too like the satisfaction of fixing up and using old tools. Many are much better quality than the chinese junk sold in big box stores today. Rep sent.


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## SPDRMNKY (May 25, 2011)

nicely done...hope they provide many years of service!


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## M-tooth (Mar 14, 2012)

The best way to seat the head on the handle when hanging is to hold the ax upside side down with one hand below the does foot, then tap the does foot with a soft implement like a woodmen mallet. Try it next time the ax head slides up a little bit, you'll be surprised how well it works


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## trailmaker (Mar 15, 2012)

Thanks M-tooth, that is exactly the method that I use. It's been a while since I started this thread and restoring old axes has become a hobby for me. I've restored many at this point and am learning with each restoration.


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## M-tooth (Mar 15, 2012)

I love old axes and have restored a few but would like to get into it a little more. 

Here's a picture of the axe I use for competition chopping


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## M-tooth (Mar 15, 2012)

Here's a couple more I recently did







Not sure the make on this one











This one isn't old, It is the lowes brand double bit, But i burned the plastic handle out of it the day I brought it home, reground and reshaped the head then fitted it on a woodland pro handle from bailey's. This is now my competition throwing axe


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## Sagetown (Mar 15, 2012)

I like restoring old axe heads too. Here's one being fit with a 28" Seymour Mfg. Co., Inc. handle .


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## trailmaker (Mar 16, 2012)

M-tooth said:


> I love old axes and have restored a few but would like to get into it a little more.
> 
> Here's a picture of the axe I use for competition chopping



Whoa! That's a beast, how many pounds?


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## M-tooth (Mar 16, 2012)

trailmaker said:


> Whoa! That's a beast, how many pounds?



It's right at about 5 lbs.


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